MSU College of Music Collections
Single Reed Instruments
Basset Horn, Chalumeau, Clarinets, Octavin, Saxophone, and Tarogato.
Franz Doleisch Basset Horn, c.1800
Prague, Czech Republic
Boxwood, angled, 13 keys with kasten. An extremely rare instrument.
Soprano Chalumeau, c.1710
Replica by David Ross.
Based on originals in Munich, Germany, and Stockholm, Sweden. The originals are made of ivory (the copy of artificial ivory). Both have two silver keys. The pitch is 415.
Alto Chalumeau, c.1710 
Replica by David Ross.
The Liebav alto Chalumeau has 2 keys.
The original is at the Stockholm Museum in Sweden.
Tenor Chalumeau, c.1710
Replica by Stefan Beck.
The J. C. Denner original is at the Stadtmuseum in Munich, Germany
Bass Chalumeau, c.1700
Replica by David Ross.
Based on originals in Munich, Germany and Stockholm, Sweden. The originals and the D. Ross copy are made of boxwood with three brass keys. The pitch is 415.
Denner, Baroque Clarinet, c.1700
Replica by David Ross.
This instrument is a copy of the J. C. Denner clarinet at University of California, Berkeley, CA. The Berkeley instrument is made of maple with three brass keys.
This is probably the oldest/earliest surviving clarinet, obviously an experimental model with the multitude of doubled holes and third key. This instrument has been the subject of several articles.
Scherer, Baroque D Clarinet, c.1740
Replica by David Ross.
The J. G. Scherer ivory clarinet at the Royal College of Music in London, England.
This D. Ross instrument is made of artificial ivory and has two silver keys
Joseph Stingelwagner, Clarinet d’Amour, c.1760
Replica by Stefan Beck.
Four keys (one thumb key)
Original is at the Stadmuseum, Munich, Germany.
W. Nicolai, Ab Clarinet, c.1800
Boxwood, 5 keys. Mouthpiece replica by Stefan Beck.
Moltino, Bb Clarinet, c.1800
London, England Boxwood and ivory, 5 keys.
Goulding d’Almaine Potter & Co., Bb Clarinet, c.1813
Soho Square, Boxwood and ivory, 5 keys.
Goulding & Co., A Clarinet, c.1800
Boxwood and ivory, 5 keys.
Dobner & Consort, C Clarinet, c.1815
Strasbourg, Germany
Boxwood and ivory, 5 keys.
D’Almine & Co., Bb Clarinet, 1820
London, England
Boxwood and ivory, 6 keys.
Thomas Garrett, Bb Clarinet, c.1825
London, England
Boxwood and ivory, 8 keys.
Richard Bilton, Bb Clarinet, c.1826
London, England
Boxwood and ivory, 6 keys.
Richard Bilton, A Clarinet, c.1826
London, England
Pearwood and ivory, 13 keys.
Franz Carl Kruspe, Eb Clarinet, c.1830
Granadilla wood with ivory rings, Albert system.
Bilton, Richard, Bb Clarinet, c.1830
London, England
Boxwood and ivory, 5 keys.
George Metzler, A Clarinet, c.1833
London, England
Boxwood and ivory, 6 keys.
James Jordan, A Clarinet, c.1835 
Liverpool, England
Boxwood and ivory, 8-keys.
Wood & Ivy, Bb Clarinet, 1835
London, England
Boxwood and ivory, 6 keys.
Metzler & Co., Clarinet, c.1842 
London, England
Boxwood and ivory, 10 keys.
Richard Bilton, A Clarinet, 1843
London, England
Boxwood and ivory, 13 keys.
Gottfried Schuster, Bb & A Clarinets, c.1820
Neukirchen, Germany
Includes corps de rechange (interchangeable parts).
Boxwood and dark ivory rings, extendable keys for the right hand.
H. Kayzer, Eb Clarinet, c.1845
Hamburg, Germany
Boxwood and ivory, 14 keys.
H. Kayzer, D Clarinet, c.1845
Hamburg, Germany
Boxwood and ivory, 14 keys.
George Butler, C Clarinet, c.1869
London and Dublin
Boxwood, 13-keys
I. Lot, Bb Clarinet, c.1870
Paris, France
Albert System, 4 rings, 12 keys.
Theodore Berteling, Eb Clarinet, c.1875
New York, New York
This clarinet possesses several extra keys that are not normally found on Albert System instruments.
It has four rings, rollers between both left and right hand little finger keys, an extra right hand side key, and a left hand Eb key.
Anonymous, A Clarinet, c.1885
Maker unknown, Albert system.
Buffet Crampon, Bb Clarinet, c.1886
Albert system, 13 keys, 2 rollers.
George Cloos, C Clarinet, c.1890
New York, New York
Albert system, 12 keys, 2 rings.
Anonymous, C Clarinet, c.1890
Albert system, 12 keys, 2 rings, high pitch.
Gonet & Cie, Paris, Eb Clarinet, c.1890
Paris, France
12 keys, two rings, high pitch.
Buffet Crampon, Bb Clarinet, c.1915
Albert system, stamped “Carl Fischer”, left hand/right hand lower joint rollers.
C. G. Conn, Eb Metal Clarinet, c.1900
Double wall instrument, metal with chrome.
Clarinet, Model Conservatoire, c.1890
C-pitch, Albert system.
Ideal by Royce & Co., Eb Clarinet, c.1910
Toronto, Canada
Albert system
Buffet Crampon, Bb Clarinet, c.1918
Albert system, left and right hand rollers, stamped, “Carl Fischer.”
Buffet Crampon, A Clarinet, c.1919
Albert system, stamped with “Carl Fischer, New York,” left hand and right hand B & C keys have rollers.
Boosey & Co., Bb Clarinet, 1927
London, England
The Clinton System.
The Clinton model clarinet was invented by George Clinton (1850-1913), a British clarinetist that performed in numerous orchestras in London. His model of clarinet was quite common in Europe in the first decades of the 20th Century.
The Clinton System is very close to the Albert System commonly also called the “ordinary system”.
H. Selmer, A Clarinet, c.1928
Paris, France
Full Boehm system
Couesnon, Bb Clarinet, c.1929
Paris, France
Silver plate, Boehm system
Buffet Crampon, Clarinet, c.1930.
Paris, France
Boehm system
Buffet Crampon, A Clarinet, c.1930
Albert system, LP (low pitch), stamped “Carl Fischer, New York,” rollers on right hand keys.
Clemens Meinel, Bb Clarinet, c.1930
Wemitzgrun, Germany
German system, thumb key for resonance hole in bell.
Clemens Meinel, A Clarinet, c.1930
Wemitzgrun, Germany
German system, thumb key for resonance hole in bell.
H. Selmer, Brevet, A Clarinet, c.1930
Paris, France
Brevet, full Boehm system.
Gustav Pruefer, A Clarinet, c.1930
Providence, Rhode Island
Albert system, articulated G#, wraparound register key.
Gustav Pruefer, Bb Clarinet, c.1930
Providence, Rhode Island
Albert system, articulated G#, wraparound register key.
Buffet Crampon, A Clarinet, c.1934
Paris, France
Boehm system.
Gustav Pruefer, Bb Clarinet, c.1934
Providence, Rhode Island
Boehm system.
Anonymous, Bb Clarinet, c.1940
Silver plated, student model, Boehm system.
Metal clarinets were widely used by students in elementary and junior high schools during the 1930’s and 1940’s
Selmer Bundy, Bb Mazzeo Clarinet, c.1920
The Selmer Bundy Mazzeo System was invented by Rosario Mazzeo (a former clarinetist with the Boston Symphony) in the 1920's.
The Mazzeo key system was produced by the Selmer Company and was available in the 50's on their student and professional instruments. In spite of considerable publicity and advertising, the Mazzeo system was not accepted widely in the U.S. by clarinetists and production was halted.
A total of 13,000 instruments were produced. A limited number exist today in museum and private collections.
Anonymous, L. Labori, C Clarinet, c.1920
Paris, France
Granadilla wood, Albert or Simple system, stamped “L. Labori, Paris”.
L. Labori is a trade name used for imported woodwind instruments.
Leblanc, Bb Clarinet, c.1957
Paris, France
Leblanc, Noblet Model ND, Boehm system, granadilla wood.
Amati Krastice, G Clarinet, 2009
Prague, Czech. Republic
German system, extra tuning barrel, with case.
Leblanc Alto Clarinet (Vito), c.1970
Reso-tone, Boehm system.
F. Besson Bass Clarinet, c.1873
London, England
Albert system, rosewood with plateau keys.
Buffet Bass Clarinet, c.1880
Paris, France
Albert system, plateau keys, granadilla wood.
Oscar Adler, Octavin, c.1893
Marknuekirchen, Germany
The Octavin is a conical tube, doubled back. It is made from a single piece of wood and has a single reed saxophone-like mouthpiece. It is 30cm in length with a curved bell.
The Octavin has a tone similar to that of a saxophone. Only a limited number of instruments were produced. Few examples of Octavins exist today
Adolphe Sax, Alto Saxophone, 1867
Reputed to be one of the earliest instruments made by Sax from his first year of production.
The bell is inscribed by Sax.
Stowasser, Tarogato, c.1920
Ofem, Hungary
Rosewood, single reed, conical bore.
