Serpents, Ophicleides and Bass Horns
8.1 - Ophicleide in C |
8.2 - Ophicleide |
8.3 - Ophicleide |
8.4 - Serpent |
8.5 - Serpent |
8.7 - Bass horn |
8.8 - Bass horn
Terminology and Glossary |
Cataloguing Standards
|
Catalogue number: |
8.1 |
|
Original name: |
Ophicleide in C. |
|
Type or system: |
11 keys. |
|
Maker: |
Antoine Courtois. |
|
Place of origin: |
Paris, c.1870. |
|
Overall size: |
1024mm. |
|
Sounding length: |
2440mm. |
|
Diameter of mouthpiece receiver: |
13.4mm. |
|
Technical description: |
Ophicleide in brass. 11 brass keys mounted on posts and axles. Mouthpiece receiver (a little old-fashioned for the time being round rather than more rectangular) may not be original as it looks like it has widened to accommodate a modern mouthpiece (does not work with a known French Ophicleide mouthpiece). Keys 4 and 5 are linked. Keys 9 and 10 have key guards, indicating possibly military use. |
|
|
Key work and Finger holes. |
|
|
|
Left hand thumb: |
D. |
|
|
Left hand, first finger: |
B (open = C). |
|
|
Left hand, second finger: |
C sharp. |
|
|
Left hand, third finger: |
E flat. |
|
|
Right hand thumb: |
E. |
|
|
Right hand, first finger: |
B flat. |
|
|
Right hand, second finger |
A. |
|
|
Right hand, third finger: |
G sharp overlapping G. |
|
|
Right hand, fourth finger |
F. |
|
Inscription: |
Engraved on Bell: (motif: medal: MÉDAILLE / DE / 1RE CLASSE / EXPOSITION / UNIVERSELLE / 1855) / ANTOINE COURTOIS / FACTEUR DU CONSERVATOIRE IMPÉRIAL / 88 rue des Marais St. Martin / Paris / S. ARTHUR CHAPPELL / LATE JULLIEN & Co / Sole agents / 214 Regent St. London”. |
|
Faults: |
Crack in mouthpiece receiver - leaking air. Leaking pads. |
|
Repair history: |
Restored 1979 by Jones & Crossland, Birmingham. |
|
Usable pitch: |
Plays at a’ = 440 Hz. |
|
Illustration references: |
See below. |
|
Previous collection numbers: |
A and B: Item 98. |
|
Catalogue number: |
8.2 |
|
Original name:
|
Ophicleide. |
|
Type or system: |
11 keys. |
|
Maker: |
Unknown, possibly by Gautrot, c.1850-70. |
|
Serial number: |
35 [on top key]. |
|
Overall size: |
1055mm. |
|
Sounding length: |
2535mm. |
|
Diameter of mouthpiece receiver: |
12.6mm; diameter of crook receiver: 33.5mm. |
|
Technical description: |
Lacquered brass body. 11 domed round keys attached to the body of the instrument by post and axles on brass plates. Springs attached to the keys. Axles all with screw adjusters. |
|
|
Key work and Finger holes. |
|
|
|
Left hand thumb: |
D. |
|
|
Left hand, first finger: |
B (open = C). |
|
|
Left hand, second finger: |
C sharp. |
|
|
Left hand, third finger: |
E flat. |
|
|
Right hand thumb: |
E. |
|
|
Right hand, first finger: |
B flat. |
|
|
Right hand, second finger: |
A. |
|
|
Right hand, third finger: |
G sharp overlapping G. |
|
|
Right hand, second finger: |
A. |
|
|
Right hand, fourth finger: |
F. |
|
Faults: |
One key broken [broken part retained]. Numerous dents, broken springs, and places where brass has rot. |
|
Illustration references: |
See below. |
|
Previous owner: |
Lancelot Key. |
|
Previous collection numbers: |
A and B: Item 99 or 58. |
|
Collection assignation: |
Key Collection. |
|
Catalogue number: |
8.3 |
|
Original name: |
Ophicleide bass horn / Russian bassoon. |
|
Type or system: |
9 Keys. |
|
Maker: |
Unknown. |
|
Place of origin: |
Unknown, mid-19th century. |
|
Overall size: |
1140mm. |
|
Sounding length: |
1850mm. |
|
Technical description: |
Wooden body . Keys mounted on separate wooden plugs attached to the body of the instrument. |
|
Faults: |
In very poor condition. Crook missing. |
|
Illustration references: |
See below. |
|
Previous owner: |
William Bentley. |
|
Previous collection numbers: |
A: Item 34; B: Item 33. |
|
Catalogue number: |
8.4 |
|
Original name: |
Serpent in C. |
|
Type or system: |
5 keys. |
|
Maker: |
John Roe. |
|
Place of origin: |
Liverpool, c.1832-34. |
|
Overall size: |
723mm. |
|
Sounding length: |
2294mm. |
|
Diameter of mouthpiece receiver: |
14.8mm; crook receiver: 24.7mm. |
|
Technical description: |
Wooden body, covered with leather; 3 metal stays; 6 finger-holes bushed with ivory;
5 brass keys mounted on brass saddles with metal springs attached to the key. Brass bell garland, crook and crook receiver section.
|
|
Inscription: |
Engraved on crook receiver section: “John Roe, Maker / 37 Sir Thomas Buildings / Liverpool / A.N.S.B”. |
|
Faults: |
Weak springs. |
|
Repair history: |
Cork with leather pads recently fitted. |
|
Illustration references: |
See below. |
|
Specific references: |
New Langwill Index, p. 332. |
|
Previous owner: |
Lancelot Key. |
|
Previous collection numbers: |
A and B: Item 96. |
|
Collection assignation: |
Key Collection. |
|
Catalogue number: |
8.5 |
|
Original name:
|
Serpent in C. |
|
Type or system: |
3 keys. |
|
Maker: |
Unknown. |
|
Place of origin: |
England, c.1820-40. |
|
Overall size: |
745mm. |
|
Sounding length: |
2206mm (without crook). |
|
Diameter of crook receiver: |
24.5mm. |
|
Technical description: |
Wooden body, covered with leather; 3 metal stays; 6 finger-holes bushed in ivory. 3 brass keys mounted on brass saddles, springs attached to the key: B, C sharp and F sharp. |
|
Faults: |
Main body broken at first bend from mouthpiece due to rotten wood. Serpents often went rotten from the inside and broke at the first bend due to a build-up of moisture from playing and no water key to release it. Crook missing. |
|
General usage: |
Probably a military instrument (smaller loops to facilitate better finger position when standing up). |
|
Illustration references: |
See below. |
|
Previous owner: |
Sir John Holder. Donated to Birmingham School of Music, 1904. |
|
Previous collection numbers: |
A and B: Item 59. |
|
Catalogue number: |
8.7 |
|
Original name: |
Bass horn. |
|
Type or system: |
4 keys. |
|
Maker: |
Unknown. |
|
Place of origin: |
Probably French, c.1815-1825. |
|
Overall size: |
795mm not including crook; bell diameter: 190mm. |
|
Sounding length: |
2228mm including crook. |
|
Diameter of mouthpiece receiver: |
14.2mm, Crook receiver: 36.4mm. |
|
Technical description: |
Single, brass body, brass crook with decorative ferrules. Flat round keys mounted by saddles. |
|
Faults: |
3 keys missing. |
|
Illustration references: |
See below. |
|
Previous owner: |
William Bentley or Key Collection. |
|
Previous collection numbers: |
A and B: 33 or 97. |
|
Catalogue number: |
8.8 |
|
Original name: |
Bass horn. |
|
Type or system: |
3 keys. |
|
Maker: |
Unknown. |
|
Place of origin: |
Probably French, c.1815-1825. |
|
Overall size: |
Main joint: c.840mm; crook: 561mm. |
|
Sounding length: |
1003mm. |
|
Diameter of mouthpiece receiver: |
12.5mm av.; crook receiver: 35mm. |
|
Technical description: |
Copper body with brass mounts. 3 brass keys, with spring attached to the keys, mounted by saddles. |
|
Faults: |
Fifth finger-hole chimney missing. Bell rim has come detached, bell badly bent. Numerous brass repair patches. 2 key springs broken and missing. |
|
Repair history: |
Numerous repair patches. New right-hand finger-hole chimneys on a brass plate fitted. |
|
Illustration references: |
See below. |
|
Previous owner: |
William Bentley or Lancelot Key. |
|
Previous collection numbers: |
A and B: Item 33 or 97. |
