Features:
Length of Instrument-the fife is 15 ¼ inch.

Wood-the instrument is made of, what seems to be, Black Ebony. Although most of the other Callender fifes in collections are made of Boxwood, this shows that
Callender was working in other woods quite early.

Key of instrument-B (Bb?) stamped above the embouchure hole. What is interesting is that this fife pitched at a rather low C.

Finger holes-seem to be all of the same size. The spacing on the holes is as follows:
1-2=.687 2-3=.677 3-4=.968 4-5=.711 5-6=.651. This shows that the hole pattern
is not even, and there is a very large space between the 3rd and 4th holes

Swell-the swell on this instrument comes after the embouchure hole. It comes about a quarter of the way down from the top ferrule.

Ferrules- Ferrules are made of brass, scored with the following: Top ferrule has 2+2 scoring. Bottom ferrule is 2+3 scoring. Both are made out of brass seam stock and are TAPERED. Also, both ferrules have the punch marks to keep them in place.

Top ferrule is 1 inch in length; bottom is less than an inch.

Extant Musical Instruments made or distributed by William Callender (1756-1839)

Compiled by Darcy Kuronen, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, September 1999

Side drum, 1803-1818
Printed label: William Callender / Music Shop / No. 62, Middle Street, Boston / DRUMS of all sizes for the Artillary [sic] and Infantry … / Small size do.; FIFES of all tones and prices made from the best Tur[key Box-] / wood and black ebony and with the above drums are warrented [sic] to [purchasers] for one year / ALSO / TRUMPETS and BUGLE HORNS for the [Cavalry,] Rifle Men and Infantry C and B Clarionets, Haut Bo[ys; Concert] / FLUTES, patent do. / LIKEWISE / Bass Viols, Ten[or viols] / and violins—with bows, string reeds … / in the military, musical ivory turning and gunnery lines … [made from the] / Best materials and perfectly correct
Wood
Freeport Historical Society, Freeport, ME

Side drum, 1803-1818
Printed label: [W]ARRANTED / [D]RUMS / ...es Made and Sold at / [WILLIAM] CALLENDER's / MUSIC [S]HOP, No. 62, Middle Street, / BOSTON
Maple
Dedham Historical Society, Dedham, MA

Bass drum, 1803-1818
Handwritten in ink inside shell: Wm. Callender / No 62 / Middle Street / Boston / [?]3
Maple
Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company, Boston, MA

Pair of side drums, 1803-1818
(Not labeled, but apparently made to match the bass drum listed above)
Ash
Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company, Boston, MA

Fife, 1796-1802
Stamped: C / W / CALLENDER / STATE STREET / BOSTON
Boxwood with brass ferrules
Overall length 380 mm
Manchester Historic Association, Manchester, NH

Fife, about 1796-1818
Scratched in body: B / CALLENDER / STATE STREET / AND / MIDDLE STREET / BOSTON
Overall length 430 mm
Boxwood with brass ferrules
Quincy Historical Society, Quincy, MA

Fife, 1803-1818
Scratched in body: D / CALLENDER / MIDDLE STREET / NO. 62 / BOSTON
Boxwood with brass ferrules
Overall length 343
Lexington Historical Society, Lexington, MA

Fife, 1803-1818
Scratched in body: [W. CALLENDER, 62 MIDDLE ST., BOSTON]
Fruitwood
Center for Musical Antiquities, New York

Fife, 1803-1818
Scratched in body: W. / CALLENDER / MIDDLE STREET / BOSTON / N. 62
Cherrywood?
William H. Guthman Collection (auction lot 325)
Sounding length 314 mm

Fife, 1803-1818
Stamped: B / CA[LLEN]DER / 62 [MIDDLE STREET / BOSTON]
Ebony with brass ferrules
Overall length 429 mm
Fitchburg Historical Society, Fitchburg, MA

Flute, 1803-1818
Stamped: Wm CALLENDER / 62 [M]IDDL[E] ST / BOSTO[N]
Fruitwood with ivory rings, one key (missing)
Overall length 584 mm
Old Sturbridge Village, Sturbridge, MA

Bass viol, 1808
Distributed by Callender but attributed to William Green of Medway, Massachusetts
Printed label: Drums &c. / for sale at / William Callender’s / Music Shop / no. 62 Middle St.—Boston / DRUMS of all Sizes for the Artillary [sic] and Infantry, / small size do.; FIFES of all tones & prices made / from the best Turkey Box- / wood and black ebony—and with the above Drums are / warrented [sic] to purchasers for one year / ALSO / TRUMPETS and BUGLE HORNS for the Cavalry, / Rifle Men [and Infantry C an]d B CLARIONETS; HAUTBOYS; Concert FLU[TES, patent do.] / [LI]KEWISE / BASS-VIOLS; TENOR-VIOLS; Reeds, Books &c / with many other Articles … [ivory t]urning and Gunnery Line—made from the best [materials]… auth[entic] … and Flutes or any other Instrument purchased [at the] above shop repaired at short notice.; handwritten (?) label: … and sold … William Smith February 1808.
Maple and spruce (?)
Memorial Hall Museum, Deerfield, MA

Note: Since Callender’s earliest and main occupation was as a turner it seems likely that he made only the fifes and flutes listed above, and was a distributor of other types of instruments which were made by other craftsmen. However, it is entirely possible that Callender also manufactured some of the drums he sold, as the skills needed for constructing such instruments is not overly specialized. Regarding the range of instruments distributed by Callender, see the advertising labels transcribed from a drum at the Freeport (Maine) Historical Society and a bass viol at Memorial Hall Museum, Deerfield, Massachusetts.