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Serpent

This serpent was used at a church in Sudbury, Suffolk. It is made of a sinuous conical tube of wood covered in papier-mâché, and then wrapped around spirally with black-painted leather binding, which most likely makes it of English origin. It is an early "transitional" instrument that, while clearly a close ancestor of the French church serpent, exhibits distinctive features that would later be incorporated into the classic English military serpent. The fifth finger hole has been drilled slightly closer to the outer edge of the last bend to allow for the length of a player's middle finger on his right hand when playing in the palm up position. Further, the first tube has been turned inward toward the second bend, thereby making the instrument a bit more compact. The brass brace between the first and second tubes is a replacement. It also has a brass-sheet crook. Nominal pitch: C.

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  • Inscriptions:Engraved on brass mouthpiece receiver ferrule: H or F initial (cannot read entire word because of brass brace).
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  • Repository:Colchester and Ipswich Museums
  • Measurements:Height: 860mm; Width: 440mm; Sounding Length: 2054mm; Crook Sounding Length: 370mm