Clarinet in C

Catalogue number: 4.6

Original name: Clarinet in C.

Type or system: 11 Keys.

Maker: Goulding & Co.

Place of origin: London, c.1811/1812.

Overall size: 514mm total length not including mouthpiece.

Bore: Mouthpiece: 14.1mm; barrel: 13.9mm - 13.9mm; upper joint: 14.8mm - 12.9mm; lower joint: 13.2mm - 18.5mm; bell: 20.8mm - c.48mm.

Technical description: Four sections of boxwood and mouthpiece of dark wood. Mouthpiece: c.71mm (tip broken); barrel: 62mm (including metal tuning slide); upper joint: 190.5mm; lower joint: 229.5mm; bell: 98.8mm.

Metal tuning sleeve between barrel and upper joint. Eleven brass keys with round salt spoon style flaps. Nine mounted on raised blocks and rings, Low F sharp / C sharp; low E / B natural patent keys mounted on brass saddles. The ‘patent’ stamped on middle joint may be the trill link key.

Key work and finger holes

Finger hole diameter (av.)

Left hand thumb:

T; B flat / speaker

Left hand, first finger:

T; A flat; A natural

Left hand, second finger:

T; (A flat)

Left hand, third finger:

T; E flat / B flat

Left hand, fourth finger:

Low F sharp / C sharp; low E / B natural; trill link to C sharp / G sharp

Right hand, first finger:

T; A - B natural trill key

Right hand, second finger:

T; C sharp / G sharp

Right hand, third finger:

T; B flat / F natural

Right hand, fourth finger:

T; B natural / F sharp

Inscription: Stamped on barrel and top joint: (motif: crown) / “GOULDING & CO”; Stamped at the top of the middle joint: “WOOD’S / PATENT” (this probably refers to the trill link); Stamped at foot of the middle joint (motif: crown) / “GOULDING”; Stamped on barrel: (motif: crown) / (motif: feathers) / ”GOULDING & D’ALMAINE / SOHO SQUARE / LONDON”; stamped on the low F sharp / c sharp key: “WOOD’S”; stamped on the low E / B natural key: “PATENT”.

Faults: Bell ferrule missing. Barrel ferrule cracked. Mouthpiece tip broken.

Usable pitch: Plays at a’ = 435 Hz.

General literature: James Wood was probably the ‘inventor’ of the patent which is almost certainly the trill key.

Illustration references: See below

Previous collection numbers: A and B: 115.

Gallery of Images