Name of Instrument: bassoon

Maker / Brand: L.Franciolini shop

Stearns Catalog #: 0677

Country of Origin: Florence, Italy

Region of Origin: Europe

Instrument Category: Aerophone

Date of Fabrication: late-18th C.?

Location: on display

Description: This instrument comes to the Stearns Collection from a highly questionable source--Leopoldo Franciolini. Many Franciolini instruments are forgeries or interesting hybrids of original instruments and scrap wood. In this case, we have a composite Bassoon made of three painted (black) maple sections with brass fittings (extant)--the bell section has been replaced with a painted brass dragon's head. It has five brass keys mounted in saddles (all except one bracket are missing). The inscription on the boot and body sections has been obliterated. The red paper stamp of the Florentine dealer appears on the boot section. The paper is marked with blue crayon, "16 MO RO".

Research: Prof. James M. Borders