Clarinet
The Metzler family comprises Valentin Metzler (born Bingen am Rhein, Germany, died London 1833), his son George Richard (born London 1797, died 1867) and his grand-son George Thomas (born London 1835, died 1879). (Waterhouse, NLI, 261)
Overall size: 601
Bore: c-hole 13.2; 13.2
Conical part: 110
Technical description: Boxwood with ivory ferrules and brass keywork. Six pieces: mouthpiece, barrel, upper section, middle section for the fingers of the right hand, lower section with keys, bell. English style long tenon blackwood mouthpiece grooved for cord. English style flask shaped barrel. Upper section square turned wooden rings, lower section round turned wooden rings. Speaker liner projects ca. 4 mm into the bore. Levers for L4, tone-hole and key for R4 mounted in a bell-shaped swelling. Guidance for F♯3/C♯5 zig-zag lever. Bevelled G♯3/E♭5.
L0: T; speaker.
L1: T; throat A♮.
L2: T.
L3: T.
L4: E3/B♮4; F♯3/C♯5.
R1: T; trill key for throat A-B♮.
R2: T.
R3: T.
R4: T; G♯3/E♭5.
Keyhead type: flat square.
Keymount type: turned wooden rings, blocks, swelling.
Inscribed on barrel, upper, middle, and lower section "METZLER / LONDON".
Mouthpiece shows marks from teeth. Crack in upper section. Socket of lower section cracked. Ivory ferrule of lower section cracked. The unstamped bell is presumably a replacement.
Barrel can not be removed from upper section.
(Heike Fricke, 2014)
Overall size: 601
Bore: c-hole 13.2; 13.2
Conical part: 110
Technical description: Boxwood with ivory ferrules and brass keywork. Six pieces: mouthpiece, barrel, upper section, middle section for the fingers of the right hand, lower section with keys, bell. English style long tenon blackwood mouthpiece grooved for cord. English style flask shaped barrel. Upper section square turned wooden rings, lower section round turned wooden rings. Speaker liner projects ca. 4 mm into the bore. Levers for L4, tone-hole and key for R4 mounted in a bell-shaped swelling. Guidance for F♯3/C♯5 zig-zag lever. Bevelled G♯3/E♭5.
L0: T; speaker.
L1: T; throat A♮.
L2: T.
L3: T.
L4: E3/B♮4; F♯3/C♯5.
R1: T; trill key for throat A-B♮.
R2: T.
R3: T.
R4: T; G♯3/E♭5.
Keyhead type: flat square.
Keymount type: turned wooden rings, blocks, swelling.
Inscribed on barrel, upper, middle, and lower section "METZLER / LONDON".
Mouthpiece shows marks from teeth. Crack in upper section. Socket of lower section cracked. Ivory ferrule of lower section cracked. The unstamped bell is presumably a replacement.
Barrel can not be removed from upper section.
(Heike Fricke, 2014)
Artwork Details
- Title: Clarinet
- Maker: Valentine Metzler (German, Bingen am Rhein, d. 1833, London)
- Date: ca. 1830
- Geography: London, England
- Culture: British
- Medium: Boxwood, ivory
- Dimensions: L. 603 mm
- Classification: Aerophone-Reed Vibrated-single reed cylindrical
- Credit Line: The Crosby Brown Collection of Musical Instruments, 1889
- Object Number: 89.4.2739
- Curatorial Department: Musical Instruments
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Valentine Metzler
ca. 1800–1815
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