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This A clarinet was sold to me by an instrument collector who goes to auctions in France every year.
The maker's stamp says F. Hofinger, Bruxelles.
The barrel is exceedingly short, 58.3mm.
Bore:
Top of LH joint: 14.7
Bottom of LH joint: 14.4.
Rather narrow, but with those measurements, can it be that it was way ahead of its time with polycylindrical bore technology?! This instrument was made around 1920-1930.
Picture notes:Note that this has an articulated C#/G#.
This is of the style that it could have been a later addition.
But the quality of the workmanship suggests that this was put on by the maker.
Note the special rings protecting the center tenon. There is no evidence that this was to fix a crack.
There is an extra left pinkie A-flat/E-flat key.
And the left keys are pin-in-hole type.
There is a flattened chiseled out area below the right pinkie keys.
The original barrel is way too short to play in tune. This test was made with my Ridenour 63.4mm barrel pushed all the way in.
The D needs to be shaded or lipped down.
The chalemeau C is in tune if not played so loud as I always do when testing, and when lipping up.
This certainly is a good playing horn, and quite well in tune if using a longer barrel than the one that may have come with it. That barrel was almost certainly cut shorter due to another owner's intonation needs.
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