Clarinet in C

John Ashton Sr.

1820-1844 · Wood, brass, ivory · Musical Instruments

John Ashton jr. (born in England ca. 1813, died Boston 6 March 1849) was a music publisher, musical instrument dealer and umbrella maker. (Waterhouse, NLI, 11.) Overall size: 592 Bore: c-hole 13.0, f-hole 13.4. Conical part: 167 Technical description: Dark stained boxwood with ivory ferrules and brass keywork. Five pieces: mouthpiece, barrel, upper section, lower section, bell. English-style ebony mouthpiece with a log tenon grooved for cord. English-style flask shaped barrel. The keys are mounted in round wooden rings, which is rather old-fashioned. Speaker liner projects almost to the centre of the bore. Levers for L4, tone-hole and key for R4 mounted in a bell-shaped swelling. Zig-zag F♯3/C♯5 lever guided in a rudiment of a round turned wooden ring. Bevelled G♯3/E♭5 touchpiece. L0: T; speaker. L1: T; throat A♮. L2: T. L3: T. L4: E3/B♮4; F♯3/C♯5. R1: T. R2: T. R3: T. R4: T; G♯3/E♭5. Keyhead type: flat round. Keymount type: turned wooden rings, swelling. Inscribed on barrel, upper and lower section "J. ASHTON. / BOSTON.", on bell "eagle / J. ASHTON. / BOSTON. / C" Playing accessories: one reed and a string (not original). (Heike Fricke, 2014)

Artist

John Ashton Sr.

Date

1820-1844

Medium

Wood, brass, ivory

Culture

American

Department

Musical Instruments

Credit line

Purchase, Clara Mertens Bequest, in memory of André Mertens, 1990