Clarinet in A. Stained boxwood with ivory ferrules, nickel silver keywork and brass tone hole bushes. Five joints including mouthpiece. String lapped tenons. Keys are block and saddle mounted with circular slightly domed cups with leather pads. Upper joint has six keys, lower joint has seven. Lower joint also has two rollers for the left hand little finger keys and a red wax bumper beneath the outer roller shank. Brille key added subsequently. Upper joint is stamped: KEY/LONDON; Bell is stamped: KEY/LONDON/CHARING CROSS; Both inscriptions have a unicorn's head emblem stamped directly beneath.
This instrument appeared at the Royal Military Exhibition staged at Chelsea Barracks in 1890. The exhibition catalogue states that the 'clarinet was played upon by Mr. Henry Lazarus, in the orchestras of Her Majesty's and Royal Italian Operas, under Sir Michael Costa, from 1843 to 1855, in which year Mr. Lazarus changed to an instrument of another English maker (Fieldhouse).' The clarinet was one of three (which also included the Fieldhouse instrument) loaned to the exhibition by Lazarus himself, who by 1890 was nearing the end of his professional career.
