Here we have a wonderful E-flat clarinet, crafted in grenadilla with nickel silver rings and fifteen nickel silver keys. It was made in around the 1920s by Joseph/Josef PÖSCHL (1866-1947).

Joseph Pöschl was born in Graslitz, today’s Kraslice in the Czech Republic. He appears in the Munich address books in 1894 as a music instrument maker and musician in Sendlingerstrasse. We can only guess that he was working for an existing maker at that time. There is a link, through various apprentices, right back to Georg OTTENSTEINER (1815-1879).

The woodwind maker Wilhelm HESS Junior (1841-1880) had become successor to Georg OTTENSTEINER (1815-1879). When Wilhelm Hess Junior died, the business would become Osterried & Gerlach. Joseph Pöschl obtained citizen’s rights in Munich in 1908, and took over the Osterried & Gerlach company. It was in business in the directories until around 1943. His former apprentice, Leo LORENZ continued the workshop until around 1977, but made no more instruments.

Joseph Pöschl’s ‘Bärmann-Ottensteiner’ system clarinets were very well received, as were his Ernst Reichenbächer oboes and Boehm ring-keyed flutes.

All parts of this clarinet are stamped with J. PÖSCHL / MÜNCHEN, except for the mouthpiece which has the stamp of C. KRUSPE / ERFURT. It is wonderfully made and features elegantly pointed arm keys.