Clarinet in C (?)
The Köhler family were brass and woodwind makers of Hessian origin. In 1834 the firm moved to 35 Henrietta Street, and succeeded by John Augustus Köhler, who was joined by his son Augustus Charles Köhler in 1863. The firm continued manufacturing into the 20th century. (Horace Fitzpatrick/John Webb, "Köhler", Grove music online)
Overall size: 529
Bore: c-hole 13.2; f-hole 13.2
Conical part: 122
Technical description: Simple system clarinet. Brass ‘skeleton’ body with brass keywork. Four pieces: mouthpiece, barrel, upper section, lower section with integral bell. Rosewood mouthpiece to be used with a ligature. Funnel shaped barrel. Tuning slides between barrel and upper section and between upper section and lower section may be fixed by brass screws. Straight speaker, speaker liner projects almost to the centre of the bore. All tone holes raised. Long tailed throat A♭ key suggests British fingering. Astonishingly the tone hole for C♯4/G♯5 goes through the tenon of the upper section, so that the tuning slide is limited in its function. There is a device to hold the tuning slide in the right position. Keys for L4 featured with rollers to ease the gliding between keys. Shaped thumb rest. Guidance for F♯3/C♯5. Brass bell rim with inscription. Device for a music card holder. 12 keys plus spectacle key.
L0: T; speaker.
L1: T; throat A♮.
L2: T; throat A♭.
L3: T; cross E♭4/B♭5.
L4: C♯4/G♯5; E3/B♮4; F♯3/C♯5.
R1: T; side F4/ C6; side trill key for throat A-B♮ and B♭-C.
R2: T + spectacle.
R3: T + spectacle (forked B♭3/F♮5); cross B♭3/F♮5.
R4: G♯3/E♭5; F3/C5.
Keyhead type: salt spoon.
Keymount type: between pillars.
Inscribed on bell: "Köhler, Maker, Henrietta St., Covent Garden, London". Mouthpiece stamped "Köhler & Son / London" opposite the reed-side.
(Heike Fricke, 2014)
Overall size: 529
Bore: c-hole 13.2; f-hole 13.2
Conical part: 122
Technical description: Simple system clarinet. Brass ‘skeleton’ body with brass keywork. Four pieces: mouthpiece, barrel, upper section, lower section with integral bell. Rosewood mouthpiece to be used with a ligature. Funnel shaped barrel. Tuning slides between barrel and upper section and between upper section and lower section may be fixed by brass screws. Straight speaker, speaker liner projects almost to the centre of the bore. All tone holes raised. Long tailed throat A♭ key suggests British fingering. Astonishingly the tone hole for C♯4/G♯5 goes through the tenon of the upper section, so that the tuning slide is limited in its function. There is a device to hold the tuning slide in the right position. Keys for L4 featured with rollers to ease the gliding between keys. Shaped thumb rest. Guidance for F♯3/C♯5. Brass bell rim with inscription. Device for a music card holder. 12 keys plus spectacle key.
L0: T; speaker.
L1: T; throat A♮.
L2: T; throat A♭.
L3: T; cross E♭4/B♭5.
L4: C♯4/G♯5; E3/B♮4; F♯3/C♯5.
R1: T; side F4/ C6; side trill key for throat A-B♮ and B♭-C.
R2: T + spectacle.
R3: T + spectacle (forked B♭3/F♮5); cross B♭3/F♮5.
R4: G♯3/E♭5; F3/C5.
Keyhead type: salt spoon.
Keymount type: between pillars.
Inscribed on bell: "Köhler, Maker, Henrietta St., Covent Garden, London". Mouthpiece stamped "Köhler & Son / London" opposite the reed-side.
(Heike Fricke, 2014)
Artwork Details
- Title: Clarinet in C (?)
- Maker: Köhler & Son
- Date: ca. 1870
- Geography: United Kingdom
- Culture: British
- Medium: rosewood, brass
- Dimensions: L. 20 13/16 in. (52.8 cm)
- Classification: Aerophone-Reed Vibrated-single reed cylindrical
- Credit Line: The Crosby Brown Collection of Musical Instruments, 1889
- Object Number: 89.4.2535
- Curatorial Department: Musical Instruments
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Köhler & Son
1881–90
Köhler & Son
after 1862
Érard
George Henry Blake
ca. 1840
Charles Joseph Sax
1830
Thomas Prowse
1832–68
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