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J R LAFLEUR, LONDON & PARIS, ARTIST Eb CLARINET, £645

This is an extremely rare Lafleur London & Paris Eb clarinet, in superb condition. Just as early Boosey and Hawkes pre-war 1010's were stamped London and Paris, I have seen professional Lafleur clarinets similarly stamped. I am not sure of the history of the Lafleur brand, but prior to their amalgamation into the Boosey and Hawkes group, they did seem to manufacture fine instruments. This instrument is stamped "made in Paris France" on the reverse above the speaker key, and it is of top quality French manufacture. After their take over the Lafleur stamp seems to have been put on only poorer student models made by Boosey & Hawkes.
The wood condition overall is very fine, with only minor surface marks. The instrument is made from finest Grenadilla with the exception of the bell, which is made from ebonite: Again this was common practice with Boosey and Hawkes London & Paris clarints, which were often supplied with ebonite barrels and bells. It is possible, therefore, that this instrument was made by the same French manufacturer as the B&H London & Paris range. There are NO cracks or repairs. The Nickel silver plate is in superb condition, with no discernable wear. Please see the photos. This Eb has just had a complete overhaul in double bladder fish skin pads and is sold with our 1 year warranty. The m'piece is the wooden original, and playes nicely with 2.5-3.5 strength reeds. The intonation is extremely stable at A=440 Hz, and this instrument represents excellent value for money. The case is in fair condition, it latches well, but there is some wear to the original lining.