Hi List! I have a clarinet that I bought from a local music store that has since then, gone out of business. This was about 5 years ago. It was on consignment, and quite used. I am getting ready to overhaul it myself, but I want to know if anyone can find any info on it. I can't seem to find out when it was made. It is a B&H 400 clarinet. Wooden, looks to be nickel plated keys. the Serial number is 909902. I also have an Eb clarinet that I am in the process of overhauling, which is kind of weird. It is wooden, with a resonite bell. The only marking on the clarinet is on the bell (which looks like it doesn't belong, but I am pretty sure it is original to the clarinet). The brand is LaFleur, and the markings under that are "imported by boosey and hawkes london, foreign".

If anyone can find anything on these two insruments I would be ever so grateful to you! I have tried looking both up on the Besson/Boosey/Schreiber/Buffet website, and have found nothing.

Thanks so much in advance!

-Dennis

Thanks Toni! I am thinking it might be someone on the inside that would know. I can't find anything on a trillion gazillion web pages on the internet!

-Dennis

Hi Dennis

I looked for LaFleur, and it seems like they made a lot of instruments in the 19th and early 20th century. I guess (because of the markings on your clarinet) that Boosey and Hawkes may have bought them (since you can't find any website on them). It doesn't say anything on the Boosey & Hawkes homepage though I found a link to some homepage for old instruments, where LaFleur had a Piccolo flute in E flat. It said, that it was made in the early 20th century

I couldn't figure out anything about your Bb clarinet. The serial number lists seems to end around 1990 with number in the 300.000, so no help there

There is a website for a store in the UK www.mikesmusic.co.uk/CLARINET/CLSHPRL.TXT
that currently has a couple LeFleur clarinets in stock...they may have more info on them. Ebay also has a LaFleur clarinet for sale, but you can't trust the seller to know anything about it.

This same site also has the Boosey & Hawkes 400 clarinet on that same inventory list.

Thanks much guys! I found Mike's wbsite also, but alas...it says nothing as to how old it would be. This instrument looks by design to be older than the 90's (Bb B&H 400) eventhough the serial number is much higher than the last one on their record. As for the LaFleur Eb...the one on ebay I saw previous to posting. Mine is EXACTLY like that one, except I have an Accubore Barrel in addition to the original barrel, plus a Vandoren Crystal Mouthpiece A1, and a Rovner Ligature. The case and instrument, though, are the same exact look. Of course that girl doesn't know anything about it either from the description. It seems to me that these instruments are definitely laFleur brand, but I think I am going to contact Boosey & Hawkes to ask them how to go about finding the age of them. Thanks so much guys!

-Dennis

Dennis I found a bunch of them on Ebay. not sure if it will help or not but here is were I found them http://musical-instruments.search.ebay.co.uk/boosey_Clarinet_W0QQfsooZ2QQfsopZ10QQsacatZ10182

YUP! That's the one in the link down there. That's my Bb. I called Boosey & Hawkes and left a message with them. The one in the link looks a little newer than mine does. It could also be the lighting of the picture. I am sure they will never call me back as I have called them a few times in regards to how horrible my Buffet Clarinet is. I don't think I will buy anything from that conglomeration of a company anymore. I can't wait for my Rossi Clarinet! Anyone have $4,000 I can borrow?! HAHAHAH!!! I still need to figure out how old it is!

Thanks,
-Dennis

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Clarinet-Boosey-and-Hawkes-400-and-case_W0QQitemZ7406494758QQcategoryZ10182QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I have a La Fleur Boosey & Hawkes Bb clarinet which was bought new in the mid to late 1970's. I was a member of a band as a teenager in the Irish republic and our leader organised the purchase of the instruments.It cost around £75 Irish pounds which if my memory serves me correctly was the same value as the pound sterling at that time. I don't know much else about the clarinet apart from the fact that it still plays beautifully today and has taken my daughter to grade 4 which we hope to pass in June!!!
I was told about 5 years ago that if I were to buy it secondhand from a shop it would cost me in the region of £200

Thank you very much! My La Fleur, though, is an Eb, the Bb is a B&H 400. I found a couple on ebay, but I still have no idea how oldeither are. Thanks, though!

-Dennis