Clarinet in B flat. Boxwood or sycamore. Silver keys, ferrules and bell ring deeply embossed with floral motif. Thirteen keys, including speaker key on front of instrument. Rosewood mouthpiece, mouthpiece cap also present (does not fit however). In five pieces. String lapped tennons. Barrel, upper joint, lower joint and bell bear a silver plaque inscribed: C. BOOSE/LONDON
This ornate clarinet was a prized exhibit in the Boosey & Hawkes Museum at the firm's factory in Edgware. It was made by Carl Boosé for the 1851 Crystal Palace Exhibition. Boosé was a clarinettist and helped to establish Boosey & Sons as sellers of musical instruments. This clarinet was displayed at a number of important exhibitions in London during the 19th and 20th centuries, including the Royal Military Exhibition of 1890, the Musical Loan Exhibition of 1904 and the Private Musicke [sic.] exhibition held by the Galpin Society at the Royal Festival Hall in 1957. It is now on display in the Music Gallery at the Horniman Museum.
