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Bass courtaut (after Mersenne, 1636)
Probably by: Francis William Galpin (English, 1858–1945)
late 19th century
Object Place: Hatfield Regis, England
Medium/Technique
Maple, brass
Dimensions
Length 61.5 cm (24 3/16 in.)
Credit Line
Leslie Lindsey Mason Collection
Accession Number17.1893
NOT ON VIEW
CollectionsEurope, Musical Instruments
ClassificationsMusical instruments – Aerophones
DescriptionCylindrical body of maple, stained dark brown. Two flaring caps bound with brass ferrules. Brass staple for the double reed. The U-shaped air column is formed by two long bores joined at the bottom by a cross-bore, the extra holes plugged by wooden plugs. Six finger-holes in the front, very small in diameter (2 mm.); six large holes (5 mm. bore) bored in the funnel- shaped protruding plugs (three of them dummies) and the rear tube; two thumb- holes and a vent-hole in the rear.
ProvenanceFrancis W. Galpin (1858-1945), Hatfield Regis, England; 1916, sold by Francis W. Galpin to William Lindsey (1858-1922), Boston, Massachusetts; 1916, gift of William Lindsey, in memory of his daughter, Leslie Lindsey Mason, to the MFA. (Accession Date: October 5, 1916)