Clarinet in B-flat. Boxwood with ebony mouthpiece. Brass and ivory ferrules. Five joints including mouthpiece. String lapped tenons. Twelve keys, block and saddle mounted with circular flat flaps and leather pads. Two rollers for left hand little finger keys. Tone holes have brass bushes. Visible alteration to one of the upper tone holes and to the reverse upper section of the lower joint. Upper joint appears to have originally had a maker's plaque attached. Bell is stamped: KEY/LONDON/CHARING CROSS; with a unicorn's head emblem stamped directly beneath.
This clarinet was owned by Henry Lazarus, 19th century London's most influential clarinet virtuoso. It was given to him in 1838 by his first teacher, John Blizzard, bandmaster of the Royal Military Asylum at Chelsea. It is typical of the instruments used by players in the first half of the 19th century.