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{The Brussels Musical Instruments Museum Oboe Collection}
Stefaan Verdegem - Koninklijk Conservatorium Brussel
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IND ?> Inv. number
1981
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CN/NP ?> Common name / Nominal Pitch
Oboe in C
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TS ?> Type or system
3 keys
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MK ?> Maker
Richters, Hendrik
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IN ?> Mark, inscriptions
H.RICHTERS / (clover leaf, stem pointing left) – on all 3 parts;
(few characters worn away, but clover leaf always clear).
- PL ?> Place of origin Amsterdam
- DM ?> Date of making Early 18th century.
- MATERIALS Ebony with ivory mounts, copper alloy keys.
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MEASUREMENTS
Measurements courtesy of Jan Bouterse.
- full_measurements1
- Body Length 569mm
- TJ length (body + tenon) 213mm + 25mm
- MJ length (body +tenon) 211mm + 26.2mm
- B length 145mm
- Acoustic Length 329mm
- BORE
- Minimal bore 5.7mm
- Reed well diameter 8.2mm
- Bore at end of TJ 10.7mm
- Bore at top of MJ 11.3mm
- Bore at end of MJ 16.5mm
- Bore at top of B 19.0mm
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TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION
3 keys with flat square keyheads type Heyde-A.
Left-Eb key with long lever making it a key for L4.
SATK (springs attached to the key).
Raised key rings circular.
3rd and 4th hole doubled with finger cove.
Bell with 2 vent-holes and inner rim.
4 ivory mounts with beautiful carving. Top ivory mount is detachable with a slightly conical socket and tenon. This tenon has thread now.
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FL ?> Faults
Excellent condition. The original keys are missing.
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UP ?> Usable Pitch
A = c.415–420Hz with reed TL 78mm / 2-part staple 37mm + 27mm / tip width 9.5mm.
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PC ?> Performance Characteristics
Nice sound. Easy sound emission, but difficult to estimate the qualities of the instrument because of air loss in top ornament. Easy short fingerings in top register.
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PO ?> Previous Ownership
Unknown. Possibly ex-Mahillon V. & J.
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FM ?> Further information on maker
Bouterse (2005) Cd-rom pp.83–5, pp.155–8 and pp.213–4.
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SR ?> Specific literature Reference
Mahillon (R1978) Vol.III, p.399.
Bouterse (2005) Cd-rom app. C. under ‘Hrichters12. PDF’.
Listed in Haynes (2001) p.83, as an example of type-A3 oboes.
Listed in Young (1993) p.187 (“Modern system brass replacement keys”).
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IR ?> Illustration reference
Mahillon (R1978) Vol.III, p.399, drawing showing the actual keys.
Bouterse (2005) Cd-Rom – photos-file: 4 pictures Qs03–Qs06.
- GL ?> General literature (about this type of instrument)
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Comparable instruments
Amsterdam, De Vries Collection (1999) See Richters oboes p.9.
The Hague Gemeentemuseum Collection in: Van Acht, Bouterse & Dhont (1997), see Richters oboes pp.159–187.
Oxford, The Bate Collection (Oxford) Richters oboe no.2037. This oboe has very comparable measures according to Montagu (1990) p.130.
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Remarks
There are a number of indications that point out that the keys are not original but most probably 19th century (before 1900 according to the drawing in Mahillon (R1978) Vol.III p.399):
- This type of keys is not found on other Richters oboes
- The metal alloy used is of a different type of those used in the 17th and 18th century
- The technique of attaching the springs to the keys was not in use on oboes in the 17th and 18th century
- 2nd Eb-key with long lever for L4 was not in use on oboes in the 17th and 18th century
The detachable top ivory mount is probably not meant as a tuning slide, hence the slightly conical tenon and socket.
{Richters}
