Eisenbrant Albert System Clarinet: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

This clarinet was made by Christian Heinrich Eisenbrandt in Baltimore, Maryland around 1850 to 1861. It is an Albert System clarinet in B-flat, made of rosewood with silver ferrules and keys jeweled with brilliants. The barrel is covered with mother-of-pearl. This clarinet is stamped:

Christian Heinrich Eisenbrandt (1790-1861) immigrated from Germany in 1808 and settled in Philadelphia. In 1815, he was listed in the New York City Directory as Henry Eisenbrand, musical instrument maker. Eisenbrandt returned to Germany and for a few years, came back to the United States, and set up his shop in Baltimore in 1819. After his death in 1861, the firm was continued by his son, H.W.R. Eisenbrandt until 1949.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date made: 1850-1861
• maker: Eisenbrandt, Christian Heinrich
• maker: Eisenbrandt, Christian Heinrich
• Object Name: clarinet
• Physical Description: rosewood (overall material)
• Physical Description: silver (overall material)
• Physical Description: mother-of-pearl (overall material)
• Measurements: overall: 23 in x 3 7/8 in; 58.42 cm x 9.8425 cm
• Measurements: cap: 2 5/8 in x 1 1/8 in; 6.6675 cm x 2.8575 cm
• Measurements: mouthpiece: 3 1/8 in x 1 3/16 in; 7.9375 cm x 3.01625 cm
• Measurements: clarinet: 19 1/2 in x 1 7/8 in; 49.53 cm x 4.7625 cm
• Measurements: bell: 4 1/4 in x 2 15/16 in; 10.795 cm x 7.46125 cm
• place made: United States: Maryland, Baltimore
• ID Number: MI.383371
• accession number: 167472
• catalog number: 383371
• Credit Line: Gift of Alice I. Siddall
• Data Source: National Museum of American History

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of American History through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed.