Leblanc Bass Clarinet: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

This clarinet was made by G. Leblanc Corporation in Kenosha, Wisconsin in 1963. It is a bass clarinet in B-flat, model 400 serial #7422, made of grenadilla with nickel silver keys and fittings. This clarinet is stamped:

This bass clarinet was designed in France but manufactured at the Wisconsin plant.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date made: 1963
• maker: G. Leblanc Corporation
• Object Name: clarinet
• Physical Description: grenadilla (overall material)
• Physical Description: nickel silver (overall material)
• Measurements: overall: 12.2 cm x 96 cm x 24 cm; x 4 13/16 in x 37 13/16 in x 9 7/16 in
• Measurements: cap: 3 3/8 in x 1 9/16 in; 8.5725 cm x 3.96875 cm
• Measurements: mouthpiece: 4 1/16 in x 1 7/8 in; 10.31875 cm x 4.7625 cm
• Measurements: barrel: 6 3/8 in x 1 1/4 in x 4 1/4 in; 16.1925 cm x 3.175 cm x 10.795 cm
• Measurements: upper joint: 18 7/8 in x 2 3/4 in; 47.9425 cm x 6.985 cm
• Measurements: lower joint: 20 3/4 in x 3 1/8 in; 52.705 cm x 7.9375 cm
• place made: United States: Wisconsin, Kenosha
• ID Number: MI.63.980
• accession number: 243869
• catalog number: 63.980
• Credit Line: Gift of G. Leblanc Corporation
• 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.