clarinet in A (d'amore?) marked: M. Schier O. Hohenelbe

[collezionespada]

hello,
I have a strange clarinet in A (d'amore?) marked: M. Schier / O. Hohenelbe.
Please could you give me some information about the manufacturer and the clarinet?
Grazie, ciao Francesco

[Dr. Enrico Weller]

Hello Francesco,

you have a clarinet signed by a dealer.

Here the entry of M. Schier in Weltadressbuch der Musikinstrumenten-Industrie 1906 (page S. 267): Ober-Hohenelbe (Böhmen): M. Schier, Musikal.-, Piano- u. Musikinstr.-Handlung, gegr. 1896

In the same time there is Josef Schier documented in Znaim (Mähren) as Metallblasisntr.-Macher u. Musikinstr-Händler (PdW 1906, 297).

Hohenelbe (today Hořejší Vrchlabí) is situated in the Riesengebirge, near the source of the Elbe.

But what kind of clarinet is this? Too young for a clarinet d’amore, and the pitch in A is unusal for clarinet d’amore as well as the Alto clarinet. Whether the bell is original?

All the best
Enrico

[collezionespada]

Hello Enrico,
thanks for the reply.
I'm not sure if the bell is original (even the neck .....) on them there are no marks but in these conditions the pitch is in A.
The length of the wooden body is mm. 454.
What do you think?
Many thanks, ciao Francesco