Category Archives: Products

Martin Freres Supra Clarinet

From Ron, Njurunda, Sweden:

I have a Martin Freres Supra, Paris France. There’s no more text on this instrument, but there is a number: 56xxx.
The Clarinet is in rather good condition and fully playable. I have used it in a concert when my Selmer was being repaired. The instrument played well. I realize that it is difficult to determine much by the serial number, but I hope you can tell me something about this instrument. I received it as a gift and it has been stowed away for many years.

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Response from The Martin Freres Company:

Thank you for your message. The Martin Freres Supra model was manufactured by

Martin Freres Paris during the 1940s – 1950s for distribution throughout Europe. The Clarinet is made of Grenadilla wood, was offered with standard nickel-silver or silver-plated keys, uses metal tenon rings to add to its durability, and boasts a professional tone, as you know.

Details on estimated value depending on condition can be found here:

https://martinfreres.net/clarinetcatalog/how-much-is-my-martin-freres-clarinet-worth/

We wish you many more years of enjoyment!

Thank you.

Jean Montour A Paris Clarinet

From Karmin:

I am a graduate clarinet student and have recently come across a vintage clarinet and I would like to find out more about it. I have been researching every possible place, but this one in particular doesn’t have much readily available information. I’m hoping you’ll be able to help me! Here’s what I know:
The clarinet is in wonderful shape and plays well. The parts, including bell and barrel, are all original and there are no cracks. The A key has been soldered, but everything else is original (except for pads, obviously!). It is a B High pitch clarinet with the “Jean Montour A Paris” brand with the little fly and a symbol underneath, with a “B”. I have not been able to find any serial numbers, but may have overlooked something. I believe that it is grenadilla wood, and the wood looks fabulous! The clarinet could stand to be cleaned a good bit, but that is all superficial and should clean up well. 

Reply by Martin Freres Company:

The Jean Montour A Paris is definitely a model manufactured by Martin Freres Paris. We have not ascertained the historical significance or provenance of the Jean Montour name but our research continues. 
What we do know is that this model was manufactured in Paris c1900 – 1905, prior to the Gran Prix model. These were not manufactured for export from France, however, Jean Montour instruments are extant across Europe today attesting to how well they were made. JFB Martin also made Oboes and Low clarinets with the Jean Montour name and the Martin Family’s iconic bumblebee stamp is clearly affixed. No serial numbers are know to have been engraved on these models.
Your clarinet was featured in the 1905 Martin Freres Catalog (advertised with the Martin Freres name) which you can see here:https://martinfreres.net/clarinetcatalog/vintage-clarinets/1905-martin-freres-paris-clarinet-catalog/

As far as we are concerned, this clarinet is a priceless piece of history. https://martinfreres.net/clarinetcatalog/how-much-is-my-martin-freres-clarinet-worth/

Because the piece is over 100 years old, we cannot provide a value for resale or for insurance replacement. 
Take care of it and enjoy it!

Best Regards,

The Martin Freres Company

Jean Montour A Paris by Martin Freres c1905

Martin Freres Company

The Honored Journey of the Martin Freres Company Namesake

Martin Freres A Paris 19th Century Logo

Early Logo

The Martin Freres Societe (fr., Martin Brothers Company), was established in the year 1840 in the city of La Couture Boussey, Eure France by (Francois) Jean-Baptiste (Born 1817, Dec 1877), Claude Eugene (Born 1819, Dec 1874) & Felix (Born 1821, Dec 1896) MARTIN (surname).
These fine craftsmen hand-manufactured flutes and clarinets from 1840 until their deaths*.

Martin Freres Logo

Martin Freres A PARIS

In the late 1890s, the Thibouville Family of Paris partnered with the Jean-Baptiste Martin Family to continue the Martin Freres tradition through ~1927.

Martin Freres 20th Century Logo

Martin Freres 20th Century Logo

In the 1930s, a team of French & American businessmen revived the company and licensed the Martin Freres name to various woodwind manufacturers worldwide to produce student and intermediate woodwinds until the 1960s.

Martin Freres Company Today

Martin Freres Company

For the 21st century, a new generation of clarinet makers has risen to the challenge to keep the Martin brother’s dream alive. With great honor and deep respect for the groundbreaking work of its namesake’s founding fathers, the Martin Freres Company woodwind makers carry on that same fine family journey of excellence.
That is why clarinetists of today and beyond will say with pride,I Play a Martin Freres!  sm
– The Martin Freres Company Team

 

* The Martin Family actually began manufacturing woodwind instruments in the year 1740 (inspiring the collection of models with the 1740 stamp released in the 1940s and 50s) in La Couture Boussey (Eure) FR. The use of the company and brand name ‘Martin Freres’ (for woodwind manufacturing) does not first appear anywhere in the world until 1840.

The Martin Freres Company is a family business.

The Martin Freres Company has never been associated with the Martin Band Equipment Co., USA; the C.F. Martin Company, or the Martin Guitar Company.

Take me to:

The Clarinet Catalog

About Martin Freres Company

Martin Freres Clarinet Value

Clarinetists, music shop owners, school band directors and vintage woodwind collectors are always amazed that so many Vintage Martin Freres Clarinets are still being played today even though manufacturing began almost two centuries ago! Many examples of the French, Canadian and American made woodwinds under the Martin Freres brand, regardless of age or value, are still in decent playing condition to this day.

We receive numerous inquires daily concerning the value of various Martin Freres instruments. We are not providing private evaluation or repairs services at this time. 

Needless to say, as with any hand-crafted piece, the value depends upon several key factors. First we need to consider the obvious:

  • Current condition; Is the horn playable? Does it need an overhaul? Are there any scratches, cracks, leaks, missing components?
  • Popularity and market acceptance of the model both at it’s initial release and with clarinet enthusiasts today;
  • Where the piece was made; The French pieces tend to have a higher value, for example, than do the clarinets manufactured elsewhere;
  • Current demand versus available supply for the piece by collectors also affects the clarinet value.

Next, we need to dig a bit deeper to determine the Martin Freres clarinet’s value. We answer the questions:

  • How well has the clarinet been preserved, stored and/or maintained over the years of its existence?
  • Even if the clarinet is currently in good, playable condition, did the piece require significant repairs such as cracks, misaligned posts, replacement keys, at any time in its history?
  • Is the clarinet all original? Meaning: Is the bell original? Is the barrel original? Are the keys the original keys installed by its clarinet-maker? Do the serial numbers on the upper and lower joints match? Is the mouthpiece a Martin Freres? Is the ligature a Martin Freres? Originality of the clarinet certainly affect its value;
  • Which of the various Martin Freres maker’s stamps (logos) was used on the clarinet?

Because of the trickling supply of Martin Freres Vintage clarinets online, Vintage Martin Freres Clarinets have become appreciable assets. French-made Martin Freres woodwinds that are described online as “FOR PARTS ONLY” are selling between $50 and $120 US. In addition, the demand that we receive for original replacements parts is increasing. Even though brand new components to fit the Martin Freres brand of clarinets are readily available from Asia, original Martin Freres components remain far more valuable. This remains true despite the fact that the quality of the Asian components is improving year by year.

Further, retail prices of re-fabricated or overhauled vintage Martin Freres Clarinets are stable, and actual sales reveal that trend as well. Recent retail prices online for a re-fabricated example of the last model release of the LaMonte series MARTIN FRERES clarinet, Lamonte Model 2, has seen rising sales trends with an average selling price of $450 US.

The value of all original Grenadilla Wood and Rosewood Martin Freres Clarinets with manufacture dates before WWII which are highly sought by woodwind collectors can bring as much as $2000.

The value of all original English Boxwood Martin Freres Clarinets with manufacture dates before WWI are nearly extinct in playable condition. Reconditioning of Boxwood Clarinets is ill advised, aside from restringing the tenons, as museums and collectors value the originality above play-ability. Regardless of condition, these clarinets can be worth thousands of dollars.

The Martin Freres Company is keeping an eye on the market of vintage woodwinds in order to be certain of the value of its vintage clarinets and other instruments.

– Martin Freres

If you wish to comment on this article, please email us at: editor@MartinFreres.net

-Editor

 

 

*The LaMonte Model 2 was manufactured in FRANCE by the SOCIETE ANONYME DES ANCIENS ESTABLISSMENTS, MARTIN FRERES CORPORATION for worldwide distribution and includes numerous additional brand names including 1740 (not to be confused with the Martin Freres 1740 Deluxe), Classic, Victoire, Verdome and more; formerly a French company, it has since been re-established in the United States.

Martin Freres E34 Sopranino Eb Clarinet

Martin Freres Model E-34A Eb Soprano (Sopranino) Clarinet

The Model E-34A, with the 35mm Grenadilla Wood barrel, was reviewed by independent clarinet reviewer, Phil Pedlar, of ClarinetPages.net. Although our customers have been telling us how much they enjoy playing their new Efer, this was our first independent and unbiased professional review of the mini clarinet.

>>Click to See and Hear the Martin Freres E34 Eb Sopranino Clarinet

Here is a partial copy of the review:

Martin Freres Eb 

Serial  #E34-1242  MFG. 04-2014 This is called Sopranino Model E-34

Barrel:   34.9mm wooden [with Bb Reed Acceptor], 36.5mm hard rubber.

Bore LH joint top:  13.1mm

This is made of Ebonite (hard rubber). Everything came in plastic bags that were sealed on both ends, even the bell. It looks like no one has touched this since it was wrapped at the factory.

Martin Freres Eb

Intonation results taken when playing loud and not lipping.

For this test, I used the longer barrel (hard rubber) and I did not pull at the barrel.

High register

Android Pitch-Lab

F

N/A

E

N/A

D

I couldn’t get higher than this with this reed and mouthpiece.

C

-2

B

2

B-flat

0

A

-5

Mid

G

0

F

0

E

5

D

1

C

2

B

-4

Throat tones

Bb

-21 / 14 using the right trill key

A

10

G

12

F

0

E

2

Chalumeau

D

11

C

12 but easily lip-pable down to 0

B-flat

9

A

17 Even this can be lip-ped into tune!

G

0

F

-6

E

3

Intonation summary: The A above the staff on this is only slightly flat, and above that is not flat. I noticed also that I was able, with this mouthpiece to easily lower the sharp notes in the low register. One can do this way more than the corresponding notes on the Bb.

Mouthpiece: This mouthpiece seems rather open, and that works well with the somewhat soft reed that came with this. The clarinet came with an excellent retro-look ligature.

Key work quality: Excellent!

This clarinet is most appropriate for: Anyone needing an Eb. This is a GREAT DEAL!

For the entire review of this and many other clarinets, visit: ClarinetPages.net