Oboe – TRAPP, Hermann

This is a grenadilla oboe with nickel silver keys by Hermann TRAPP (1855-?).  Hermann Trapp seems to have set up his instrument shop in 1878 where he was born in Neukirchen bei Eger after having trained in Paris, Vienna and Linz. Then he moved to Wildstein in 1893, which is now called...

Romantic oboe – LUDWIG & MARTINKA

This delightful Romantic oboe was made by the Prague-based masters Franz LUDWIG (1801-1882) and his son-in-law Josef MARTINKA (1831-1886). It is crafted in grenadilla with nickel silver keys and rings. The literature states that Ludwig was an apprentice at the CZERMAK workshop in Prague. Around 1830, he set up his own business. Josef...

Oboe – Wilhelm HECKEL

The Heckel woodwind instrument making workshop is one of the oldest to survive today. It was founded by Johann Adam HECKEL (1812-1877) who was born in Adorf but moved to Biebrich near Wiesbaden. He was extremely successful making all sorts of instruments, including bassoons, contrabassoons, clarinets, clarinas, flutes, oboes, basset...

Oboe – KULOW, Friedrich

This palisander, keyed oboe was made by Friedrich KULOW (1853-1939).Friedrich Karl Hermann KULOW was born in Berlin in 1853, where he learnt the craft of woodwind instrument making. He spent some time as a journeyman working for the company HECKEL in Biebrich. He moved to Magdeburg where he worked for...

Oboe – SAUERHERING, Hermann

Here is a grenadilla oboe with nickel silver keys that was made by Hermann SAUERHERING (1840-1909) sometime around 1900. Hermann Sauerhering was born in a town called Rogätz – about 30 km north of Magdeburg, Germany. He was a woodwind instrument maker and instrument dealer. In 1875, he started working together...

Oboe – Gebrüder ALEXANDER

This oboe was made by the company Gebrüder Alexander, based in Mainz, Germany. The company was first established way back in 1782 as a small workshop by Franz Ambros ALEXANDER (1753-1802). When Franz Ambros died, the business was carried on by his widow Katherina, and the four sons, the brothers...

Oboe – ALTRICHTER, Julius

This beautiful late-Romantic oboe was made by Ferdinand Julius Hermann ALTRICHER (1842-1915) who was native to Frankfurt an der Oder. This city is in today’s German state of Brandenburg. He started out around 1868 as a mouth-organ or harmonica manufacturer before he turned his hand to brass and woodwind instrument...