Who made the first Fife?
Some European fife makers of the period were W. Camp, Cahusac, Button & Purday, Astor and others. Below are two William Callender fifes, one of boxwood and one of black ebony. The ebony Callender fife above is marked "62 Middle Street, Boston," which was where his shop was located from 1803 to 1818.
How old are fifes made from?
However, I have seen fifes that were extremely old and may date to the 18th century. They were obviously very old and made from Maple, Walnut, Cherry, Coccus and Boxwood. There is evidence that a Major Jonathan Gostelow delivered 163 fifes to the Continental Army in August of 1780.
What is the origin of the Crosby Fife?
One story is that a Drum Major at the Governor's Island School for Musicians named Crosby specified a certain fife design. There is no evidence of any drum major by that name ever serving at Governor's Island or any other Army music school.
What's the difference between a BB Fife and a C Fife?
The Bb fife has a tonal quality that is much more pleasing as well. The C fifes can be somewhat raucous. The only fife I have in my collection that I can actually date to a specific year is a Cloos Bb fife that was made in 1943.
Where were fifes made?
Who made fifes?
What material did William Hall use to make his fife?
What is Graves fife made of?
How long is a Cloos fife?
What is William Callender's fife?
What is unique about Crosby fifes?
See more
Where were fifes made?
However, I have seen fifes that were extremely old and may date to the 18th century. They were obviously very old and made from Maple, Walnut, Cherry, Coccus and Boxwood. There is evidence that a Major Jonathan Gostelow delivered 163 fifes to the Continental Army in August of 1780. His firm also made drums, but it cannot be confirmed that Gostelow actually made the fifes. Although it was before his time, it is conceivable that they were made by William Callender, who would have been age 24 at the time. Callender, born in 1756, made woodwinds, including fifes, between 1796 and 1825. Some European fife makers of the period were W. Camp, Cahusac, Button & Purday, Astor and others. Below are two William Callender fifes, one of boxwood and one of black ebony.
Who made fifes?
Although it was before his time, it is conceivable that they were made by William Callender, who would have been age 24 at the time. Callender, born in 1756, made woodwinds, including fifes, between 1796 and 1825. Some European fife makers of the period were W. Camp, Cahusac, Button & Purday, Astor and others.
What material did William Hall use to make his fife?
Hall used ferrules of brass, occasionally German silver, and made his fifes from boxwood and rosewood. He also used a bit of trickery, shaping them on the lathe so that they were broader near the blow hole, tapering down to the tail end, suggesting that they had a conical bore, which they did not. This became a common geometry used by many makers. Below is a fife by William Hall, & Son.
What is Graves fife made of?
Made of boxwood and made sometime in the1830s, the Graves fife has two unusual chracteristics: It is in the key of B natural and the scribing pattern on both ferrules is 4 + 0 + 4. Between 1819 and 1880, Klemm & Brothers made fifes in both Philadelphia and in Germany and was a major supplier during the Civil War.
How long is a Cloos fife?
It is 16 inches long, pitched in Bb and marked with a simple "CLOOS." The Cloos stamping is on an angle from lower left to upper right. The finger holes are essentially the same size, although the number one and number six holes are a bit smaller. The head ferrule is slightly longer than the tail ferrule, both of brass with 1 x 1 knurling. The wood appears to be what was then called "cocoawood." The ferrules have dimples, meaning that they were set with a punch. This was commonly done with seamed ferrules. The brass appears to be seamless. However, the seams of some instruments were often so well-polished as to hide a seam. Is this the mysterious missing link, the famed "Civil War" Cloos fife? I don't know. Most of his post Civil War fifes had long, tapered ferrules.
What is William Callender's fife?
Below are two William Callender fifes, one of boxwood and one of black ebony. The ebony Callender fife above is marked "62 Middle Street, Boston," which was where his shop was located from 1803 to 1818. It has seamed ferrules and uses the simple fingering system. Here is a Cahusac fife from around 1780:
What is unique about Crosby fifes?
One unique characteristic of at least the early Crosby fifes is in the way the bore was cut. Apparently, the tooling available was of insufficient length to cut the bore in one pass. It would be cut from one end, the fife would be reversed on the lathe, and it would be cut again in the opposite direction.
Where were fifes made?
However, I have seen fifes that were extremely old and may date to the 18th century. They were obviously very old and made from Maple, Walnut, Cherry, Coccus and Boxwood. There is evidence that a Major Jonathan Gostelow delivered 163 fifes to the Continental Army in August of 1780. His firm also made drums, but it cannot be confirmed that Gostelow actually made the fifes. Although it was before his time, it is conceivable that they were made by William Callender, who would have been age 24 at the time. Callender, born in 1756, made woodwinds, including fifes, between 1796 and 1825. Some European fife makers of the period were W. Camp, Cahusac, Button & Purday, Astor and others. Below are two William Callender fifes, one of boxwood and one of black ebony.
Who made fifes?
Although it was before his time, it is conceivable that they were made by William Callender, who would have been age 24 at the time. Callender, born in 1756, made woodwinds, including fifes, between 1796 and 1825. Some European fife makers of the period were W. Camp, Cahusac, Button & Purday, Astor and others.
What material did William Hall use to make his fife?
Hall used ferrules of brass, occasionally German silver, and made his fifes from boxwood and rosewood. He also used a bit of trickery, shaping them on the lathe so that they were broader near the blow hole, tapering down to the tail end, suggesting that they had a conical bore, which they did not. This became a common geometry used by many makers. Below is a fife by William Hall, & Son.
What is Graves fife made of?
Made of boxwood and made sometime in the1830s, the Graves fife has two unusual chracteristics: It is in the key of B natural and the scribing pattern on both ferrules is 4 + 0 + 4. Between 1819 and 1880, Klemm & Brothers made fifes in both Philadelphia and in Germany and was a major supplier during the Civil War.
How long is a Cloos fife?
It is 16 inches long, pitched in Bb and marked with a simple "CLOOS." The Cloos stamping is on an angle from lower left to upper right. The finger holes are essentially the same size, although the number one and number six holes are a bit smaller. The head ferrule is slightly longer than the tail ferrule, both of brass with 1 x 1 knurling. The wood appears to be what was then called "cocoawood." The ferrules have dimples, meaning that they were set with a punch. This was commonly done with seamed ferrules. The brass appears to be seamless. However, the seams of some instruments were often so well-polished as to hide a seam. Is this the mysterious missing link, the famed "Civil War" Cloos fife? I don't know. Most of his post Civil War fifes had long, tapered ferrules.
What is William Callender's fife?
Below are two William Callender fifes, one of boxwood and one of black ebony. The ebony Callender fife above is marked "62 Middle Street, Boston," which was where his shop was located from 1803 to 1818. It has seamed ferrules and uses the simple fingering system. Here is a Cahusac fife from around 1780:
What is unique about Crosby fifes?
One unique characteristic of at least the early Crosby fifes is in the way the bore was cut. Apparently, the tooling available was of insufficient length to cut the bore in one pass. It would be cut from one end, the fife would be reversed on the lathe, and it would be cut again in the opposite direction.