CLARINETS DIRECT

020 85811113 or 07787 770071

J R LAFLEUR, LONDON & PARIS, ARTIST Eb CLARINET, £895

This is an extremely rare Lafleur, London & Paris, Eb clarinet, in good condition. Just as early Boosey and Hawkes pre-war 1010's were stamped London and Paris, I have seen professional Lafleur clarinets similarly stamped. Boosey & Co. bought Lafleur in 1917, and, at least initially, used the Lafleur stamp for top quality French made instruments. This instrument is stamped "made in Paris France" on the reverse above the speaker key. After WW2 the Lafleur stamp seems to have been used 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 wood with the exception of the bell, which is made from ebonite: Again this was common practice with Boosey and Hawkes London & Paris clarinets, 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 German Silver key work is in good 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 original, stamped M, 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.