We don’t have an image of this object online yet. V&A Images may have a photograph that we can’t show online, but it may be possible to supply one to you. Email us at vaimages@vam.ac.uk for guidance about fees and timescales, quoting the accession number: 304-1882
Find out about our images

Not currently on display at the V&A

Musette

1850-1900 (Made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

The musette is a small reed instrument, rather like a miniature oboe without keys, that enjoyed some popularity during the 19th century. It is stamped 'Lafleur' and was retailed by J.R.Lafleur & Co, a London-based firm of musical instrument importers, which was founded in 1780, flourished throughout the 19th century and was finally taken over by Boosey & Hawkes in 1940.


Object details

Category
Object type
Materials and techniques
Turned boxwood with brass mounts
Brief description
Musette, boxwood, J.R. Lafleur & Co., French, 1850-1900.
Physical description
"Boxwood, in two joints, brass mounted. Six fingerholes and thumbhole, and three vent holes in the bell." Anthony Baines,Catalogue of Musical Instruments in the Victoria and Albert Museum - Part II: Non-keyboard instruments(London, 1998), p. 98.
Dimensions
  • Length: 36.5cm
Taken from Anthony Baines: Catalogue of Musical Instruments in the Victoria and Albert Museum - Part II: Non-keyboard instruments. (London, 1998), p. 98.
Marks and inscriptions
Paris & Londres/ Lafleur (Stamped on the bell-joint.)
Translation
Paris and London/ Lafleur
Object history
This was part of Carl Engel's Collections, and valued at 5 shillings, when acquired by the South Kensington Museum in 1882. This instrument was purchased by the Museum for 5 shillings (£0.25) in 1882. It had been part of the collections of Carl Engel (1818-1882), an eminent musicologist from Hanover, who published the Descriptive Catalogue of the Musical Instruments in the South Kensington Museum in 1874. The South Kensington Museum has been known as the Victoria & Albert Museum since 1899.
Summary
The musette is a small reed instrument, rather like a miniature oboe without keys, that enjoyed some popularity during the 19th century. It is stamped 'Lafleur' and was retailed by J.R.Lafleur & Co, a London-based firm of musical instrument importers, which was founded in 1780, flourished throughout the 19th century and was finally taken over by Boosey & Hawkes in 1940.
Bibliographic reference
Anthony Baines: Catalogue of Musical Instruments in the Victoria and Albert Museum - Part II: Non-keyboard instruments. (London, 1998), p. 98
Collection
Accession number
304-1882

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdJune 11, 2009
Record URL
Download as: JSON