Courtesy of Jack Doyle

Samuel Graves

Place of business: Winchester , NH

Dates of business: 1824-1869*

Addresses of business:

1824-1829-West Fairlee , VT
1830-1850-Winchester, NH
1851-1854-18 Harvard Pl , Boston
1855-1861-68 Albany
1864-1865-18 Harvard Pl (Gilmore, Graves & Co.)
1867-1874 71 Sudbury

* Per Langwill/1869 Samuel Graves, together with his sons, George M. and William, joined with E.G Wright, H. Esbach and Hartman to form the Boston Musical Instrument Manufactory; 1870 Samuel retired, disabled by a stroke. The Boston Company continued until 1919/22, when purchased by Cundy-Bettoney. According to Eliason, Graves was the earliest large scale woodwind manufacturer in America . ( Graves was also a maker of brass instruments.)

Features:

Length of Instrument -the fife is 17 1/2 inch.

Wood -the instrument is made of boxwood.

Key of instrument -Bb. (in high pitch)

Finger Holes -seem to be all of the same size.

The spacing on the holes is as follows: not measured

1-2=.
2-3=.
3-4=.
4-5=.
5-6=.

Swell -the swell on this instrument comes right at the embouchure hole.

Ferrules - Ferrules are made of brass, scored with the following: Both seem to be made out of seamed brass tubing. Top ferrule is 1 15/16 inch in length; bottom is the same and both are tapered. Both ferrules have 2+2 scoring with a knurling pattern in the middle.