The Story of a 1971 Selmer Recorder

by Howard Fosdick © FolkFluteWorld.com

This is the story of a Selmer soprano recorder I bought used on Ebay. I knew little about it when I bought it, so I embarked upon a research project to find out more. The tale shows what fun it can be to buy old instruments on websites like Ebay or Etsy, and then uncover their history.

So let the saga begin ...

The Recorder

First, a bit about the instrument. It's a Selmer descant recorder made from stained pearwood. It's survived a half century in excellent playable condition, though the body of the instrument shows the expected wear.

Here's how it looks:

The person who sold it to me told me that they purchased it in 1971. For a piece over a half century old, I think it's aged well. Its coloring gives it a vintage look. Any nicks or scratches are almost undetectable.

The instrument plays well and achieves the same range of notes as any modern recorder. The fingering is standard baroque.

Here's how it sounds in song I composed:

This instrument sounds recognizably different from the other five sopranos I own (a handcraft in maple by Egil Storbekken, a handcraft in clay from Peru, a Johannes Adler, an Aafab/Coolsma Study, and a stock Hohner).

It projects a strong, pleasing sound. Unlike some sopranos, I find it easy to play all notes up to high C. And all notes sound in tune without worrying about breath pressure. (Contrast this to my two German-fingered descants, where one must be conscious to blow lightly to voice an in-tune low C., and the highest notes require precision to attain.)

Clues About Its Origins

On the back of the instrument, just above the thumb-hole, rests the imprint "MADE IN W GERMANY". This confirms that the instrument pre-dates the reunification of Germany in 1990.

On the front, near the mouthpiece, is the single word "AMBICO". That's curious because a quick web yields a comany that makes a variety of construction materials, like doors, windows, and the like. Unless they've changed their business over the years, this appears to be a false lead.

Deeper web research unearths that there used to be a company called "AMBICO Incorporated" that made a variety of musical instruments. According to their trademark registration, these included "GUITARS, LAPHARPS, VIOLINS, CELLOS, VIOLAS, TRUMPETS, CORONETS, SAXOPHONES, CLARINETS, HARMONICAS, RECORDERS (A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT), TAMBOURINES, BATONS, DRUM SETS, TYMBALE SETS; AND PARTS, ACCESSORIES, AND CASES FOR THE ABOVE NAMED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS." Bingo.

AMBICO Incorporated dissolved years ago. The tradement for their name expired in 1992.

You still see a lot of AMBICO equipment for sale on the web in used condition. They include guitars, amps, drum sets, instrumental accessories, and similar gear.

I even unearthed an interview with AMBICO's co-founder, a fellow named Chuck Perl. He describes how he and a friend founded the company in 1967 and made instruments and accessories until 1992. He made up the name AMBICO from the prefix "ambi", which means "many and varied".

The Box

The box the flute came in provides further information. How it fits with the two stamps on the instrument is a bit of a mystery.

The box tells us this instrument was sold by "H. & A. Selmer" company of Elkhart, Indiana. It's a "Clarion" model recorder that sold for $6.95 USD in 1971. An online inflation calculator tells us that this is equivalent to $54.17 in 2024. That's a pretty realistic current price for what appears to be a quality (but not professional-level) pearwood instrument.

H. & A. Selmer company was established by French brothers, Alexandri and Henri. They opened a retail shop in New York city in 1909, and their H. & A. Selmer company grew into a US-based operation that sold and made a large variety of instruments.

By 1936 they abandoned retail operations and became solely a manufacturer and wholeseller. They started their large manufacturing facility in Elkhart, Indiana in 1965. The company became well-known for their Artley, Bundy, Signet, and other brands.

Along the way, Selmer acquired several companies. Their own corporate independence ended in 1970 when they were acquired by Magnavox. This entity eventually merged with G.C. Conn Inc. and the Steinway piano company. In 2013 it was all acquired by the Paulson & Co. investment firm.

So, Who Made It?

American businesses have undergone a frenzy of consolidation over the past half century. Mergers, acquisitions, spin-offs, private equity firms, and investment firms have financialized the American economy. All this frenetic activity makes it challenging to trace the maker of my 55-year-old instrument.

It appears that Selmer gave an outsourcing contract for recorders to AMBICO. Then AMBICO outsourced to the manufacturing process to a company in the Federal Republic of Germany (aka West Germany).

I posted a query in the Reddit r/Recorder online forum and was told that this company was Roessler. Searching for Roessler recorders from that time period confirmed it. The recorder design and its box look exactly like the Roessler "School" designs of that era. The recorder is probably a stencil, a licensed, rebranded manufacture of the Roessler design.

Roessler itself ended its corporate existence in 2005 when it was bought by Mollenhauer.

Why would both Selmer and the AMBICO outsource to an overseas company? Here, it's important to understand that recorders had little presence in the United States at the time. They weren't used in education like they are today.

Most schools instead taught students on tonettes, song flutes, and flutophones. You can read more about these instruments and their history here.

It was only with the popularization of the inexpensive plastic recorder in the 1980s that the recorder took over American musical education. Prior to that, most Americans had little idea of what recorders were, unless they were musicians.

Of course, today that's all changed. Nearly every American child plays the recorder at some time in their secondary education. They've become the standard tool to introduce musical concepts to grade, middle, and high school students.

The Clarion Line

To wrap up, here are photos of two other Clarions of same vintage designed and produced by Roessler.

An alto is on the left, and tenor on the right:

Fun Researching Old Instruments

That concludes our whodunit. I found it fascinating to unravel the background and history of this "mystery" instrument. For a 55-year-old recorder, it looks and sounds dandy.

I hope my "research adventure" might inspire you to investigate some of your own finds from Ebay, Etsy, and similar websites.

Summary:

• Style: Soprano Recorder
• Fingering: Baroque (aka English)
• Material: Pearwood
• Length: 13 inches (33cm)
• Maker: Roessler, West Germany, in 1971
• Outsourcer: AMBICO Incorporated
• U.S. Sales and Distribution: H. & A. Selmer, Elkhart, Indiana
• Range: Standard descant recorder
• Price: $6.95 USD in 1971 (today about $55 USD)