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{The Brussels Musical Instruments Museum Oboe Collection}
Stefaan Verdegem - Koninklijk Conservatorium Brussel
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IND ?> Inv. number
1979
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CN/NP ?> Common name / Nominal Pitch
Vox Humana in F
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TS ?> Type or system
2 keys
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MK ?> Maker
Gatley, William
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IN ?> Mark, inscriptions
WILLIAM / GATLEY – on both parts (twice on bottom part);
(two lower marks are hard to read).
- PL ?> Place of origin (England)
- DM ?> Date of making End of the 18th beginning of the 19th century.
- MATERIALS Boxwood or plum-wood with ivory mounts, brass keys.
- MEASUREMENTS
- Body Length c. 723mm
- TJ length (body + tenon) 310.6mm + 31.8mm
- B length 413.1mm
- Acoustic Length 448.3mm
- BORE
- Minimal bore 6.7mm
- Reed well diameter 8.5mm
- Bore at end of TJ 13.7mm
- Bore at top of MJ 14.7mm
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TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION
2-part instrument with 2 brass keys with square flat flaps, type Young-A.
Raised key rings not circular.
SATB (springs attached to the body).
3rd and 4th hole single.
4th hole very large.
No inner rim nor vent-holes in ‘bell’.
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FL ?> Faults
Fair condition. Few scratches on body and 8 or 9 major cracks on lower part.
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UP ?> Usable Pitch
Pitch difficult to establish having tried with several bocals, staple and reed types.
The best result was obtained with a reed TL 52.8mm / staple 28mm ø 5mm / tip width 11mm, and a and bocal TL 101mm ø 6.6mm + 3.5mm, giving A = c.408Hz.
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PO ?> Previous Ownership
Ex-Mahillon V. & J.
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SR ?> Specific literature Reference
Mahillon (R1978) Vol.III p.398.
Mentioned in Waterhouse (1993) p.129.
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IR ?> Illustration reference
Mahillon (R1978) Vol.III p.398 (drawing).
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GL ?> General literature (about this type of instrument)
Finkelman (1999) Teil 3, pp.453–6.
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Remarks
Stained maple (‘érable teint’) according to Mahillon (R1978) Vol.III p.398. Definitely not maple according to Charles Indekeu and Marcel Ponseele.
Mahillon is mistaken about the maker’s name (“Gatlem”).
{Gatley}
