Piccolo Clarinet in A-flat
ca. 1850–60
Medium
Boxwood, brass
Dimensions
Length: 34.9 cm (13 3/4 in.) Diameter of bell: 5.5 cm (2 3/16 in.)
Classification
Aerophone-Reed Vibrated-single reed cylindrical
Culture
German
Department
Musical Instruments
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Crosby Brown Collection of Musical Instruments, 1889
Accession Number
89.4.2174
Art Historical Context
Nestled in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's renowned Crosby Brown Collection of Musical Instruments this Piccolo Clarinet A-flat, crafted by German maker Johann Samuel Stengel around 1850–60, exemplifies the exquisite woodworking of 19th-century instrument making. Measuring just 34.9 cm long with a 5.5 cm bell diameter, its petite size earned it the "piccolo" moniker, designed for soaring high pitches in A-flat—a rare key that extended the clarinet's range for specialized orchestral or band roles. Fashioned from boxwood with brass fittings, the instrument's warm, resonant tone was prized for i...