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1

BUFFET CRAMPON R13 Bb CLARINET-SOLD

£995

A good condition vintage Buffet R13. There is no damage to the wood, which is crack and repair free, with only minor surface marks and scratches.  The Nickel Silver  key work shows some wear to the throat G# key, rings, and register key, the plating is about 85%. We have just entirely re-padded in Pisoni Premium Deluxe  Pads. The clarinet is sold with our full year's Clarinets Direct warranty. The matching serial nos. are 86836 which dates to 1965. Back then this was the finest professional instrument Buffet made, with unstained, matched wood. This was before the introduction of the ""Prestige" range, which effectively downgraded the standard R13 considerably. These days R13's are made from inferior quality wood which is stained to hide imperfections. Buffet are currently attempting to recreate this Gold  standard  of manufacture in their current "Vintage R13" range please go to www.buffetcrampon.com for more details The case is brand new and the m'piece is a David Hite. This R13 plays superbly, with a warm, round sound.

2

BUFFET CRAMPON RC PRESTIGE Bb CLARINET

£1745

A superb condition Buffet RC Prestige. There is no damage to the wood, which is pristine.  The Silver plate key work is excellent throughout. The instrument has been recently padded in Pisoni Premium Deluxe Tan & White Leather by John Packer Ltd from whom it was bought new. The matching serial nos. are 551873 which dates to 2005. This instrument features an adjustable thumb rest, additional LH Ab/Eb, and unstained hand selected Grenadilla wood. Please go to www.buffetcrampon.com for more details The original case is in excellent condition. I will happily supply a professional quality m'piece at reasonable cost should the purchaser not already own similar. 

3

   MATCHED PAIR FRANK HAMMERSCHMIDT BOEHM CLARINETS        

£3995

It is a delight to be able to offer this incomparable pair of custom made, Frank Hammerschmidt, Boehm system clarinets for sale. Bb & A, bore size 15.00mm, silver plated keys, with offset C#'G# hole. Adjusting screws for lower pad regulation.6 Barrels: 59.0mm, 60.2mm, 62.2mm, 63.0mm, 63.2mm, & 64.5mm.

4 mouthpieces: [All measurements in 100/mm:mm] 80/27; 88/23; 96/24 [ 1010 curve] 90/24 [Viotto facing]. {For those unacquainted with Viotto's work he is widely held to be the finest mouthpiece maker for German style lays.} NB These m'pieces work with German style reeds.

These instruments were bought new in late 1999 for DM14,600. The condition is pristine with just wear from careful normal use. A couple of pads have been replaced with tan leather, the remainder, possibly original, are white leather. I feel these clarinets would benefit from some minor regulation and re pad work, but they play superbly as is. The bore shine is immaculate as is the Silver plate. The intonation and response are impeccable. There is no finer pair of clarinets currently made.

 

4

BUFFET C12 CONSERVATOIRE Bb CLARINET

£795

An excellent condition Buffet C12  Bb clarinet. This instrument was originally manufactured as Buffet's entry level professional wooden model, and as such, can still be dated on their current website, unlike the lesser E13 and other student models. This example has no damage or repairs to the wood.  The Nickel Silver key work is in good condition with slight wear to the throat G# key and RH Eb/Ab & F#/C# levers. We have just completely repadded in Pisoni Premium Deluxe Tan leather pads [with the exception of the register key and C#/G# key which are in cork] & the clarinet is sold with our "Clarinets Direct" 1 year warranty. The matching serial nos. are 255870 which dates  to 1984, an excellent period of Buffet manufacture. The supplied m'piece is a used Larry Combs LC3.  The original case is in good condition.

5

SELMER PARIS Eb PICCOLO CLARINET

£1995

This is an excellent condition Selmer Eb Piccolo Clarinet in Grenadilla wood, which is a commission sale for Clarinets Direct.  The Nickel plated key work is in very good condition with no wear.  The wood overall is very good,  there are a couple of minor surface marks but the wood is of exceptional density and quality. There are NO cracks or repairs.  This Eb has "as new" tan leather pads throughout and they are sealing well, the key work is also well regulated.  This is a superb instrument; Selmer is generally held to be the finest manufacturer of harmony clarinets in the world. The serial nos. Y2987 which dates to 1974. This is a one semi- professional owner instrument, which was used for a single performance of Shostakovich's 5th Symphony!  The original Selmer case is in good condition.. The m'piece is a  Selmer C* with Rovner ligature in excellent shape. 

 

6

MATCHED PAIR OF SELMER RECITAL CLARINETS

£2445

An excellent matched pair of Selmer Recital clarinets in Silver plate. There is no damage to the wood, which is crack and repair free. The plating overall is pristine with no loss.  Both instruments will have had a full check up in our workshop prior to sale; with pads replaced as necessary.  The Bb has S/N F0378, the A S/N E3284  All pieces are original and stamped Selmer, with additional barrels of 62.5 and 64.5mm. The mouthpieces are a standard Selmer C85 120 & A Weinberg M3 both  in excellent condition. The case is a modern example which can be carried as a rucksack or by handle, it is used, but in good condition. These instruments are a one owner pair; the former property of a peripatetic teacher, they have been exceptionally well cared for.

7

BUFFET E13 Bb CLARINET

£525

 

 

     

 

A good condition Buffet Crampon, Evette & Schaeffer E13. Just completely overhauled in double bladder fishskin Pisoni pads and sold with a full year's warranty. The matching serial nos. are  B1816, which dates to the 1950's, an excellent period of quality Buffet manufacture.  This instrument was hand finished and undercut, unlike modern E13's which are completely machine made. The keywork is solid German Silver, not plated, in excellent condition. The Grenadilla wood overall is in fair condition, with surface scratches and scuffs, there are also a couple of minor chips to the outer edge of the lower tenon of the upper joint and the lower tenon of the bottom joint [ see photos 4 & 5].  In addition we have filled and sealed a crack to the barrel, this repair is also covered by our warranty.  The m'piece is a Conn Precision, & the case a modern Protech with shoulder strap.

 

8

SELMER PARIS PROFESSIONAL BASS CLARINET TO LOW E

£1745

 

 

     

Arriving shortly, with Selmer 53 degree angle crook

NB not pictured yet.

9

BOOSEY & HAWKES PRE-WAR 1010 Bb CLARINET

£795

 

 

     

A good condition Pre-War B&H Symphony 1010 Bb. This Bb, S/N 33046 has Eddie Ashton superpads throughout in excellent order. The Maillechort is pristine & there are no cracks or damage to the wood. All pieces are matching and stamped with the same serial no., apart from the mouthpiece which is stamped 34817, a close match. The case of modern hard shell type.

10

 LEBLANC, PROFESSIONAL ALTO CLARINET TO LOW Eb

£895

 

 

     

A very fine Leblanc Alto just overhauled in our workshop.    There is no plating wear to the Nickel Silver touch pieces.  The crook has some minor scratches but no dents. The bell, has a couple of small dings and slight flattening to the bottom, none of which affect the response. There is an old, banded crack repair to the upper joint. We have checked this repair for sealing and all is well.  The matching serial nos. are 2928, and the range is to low Eb.  The mouthpiece is a boxed brand new Vandoren 5RV The case is worn, with some repairs to the lining, but functional, all the latches are working well.  

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11

SELMER BALANCED TONE Bb CLARINET

£595

 

 

     

A fine condition Selmer BT which has just had a full overhaul in Pisoni double bladder fishskin pads, and is sold with a year's warranty.  The German Silver keywork has a nice shine and no play in the mechanism. There is one old repaired crack in the upper joint, which runs into the top trill key hole: it is a surface crack and doesn't go into the bore, apart from this the wood is in fine condition. The matching serial nos. are M4478 which dates to 1944 . The m'piece is a Selmer HS* in good used condition, as is the leather case.

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12

SELMER CENTERED TONE Bb CLARINET

£495

 

 

     

A Selmer Centered Tone Bb clarinet. This instrument is the model most closely associated with Benny Goodman. This example has a banded repaired crack to the upper joint, see photo 5, with the crack running into the 1st trill hole, also the bell has two cracks at 180 degrees to each other.  The keywork is good and  all pieces are original and stamped Selmer. The pads are a mixture of leather and double bladder fishskin, yet this instrument plays and responds superbly: far better than it's condition might suggest!  The matching serial nos. are Q9333 which dates to 1957. The supplied m'piece is a Selmer 10G 1  in fair condition, the case is worn but functional.

 

13

SELMER BUNDY BASS CLARINET TO LOW Eb

£795

 

 

     


This is a nice condition Selmer Bundy Bass Clarinet in Resonite  to low Eb. There are no cracks or damage to the body; minor surface scratches and marks only. The crook is in excellent condition,  but the bell has a few minor dings and scratches, mainly at the bottom. We have fitted a floor peg to the bell to stop this. There is slight plating loss to the Nickel Silver key work; the plating is around 85%. The Bass has had a full Pisoni Premium Deluxe Repad and overhaul.& is sold with a years warranty. The serial nos. are 1571. The case is well used but functional. The m'piece is a brand new USA student model. This is a fine example of  the proven Selmer design. It plays easily and is an ideal first Bass clarinet purchase.

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14

MATCHED PAIR OF SELMER SERIES 9 CLARINETS

£1500

 

 

     

A very fine pair of Selmer Series 9 Clarinets. The Bb, W6959 has double bladder fishskin pads throughout in excellent condition. The clarinet has no joint wobble. The Nickel plate is in very good condition with only slight marks.  The A has serial no., V4315 & is in excellent condition. The A has obviously had very little use, the plating and state of the pads reflect this. Both clarinets show NO evidence of cracks or repairs; the wood throughout is pristine The case is a Buffet, of the period, in excellent condition. The mouthpiece is a used Selmer HS.

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15

SELMER PRE-CENTERED TONE Bb CLARINET

£395

 

 

     

A bargain professional Selmer Paris clarinet for the player not overly worried by cosmetic issues! This pre- Centered Tone clarinet has been professionally owned and played for the last year by a London jazz clarinettist.  There is a surface crack to the upper joint, see photo 5, underneath the G# key which does not go through to the bore, and has no effect on the response. There is also some wear to the keys, though they do exhibit a good shine. The pads are all sealing well, and all touch & tenon corks are good. The wood shows surface scuffs and marks but all pieces are original Selmer. There is also a repaired crack to the bell, see photo 8, and some hairline cracks to the barrel, again none of which go through to the bore, see photo 12.  The case is an original Selmer tri-pack, well used, but functional.

16

McINTYRE SYSTEM Bb CLARINET

£395

 

 

     

Clarinets Direct is proud to announce that we will be selling off a portion of the late James Joseph's collection of rare and valuable clarinets. This is one of many listings.

This is a McIntyre system Bb Clarinet in Grenadilla wood. As a young man I remember speaking to Robert McIntyre and ordering one of these myself! Sadly McIntyre was never able to persuade a major manufacturer to back his "improvement" and though he managed to get his clarinet made in France, ultimately his company became bankrupt. For those unfamiliar with the fingering it works as follows: throat G# is fingered solely by the third finger of the LH; A by 3rd and 2nd fingers: Bb, by all three in the LH. Ingenious: In addition the Bb has it's own dedicated hole so the quality and pitch are improved. This example is playing very well, and has wood and keywork in excellent condition. The matching serial nos. are 1220. It is a perfectly usable clarinet as is, or possibly one for a collector. The case is worn but fully functional. There is no mouthpiece but I found a standard Vandoren 5RV Lyre tuned it very well. 

 

17

 SELMER K Series 2009 Bb 

£545

 

 

     

This Bb, S/N K2009, dates to around 1928. The instrument has just had a complete overhaul in double bladder pads.  It is sealing well and responds easily, the Grenadilla wood is in very good condition for an instrument of this vintage, with no cracks or damage, this is one of the nicest K's of the old logo I have seen.  The clarinet measures  14.9mm at the top of the reverse cone of the upper joint. The Maillechort keywork is in good condition, and well regulated. The case is a more recent Selmer Vanguard model in nice condition. The mouthpiece is a Selmer Goldentone.

18

 SELMER SERIES 9 * Bb

£745

 

 

     

An extremely fine Selmer Series 9 *.The 9* was marketed by Selmer as "pour la musique symphonique", the 9 was "pour le jazz et les varietes." The Nickel Silver keywork is excellent with no plating loss..  The Grenadilla wood is in very fine condition for an instrument of this vintage, with no cracks or damage. The clarinet has just had a complete overhaul in Pisoni Premium Deluxe double bladder fishskin  pads and is sold with a 1 year Clarinets Direct warranty. The clarinet measures  15.10mm at the top of the reverse cone of the upper joint. The matching serial numbers are Y7887, dating to 1975, which makes this one of the last Series 9*'s made. The case is a  used Protech with integral music pouch  & the mouthpiece a Selmer HS in ebonite.

19

SELMER PARIS MAZZEO Bb CLARINET J JOSEPH COLLECTION

£1295

 

 

     

PRICE REDUCED.

Clarinets Direct is pleased to be able to offer another exceptional clarinet  from the James Joseph collection, for sale.

This is an excellent condition Mazzeo System Selmer Series 9 Bb Clarinet. This is a full and complete Mazzeo, with the Mazzeo link to the "true" throat Bb hole, articulated low E/F# key, link from the low Ab/Eb to the C#/G# key [ very rare], and alternate LH low Eb. This in addition to the advantages of a full Boehm clarinet to low Eb. This example has seen hardly any use and is pristine: all wood, key work and corks are perfect, as new.  The matching serial nos. are T9183 which dates to 1964.

 

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20

 BOOSEY & HAWKES 926 IMPERIAL Bb CLARINET

£645

A nice Boosey & Hawkes Imperial 926 Bb clarinet. There are no cracks or damage to the wood. The silver plating is good with only minor wear, mainly on the RH sliver key and Ab/Eb key.  This Bb, S/N 429442, has just been completely overhauled in Pisoni Premium Deluxe Tan Leather, and the clarinet is sold with a full years' warranty. The mouthpiece is a Reginald Kell 926 medium open model, in very good condition, no damage to rails or lay, only ligature scratches. The case is not original, it is a Leblanc with a replacement handle, and sticker!

21

YAMAHA YCL52 Bb CLARINET

£595

 

 

     

This is a good quality, top of the range, wooden student clarinet, by Yamaha. This model competes against the Buffet E13. The Yamaha 650, which superseded this, has a controversial "Backun" tuning groove at the top of the bell, which some feel makes the low E and F too sharp. This instrument is in excellent shape, with no cracks or repairs to the wood. The Silver plating is pristine. We have just completely overhauled in Pisoni Premium Deluxe double bladder fishskin pads & the instrument is sold with full 1 year warranty. The serial no. is 052402. The leather case is original, in good condition, and the m'piece is a Yamaha 4C.

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     22       SELMER SERIES 10 Bb CLARINET          £695
A fine Selmer Series 10 Bb clarinet. The Nickel Silver keywork is in excellent condition..    The instrument has just had a complete overhaul in Pisoni double bladder fishskin pads & is sold with a 1 year Clarinets Direct warranty.  There is an old, pinned repaired crack to the upper joint, see photo 4. We have checked the repair over in our workshop whilst the overhaul was being done, and all is well. The Series 10 was a small bore classical clarinet, and marked Selmer's move away from Jazz clarinets. The case is an original Selmer & the mouthpiece a G Anello "C".

23

SELMER PRE-CENTERED TONE Bb CLARINET

£695

 

 

     

A fine Selmer Pre-Centered Tone Bb clarinet. The German Silver keywork is in excellent condition. The instrument has just had a complete overhaul in Pisoni double bladder fishskin pads & is sold with a 1 year Clarinets Direct warranty.  The wood condition is very good, excepting a crack to the bell which we have filled and sealed in the workshop, our guarantee extends to this repair as well. The matching serial nos. are N1439 which dates to 1947.  The case is an original Selmer & the mouthpiece a Brillhart 3*.

24

BUFFET E11 Bb CLARINET

£445

 

 

     

 

An excellent condition Buffet E11  Bb clarinet. This instrument is Buffet's student wooden model  & this example has no damage or repairs to the wood.  The Silver plate key work is pristine & all Buffet stamps are bright We have just partially repadded in Pisoni Premium Deluxe double bladder fishskin pads & the clarinet is sold with our "Clarinets Direct" 1 year warranty. The matching serial nos. are 632464. The supplied m'piece is the original Buffet, in good condition, the ligature is of Rovner type. The case has some slight stains to the interior.

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25

BOOSEY & HAWKES 1010 A CLARINET

£795

 

 

     

A pristine condition B&H 1010 A, which has been exceptionally well cared for. The instrument has tan leather pads throughout in good condition. The bore and silver plate key work are excellent with no cracks, damage or wear.
The instrument has the later Acton Vent & the matching serial nos. are 513780. The N0.2 B & H original m'piece is in mint condition. The case is a modern light weight example, again in excellent condition.

26

NOBLET, BY LEBLANC,  PLATEAU Bb CLARINET

£845

A mint condition Noblet 45 Plateau mechanism Bb clarinet. This fine instrument was the former property of a well known American jazz player, who in his later years had to play plateau key work. The Noblet 45 is an entry level professional clarinet made from selected aged Grenadilla wood, with a 14.85mm bore and tapered tone holes. The barrel and bell are both upgrades from the Leblanc Concerto, as it was felt that this improved the tone and response. All stamps, key work, & pads are as new. The case is an excellent condition plastic model and the mouthpiece a Noblet, of the type as originally supplied with the clarinet.

27

MATCHED PAIR OF SELMER SERIES 10 CLARINETS

£1595

 

 

     

A exceptionally  fine pair of Selmer Series 10 Clarinets which have both been completely overhauled, and are sold with a years' warranty.  The Bb, V5600 has cork on the upper joint & double bladder fishskin pads on the lower joint. The Nickel plate and wood are pristine.   The A has serial no., V0655  it is also in excellent condition with double bladder fishskin pads throughout. The case is worn but fully functional and the m'piece a used Selmer E.

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28

ANONYMOUS FULL BOEHM PLATEAU Bb CLARINET

£745

A unique and rare plateau full Boehm Bb clarinet. This one has all the extras: :fork Eb/Bb, articulated C#'G#, LH Ab/Eb key and low Eb. There is no makers stamp, though given the quality of workmanship and style of key work, I think this may be of German manufacture. It is certainly pre-WWII. There are no cracks or damage to the wood. But the original thumb rest has been replaced with a more modern design, and the moved higher, the old position holes have been filled see photo 8. The Maillechort key work is in very good condition. This is a commission sale for Clarinets Direct, the current owner tells me that he recently had the instrument completely overhauled by Hanson in tan leather pads. In addition he preferred to play this clarinet with a Buffet barrel, supplied, and a Vandoren 5RV, also supplied, in excellent condition. The case is also in very good shape. The instrument tunes well at A=440 & would suit a sax/flute doubler.

29

MATCHED PAIR OF BUFFET CLARINETS-RESERVED

£1495

 

 

     

An extremely rare & fine matched pair of early Buffet clarinets.. Both instruments date from 1924, the Bb, S/N 1R967, has wood in exceptional condition for its age, with no cracks or damage to the main body of the instrument, there is, however, a repaired, sealed crack to the bell. The Maillechort key work is well regulated with no wear. The pads are all sealing & are mainly fishskin, with the register key and top trill key being tan leather. All corks are good. The A, S/N 137R1, has a repaired pinned crack to the top trill key hole, see photo 11, it is an old stable repair. The pads are again fishskin, generally older, but sealing well. The top tenon cork has been repaired with black thread. The register key on the A has been slightly extended to enable the current owner to reach it more easily. In addition the top tenon of the A barrel has been re-lined in metal to stop wobble, an extremely fine piece of work.  These instruments have been well maintained, & played regularly by an amateur with no problems for the last several years. The supplied barrels tune very well at A=440 Hz. The mouthpiece is a used Vandoren 3V in good condition, 1.15mm by 17.5mm. The case is of more modern Buffet type in brown leather, fully functioning but with some slight interior stains.

 

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30

MATCHED PAIR BUFFET CRAMPON E13 CLARINETS

£1395

An excellent pair of Buffet E13 clarinets in Nickel plate. There is no damage to the wood, which is crack and repair free.  Both instruments have had a full re-pad in Pisoni Premium Deluxe pads and are sold with a full years' warranty. The Bb has S/N F K73492, and has good plating with only slight loss to the G# key and RH rings. The A S/N K74248 has seen less use and the plating is excellent throughout.  All pieces are original and stamped Buffet. The mouthpiece is a used 5RV Vandoren. The case is a Buffet in brown leather, the handle has failed and been replaced with a strap; this apart, it is in very good condition.

31

MATCHED PAIR OF BOOSEY & HAWKES 1010 CLARINETS

£1395

 

 

     

A fine pair of  professionally owned Symphony 1010 clarinets. Their former owner was bought these as a gift by his father but then went on to specialise in jazz sax. Accordingly they have seen very little use. The Bb S/N 508509 is in overall excellent condition. There is one internal scratch or crack to the upper joint bore which does not run into a tone hole, or through the bore, this aside the wood is in excellent condition. There is some tarnishing to the silver plate, as the pair has sat unused for almost 30 years! but no wear. The pads throughout are tan leather in good condition. The A S/N 513789 has excellent wood and plating and is "as new". The original case in in excellent condition & even has the keys. The m'piece is a Vandoren B45 re-bored to 1010 dimensions,

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32

SELMER 7 RING Bb CLARINET

£695

A very fine condition Selmer Paris 7 ring articulated C#/G# Bb clarinet.  The German Silver key work is in very good condition and  all pieces are stamped Selmer. The wood is in overall excellent condition for an instrument of this vintage, with minor surface marks and scratches, no major cracks or repairs. We have just completely re-padded in Pisoni Premium Deluxe double bladder fishskin pads & the clarinet is sold with our "Clarinets Direct" 1 year warranty. The matching serial nos. are K8510 which dates to 1931. The supplied m'piece is a Selmer HS*  in fine condition, the original Selmer case is also fully functional and protects the instrument well.

33

BUFFET PROFESSIONAL Bb CLARINET

£545

 

 

     

This is a vintage Buffet professional model, which has been owned and played by a member of the CBSO.  The German Silver key work is in good condition for its age though it would benefit from a good polish.. We have just completely repadded in Pisoni Premium Deluxe Tan leather pads [with the exception of the register key and  C#/G# key which are in cork] & the clarinet is sold with our "Clarinets Direct" 1 year warranty. The main body of the wood is in good condition, though there is an old repair to the tone hole of RH3, see photo8.  In addition the bell has cracked and has old repairs, which have filled & sealed the cracks [photos 9&10]. The matching serial nos. are 20429 which dates  to 1936. The supplied m'piece is a used Vandoren 5RV.  The replacement case is a modern Buffet Prestige.

34

SELMER PRE-CENTERED TONE Bb CLARINET D GLENN COLLECTION

£395

 

 

     

A bargain professional Selmer Paris clarinet for the player not overly worried by cosmetic issues! This Centered Tone clarinet was part of a large collection of Selmer's. There is a pinned, repaired crack to the upper joint, see photo 6, but it has no affect on the playability of the clarinet which responds well. There is also some wear to the German Silver keys, though they do exhibit a good shine. The pads are all sealing well, and all touch & tenon corks are good. The wood shows surface scuffs and marks but all pieces are original Selmer, with the barrel from a Selmer Series 9 Bb. The case is a  modern hard shell type & the m'piece a used Selmer HS* in good condition.

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35

SML KING LEMAIRE Bb CLARINET

£495

 

 

     

A nice condition SML King Lemaire Bb clarinet. Strasser, Marigaux, & Lemaire are best known for their world class oboes but they also make clarinets. In 1975 SML took over the Malerne factory in la Couture, France. Lemaire was the clarinet maker of the firm and the "King" Marigaux and Lemaire where professional models.  The key work is very fine and  all pieces are original with matching stamps. The pads and corks are all in good condition. There are a couple of filled surface cracks to the upper joint, but neither go through to the bore or into a tone hole, see plotos, 5 & 10. The damage is cosmetic only. The matching serial nos. are 23319. The supplied m'piece is a Vito in good condition, as is the case. This is a fine professional quality clarinet at a student wooden clarinet price. 

36

BOXWOOD AND IVORY C CLARINET BY  NICHOLSON pre1800

£845

I am indebted to Mr. Simon Waters, who recently delivered a paper to the Galpin Society in Edinburgh on Charles Nicholson flutes, for the chance to quote him in this revised, and corrected listing: 

"In that paper I noted that there are many flutes stamped NICHOLSON/LONDON which are plain boxwood instruments which likely predate the earliest Charles Nicholson NICHOLSON"S IMPROVED flutes (which were made by ThomasProwse) by some years, and that these flutes are likely to be from an entirely separate London-based maker called Nicholson. The stamp they bear appears, on the basis of the photos on your website, to be identical to that on your clarinet. I think it highly likely that the 'C' indicates pitch, as was common practice on many makers' boxwood clarinets of this period, and that your clarinet was made by this London-based maker without any connection to Charles Nicholson the flautist."

 

A very rare boxwood and ivory C Clarinet by  Nicholson with 8 brass keys. This example has been professionally owned and played at A=440hz. The tone holes have been filled on the two main joints in order to tune to modern pitch. There are 5 pieces and the original African blackwood m'piece, which though suffering some tip rail damage and teeth indentation to the beak,  is still playable with a modern cut down Eb reed. The wood is in excellent condition for its age: There are 4 repaired, sealed cracks to the upper joint, see photos 5, 6 & 7, and also several repairs to the bell base, including 3 glued cracks to the ivory ring. The instrument has felt squares which act as pads, these all seal well. The tenons are bound with string which is also how the reed is fixed to the m'piece. The stamps on the upper joint and bell read " C Nicholson, London". The total assembled length is 589mm. I will supply a case.

37

SELMER 10G Bb CLARINET

£695

 

 

     

An extremely fine Selmer 10G clarinet. The Selmer 10G was named for Anthony Gigliotti, onetime principal Clarinet of the Philadelphia Orchestra. Gigliotti had become frustrated with certain shortcomings in the R13 design and went to Buffet Crampon with modifications, Buffet weren't impressed, but Selmer were. The result was the 10G: an improved, "Americanised "R13, with warmer sound and better intonation. Hans W Moennig and Ralph Morgan were also major contributors to the design. This Bb, S/N D3869, has wood and Silver plate in very good condition. There is a pinned surface crack repair to the top of the upper joint [see photo 5]. It is an old & unnecessary repair: the crack doesn't enter the bore OR go into a tone hole. The current owner has played this instrument at the RCM and tells me that the repair has been stable for the last 3 years with heavy and consistent use. There is also a small hair line crack to one of the Bb barrels {65mm}. As 10G barrels are ebonite lined, after the Moennig pattern, this is also not an issue. The remainder of the wood is in excellent condition, as are the pads and corks.  The case is an older Selmer and comes with a key, the m'piece is a used Vandoren B45..

 

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38

MATCHED PAIR OF CLEMENS WURLITZER OEHLER SYSTEM CLARINETS

£1845

 

 

     

Clarinets Direct is pleased to be able to offer these fine clarinets, part of the James Joseph collection, for sale. 

This matched pair is stamped "Cl Wurlitzer, Wernitzgrun" and are in excellent condition. The Bb clarinet, S/N 15401 has superb condition wood, all pads are white leather, not new, but sealing well.  The m'piece is stamped 0.9*20 i.e. 0.9mm tip by 20mm length.  The A is in excellent order, as the Bb in terns of  pads and regulation, with no cracks or damage to the wood. The serial nos. are 15402. The plastic m'piece cap has a sellotape repair to a crack this aside the pair are in superb condition. There are 2 barrels for each clarinet measuring: Bb; 54.9mm & 57.3mm, A; 55.2mm & 57.5mm. The original case is also in very good condition & has keys.

 

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39

SELMER RADIO IMPROVED Bb CLARINET

£695

 

 

     

A fine Selmer Radio Improved Bb clarinet, featuring 7 rings and articulated C#/G#.  The German Silver keywork is in excellent condition. The instrument has just had a complete overhaul in Pisoni double bladder fishskin pads & is sold with a 1 year Clarinets Direct warranty.  The wood condition is very good, with no cracks or damage. The barrel is of more modern Selmer type and the m'piece is a Selmer HS* which is etched into the table. The matching serial nos. are L1364 which dates to 1931.  The case is a modern hardshell plastic example.

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40

BUFFET E13 Bb CLARINET-SOLD

£495

 

 

     

A nice condition  Buffet Evette & Schaeffer E13.   The Nickel Silver  key work is excellent throughout, with no wear at all.  The matching serial nos. are K36241 which dates to the late 1970's. Back then the E13 range was made at the Buffet factory, alongside the R13, and hand under cut.  These days E13's are made from inferior quality wood which is stained to hide imperfections, and entirely machine made. There is a repaired pinned crack to the upper joint, see photo 5, which DOES NOT go through to the bore, and also a tight hairline crack to the barrel. The mouthpiece is a Fobes Debut in excellent condition. The case is well used but fully functional.

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41

SELMER SERIES 9* Bb CLARINET

£625

 

 

     

An extremely fine Selmer Series 9 *.The 9* was marketed by Selmer as "pour la musique symphonique", the 9 was "pour le jazz et les varietes." The Nickel Silver keywork is excellent with very little plating loss, just the register key and throat G# key.  The Grenadilla wood is in fine condition for an instrument of this vintage, with no cracks or damage. The clarinet has older pads but all are sealing well, and as the workshop is so busy this clarinet is sold "as is" at a bargain price. The clarinet measures  15.10mm at the top of the reverse cone of the upper joint. The matching serial numbers are Y4063, dating to 1974. There are two barrels of 67.5 & 64.5mm. The original Selmer case is in very good shape.

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42

EARLY 19TH CENTURY C CLARINET IN BOXWOOD

£OFFERS

 

 

     

A unique opportunity for the serious player or collector. This is a superb condition early 19th Century boxwood high pitch C clarinet, A=452 Hz. It plays with a modern Eb clarinet m'piece but really needs a fine maker, such as Edward Pillinger or Daniel Bangham, to make a good  reproduction. There are 7 salt spoon keys in total. The condition is amazing, there is no makers stamp, just " L , 2" underneath the A key. 

43

BUFFET E13  Bb CLARINET

£695

A very good condition Buffet E13  Bb clarinet. This instrument is Buffet's intermediate wooden model  & this example has no damage or repairs to the wood, which is in excellent condition.  The Silver plate key work is pristine, all pieces are original & all Buffet stamps are still bright. We have just fully repadded in Pisoni premium Deluxe fishskin pads, & the clarinet is sold with a full years' warranty. The matching serial nos. are K112455. The supplied m'piece is the original in good condition as is the case which has its key.

44

BOOSEY & HAWKES PLATEAU  Bb CLARINET

£445

A unique and rare plateau Bb clarinet. The stamps are worn but the barrel is clearly stamped Boosey and Hawkes. The top joint also appears to have a Boosey or possibly a Besson stamp also. There are no cracks or damage to the wood, excepting a chip to the lower tenon of the bottom joint, which is invisible when the instrument is assembled. The original thumb rest has been moved higher, we have moved it back to the original position and filled the old holes, see photo 9. The Maillechort key work is in very good condition. We have fully overhauled in Pisoni Premium Deluxe Tan Leather pads and the clarinet is sold with a 1 year Clarinets Direct warranty The m'piece is an excellent condition Noblet.. The matching serial nos. are 5144C. The instrument tunes well at A=440 & would suit a sax/flute doubler, or a  player with arthritic problems. 

45

MATCHED PAIR FRITZ WURLITZER SCHMIDT KOLBE SYSTEM CLARINETS

£3495

Clarinets Direct is pleased to be able to offer these fine clarinets, part of the James Joseph collection, for sale. 

This matched pair is stamped "Fritz Wurlitzer, Erlbach" and are in very good condition. The Bb clarinet has an old pinned surface crack which does not go into the bore and runs into the speaker key tube, it has no effect on the response, see photo 12.  Apart from this there are no cracks or damage to the wood. All white leather pads are in good order, as is the regulation. The matching serial nos. are 1937. The A is in excellent order; as the Bb in terms of  pads and regulation, with no cracks or damage to the wood. The serial nos. are 1992. There are 2 supplied m'pieces an original Wurlitzer, & a Viotto N1. The original case is also in very good condition. 

 

46

BOOSEY & HAWKES PREWAR 1010 A CLARINET       

£695

A good condition Pre-War B&H 1010 A.  This instrument, S/N 34957 has tan leather pads throughout, and having just gone through our workshop for an overhaul is sold with our unique 1 year warranty. The Maillechort key work is pristine & there are no cracks or damage to the Grenadilla wood; surface marks only. All main pieces are matching and stamped with the same serial no., but the ebonite barrel is from an earlier B & H and is stamped 1835.  The m'piece is a 1010 Reginald Kell No.2 in good used condition, as is the modern light weight double case. This instrument would pair well with No.9.

47

PAIR LONDON & PARIS PRE-WAR BOOSEY & HAWKES 1010 Bb CLARINETS

£1395

An extremely fine pair of B&H pre-war 1010 clarinets, which have been professionally owned and played.  Bb: The matching serial nos., on all pieces, are 2024. In addition the rear of the lower joint is stamped "Bb LP 1240" I have been advised that some L&P were made in France and then re-bored and stamped by B & H. As this instrument has "Made in France" stamped on both joints it would support this theory. The clarinet is made from Grenadilla wood with ebonite barrel and bell. It  is in immaculate condition, with good tan leather pads throughout. A: The matching serial nos. are 1353 and the instrument is made of ebonite throughout. The pads are a mixture of double bladder fishskin and tan leather all in good condition. The m'piece, original to the Bb, has been relayed by master craftsman Ramon Wodkowski, and is in excellent condition.

48

G. LEBLANC PARIS PROFESSIONAL BASS CLARINET TO LOW Eb

£1495

 

 

     

This is a fine condition Leblanc Bass Clarinet in Grenadilla wood, to low Eb. All key work is in excellent condition.  There are no cracks or damage to the wood; minor surface scratches and marks only.  The bell and crook are both in good condition with no dents, again just surface blemishes.  The Bass will have a full Pisoni Premium Deluxe Repad and overhaul, including the key work buffed to a nice shine, & is sold with a years' warranty. We have fitted a floor peg to the bell, the matching serial nos. are 678. The case is in good condition. The m'piece is a new USA student model.

 

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49

NOBLET by LEBLANC, PROFESSIONAL Eb CLARINET-SOLD

£845

 

 

     

A brand new, mint condition, Noblet 40 piccolo Eb clarinet. This fine instrument will be sold with a 1 year manufacturers warranty card included. The Noblet 40 is an entry level professional clarinet , with a 13.20mm bore and tapered tone holes. According to the Leblanc brochure: "The Noblet Eb is within the price range of the younger clarinettist yet it is an instrument that had been played by many professionals in the world's greatest orchestras." Made from aged unstained Grenadilla wood with Nickel plated keys. The case has a shoulder strap, & includes grease, a reed holder, and pull through. The m'piece is a Leblanc in ebonite.

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50

 SELMER FULL BOEHM CENTERED TONE Bb CLARINET 

£695

A rare professional Selmer Paris Centered Tone full Boehm clarinet. This clarinet is in very good condition for its age with good German silver key work with no wear. The wood overall is good, however there is a surface crack to the upper joint, see photo 6, through the top trill key hole which does not go through to the bore, and has no effect on the response. It has been pinned  in the past.  The pads are all sealing well, and all touch & tenon corks are good. The wood shows surface scuffs and marks but all pieces are original Selmer.  The matching serial nos. are P8590 which dates to 1953.  The case is a double, well used, but functional, and the m'piece a Selmer "S" which is engraved within an oval on the table.

 

51

G. RUDOLF UEBEL  Bb CLARINET

£645

Clarinets Direct is pleased to be able to offer another fine clarinet, part of the James Joseph collection, for sale. 

An exceptionally fine handmade clarinet by the renowned German maker, G. Rudolf Uebel. This instrument features an additional low G/D vent and has a superbly even scale and intonation. The condition of the wood and Nickel Silver keywork is very good. All pads are white leather in good condition. The clarinet would benefit from some minor regulation of the L'H levers as the action is a little noisy, but the mechanism is fully functional. The supplied m'piece is a B&H 593 in good condition, as is the case, which has a key. 

52

SELMER BUNDY BASS CLARINET TO LOW Eb

£745

This is a nice condition Selmer Bundy Bass Clarinet in Resonite  to low Eb. There are no cracks or damage to the body; minor surface scratches and marks only. The crook is in excellent condition,  but the bell has a few minor dings and scratches, mainly at the bottom. There is a floor peg attachment to the back of the bass.  There is only slight plating loss to two of the RH touch pieces; the Nickel Silver plating is around 95%. The Bass has had a full Pisoni Premium Deluxe Repad and overhaul.& is sold with a years warranty. The serial nos. are 11235. The used case protects the instrument well, and has two replacement latches which fasten securely.  The m'piece is a used George Bundy 3 in good condition.

53

SELMER PROFESSIONAL ALTO CLARINET-SOLD

£945

 

 

     


This is a good condition Selmer Alto Clarinet in Grenadilla wood, to low Eb. The Nickel Silver keywork is in very good condition with no wear. The sleeved, adjustable, crook is in excellent condition, & the bell has only light  scratches, mainly where it has been brought into contact with the bottom of the low Eb rod on the lower joint. The wood overall is in good condition, there is one surface hairline crack to the upper part of the top joint, it does not go through to the bore [see photo 6]. The Alto has had a full and thorough check up in our workshop, with any pads replaced as necessary, & is sold with a years warranty. This is a superb alto; Selmer is generally held to be the finest manufacturer in the world. The matching serial nos. are W4935 which dates to 1970. The case is the original Selmer, well used but functional. The m'piece is a boxed brand new Vandoren B40.

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54

SELMER MARCHI SYSTEM Bb CLARINET-SOLD

£3995

 

 

     


Clarinets Direct is pleased to be able to offer this unique and exceptional clarinet, perhaps the "Jewel in the Crown" of the James Joseph collection, for sale.

This is an excellent condition Marchi System Selmer Series 10S Bb Clarinet. Probably the rarest, most finely engineered, and complex French clarinet ever put into production. The additional register key on the barrel extends the practical range of this instrument to well over four and half octaves! This in addition to the advantages of a full Boehm clarinet to low Eb. This example has seen hardly any use and is pristine: all wood, key work and corks are perfect, as new. The two supplied barrels are 64.5 & 66.5 mm respectively. The matching serial nos. are B6680 which dates to 1981.

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55

BUFFET MASTER MODEL Bb CLARINET-SOLD

£695

 

 

     

A very fine condition vintage Buffet Master Model E13.   The Nickel Silver  key work is excellent throughout, with no wear at all. We have just entirely re-padded in double bladder fishskin &. the clarinet is sold with our full year's Clarinets Direct warranty. The matching serial nos. are D25802 which dates to the mid 1970's. Back then the E13 range was tested at the Buffet factory, with the finest instruments then undergoing further hand tuning and undercutting to improve the response. Therefore the customer had an instrument which was almost identical to an R13 on quality, but at less cost: Please see the photographed original Buffet brochure. These days E13's are made from inferior quality wood which is stained to hide imperfections. There are no cracks or damage to the wood; excepting  a repair to a small surface hairline crack  at the top of the lower joint underneath the tenon ring. The crack is only on the outer surface , it does not go through into the bore, as the upper joint tenon forms the bore at this point, see photo 10.  The case is used but in very good condition, and the m'piece is a  stock Buffet  stamped 116 tip by 16.5mm length.

56

LEBLANC PROFESSIONAL BASS CLARINET TO LOW Eb-SOLD

£1445

 

 

     

This is a fine condition Leblanc Bass Clarinet in Grenadilla wood, to low Eb. All key work is in excellent condition. The crook is as new, it is the "Improved Angle" Charles Bay Model. There are no cracks or damage to the wood; excepting  an old repair to a small surface hairline crack  at the top of the lower joint underneath the tenon ring. The crack is only on the outer surface , it does not go through into the bore as the upper joint tenon forms the bore at this point, see photo 4.  The bell has a few minor dings and scratches, only cosmetic issues. The Bass has had a full Pisoni Premium Deluxe Repad and overhaul.& is sold with a years warranty. We have fitted a floor peg to the bell, the matching serial nos. are 926. The case is in good condition. The m'piece is an "as new" Ridenour Debut.

57

COUESNON C CLARINET-SOLD

£695

 

 

     

An extremely rare and fine Excelsior C Clarinet by Couesnon. This clarinet features a one piece top joint, i.e. no barrel. It is in amazing condition for its age which, as it was probably manufactured in the late 1920's, is exceptional. This is a modern C design in the sense that the instrument was made to play with a standard Bb m'piece, which was not the accepted practice at the time. The wood is excellent with only a tiny 15mm hair line crack at the top of the upper joint, see photo 11, which we have filled. In addition there are some old repairs to the bottom of the bell around the ring, see photo 9. The instrument will be sold with a full 1 year warranty. The m'piece is a Vandoren 5RV Lyre in good used condition. The case is original, well worn, but still latching securely.

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58

LEBLANC BASSET CLARINET in A-SOLD

£2395

Clarinets Direct is proud to announce that we will be selling off a portion of the late James Joseph's collection of rare and valuable clarinets. This is the first of many listings.

This is a near mint condition G. Leblanc Basset A Clarinet in Grenadilla wood, to low C. The only reason I do not describe it as mint is a slight blackening to the Nickel Silver plate on the side trill keys and ligature. This aside all is pristine and as new. The wood is free from any damage, no marks at all. All double bladder fishskin pads are in excellent shape, as are all corks. From the look and response this clarinet can not have been used more than a half dozen times since purchase. The matching serial nos. are 109.  The case and mouthpiece are in excellent condition, the original keys are still cellophane wrapped!

 

59

BUFFET RC Bb CLARINET CUSTOMISED BY HAGMANN-SOLD

£1995

 

 

     

An extremely rare & valuable Buffet RC Bb clarinet cutomised by Rene Hagmann of Geneva. Hagmann has acted as a consultant for Buffet Crampon and is noted for the superb quality of his Prestige designs for Buffet Bass, Alto and Basset Horn, he is widely recognised as one of the world's leading musical instrument inventors. The modifications can be summarised as follows: 1. Second register key for clarion register B to D#, switched over by R3, as on most bass clarinets. 2. Booster for throat Bb, operating in conjunction with lower register key & closed by thumb ring. 3. Additional link to throat g# key to give in tune altissimo D, especially useful for C-D trill across third register break. 4. Vent for low G/D for improved note, with separate adjusting screw. All keywork is silver plated, and like the wood is in pristine condition. The adjusting screws require a small Allen key, provided. The S/N is F267100 which dates to 1985. This instrument is stamped, on the LH F#/C# lever, with the name of a German dealer "Grimm" who also has his plate on the case.

60

 SELMER SIGNET 100, MAZZEO SYSTEM, Bb CLARINET -SOLD

£195

Clarinets Direct is pleased to be able to offer another exceptional clarinet  from the James Joseph collection, for sale.

This is an excellent condition Mazzeo System Selmer Signet 100 Bb Clarinet. This has the Mazzeo link to the "true" throat Bb hole, which is actuated by the 2nd finger ring of the LH. This example has seen hardly any use and is pristine: all wood, key work  are in good condition. Most of the pads are good, excepting the low E/B pad which, though functioning, has lost its outer skin.  The serial nos. are 155850. NB This is a Selmer Signet made from Grenadilla wood, not resin.

 

61

PAIR OF BOOSEY & HAWKES 1010 CLARINETS, T. LAMB COLLECTION-SOLD

£1595

An extremely fine pair of B&H 1010's, which have been owned and played by Tony Lamb, Principal Clarinet of English National Opera. As is usual with Tony's instruments these are in excellent condition & have has much after market tuning work done to improve intonation and response. These instruments are a significant improvement on standard 1010's. The Bb, S/N 267305, has tan leather pads throughout in excellent order, it features the early Acton vent. The silver plate is pristine & there are no cracks or damage to the wood. The A S/N 555989, is in a similar condition, & is supplied with 2 barrels, 65.00mm & 63.5mm respectively. Tony played these instruments as a pair because the sound of the instruments matched so well, despite the difference in manufacturing date. There are 2 m'pieces: a standard B&H 1010 No.2 & a Pillinger copy of an early pre-war 1010 pattern. The case is a modern JM with shoulder carry strap.

62

BOOSEY & HAWKES 1010 CLARINET in A-RESERVED

£825

 

 

     

An extremely fine  B&H 1010 A, which has been exceptionally well cared for. The instrument features finest Pisoni Premium Deluxe White leather pads to the lower joint and cork on the upper: An "Artist Quality" set up. The bore and silver plate key work are pristine with no cracks, damage or wear. There is a custom barrel in exotic wood, Cocobolo,  in addition to the standard B&H. 
The instrument has the later Acton Vent & the matching serial nos. are 506658. An adjustable thumb rest has been fitted. The case is a mint condition Buffet Prestige model
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63

JACQUES ALBERT FILS Bb CLARINET-RESERVED

£945

 

 

     

A superb Boehm system clarinet made by the last maker of the legendary Albert family. The German Silver keywork is good, very solid, and with an excellent shine. The wood is in amazing condition for its age, with no cracks or repairs, only light surface marks. All pads and corks are good. This instrument was made in the late 1920's or very early 1930's as Albert had moved to London by 1933 and this clarinet is stamped "Made in Belgium". The makers stamp is clearly visible on all sections. This instrument is a commission sale for Clarinets Direct, and has been played professionally in a period instrument orchestra, it has been exceptionally maintained. The case is in fair condition with some wear to the interior lining, the handle has lost its leather covering. The bore is 14.9mm, and the instrument works well with B&H 926 bore m'pieces, I would be happy to supply some to assist the purchaser.

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64

MATCHED PAIR OF BOOSEY & HAWKES EMPEROR CLARINETS-SOLD

£695

An extremely fine early pair of B&H Emperors, which are a commission sale for Clarinets Direct. This Bb, S/N N138295, has fishskin pads throughout which are older but sealing. The Nickel Silver plate is in very good condition and the wood is in excellent condition, with no cracks or damage, only minor surface marks. The A is also in very fine shape, as the Bb, but even less use, the serial nos. are N142575. Both clarinets have been thoroughly checked over in our workshop prior to sale. The supplied mouthpiece is a Reginald Kell 926  No.2. This is an upgrade, as a m'piece of this quality would more usually be put with the model above, the professional Imperial. The case is an excellent Buffet brown leather model with keys!

 

65

PROFESSIONAL BUFFET Bb CLARINET-SOLD

£645

 

 

     

A nice condition early pre-R13 Buffet which we have just entirely overhauled in Pisoni
Premium Deluxe Tan Leather. The German Silver keywork is in very fine condition. The wood is in overall good condition; there is one minor chip to the outer rim of the lower top joint tenon, see photo 4. The bore is unaffected. There are two hairline cracks to the bell, I have attempted to photograph the largest see photo 12, which we have filled and glued. All our work, including the bell repairs are covered by our 1 year warranty. The matching serial nos. are 18319 which dates to 1935. The instrument is supplied in an original leather Buffet case & with a Buffet C Crown ebonite m'piece in good condition.

31 July 2010