Historic Bassoons

The Milhouse family made musical instruments from C1763-1840. Richard Millhouse (senior) began in 1763, and his two sons Richard (junior) and William continued after he died in 1775. Richard senior spelled his surname 'Millhouse', whereas his sons spelled it 'Milhouse' with only one 'l'. The 'Milhouse / Newark' stamp indicates that this instrument was made in the Newark workshop, which was the earlier location for the makers, subsequently closing and/or moving to London around the late 1780s/early 1790s. Which of the brothers ran the Newark workshop before it closed is unknown, but many of the subsequent London workshop instruments were stamped with William’s initials. Polling data continued to list Richard as a musical instrument maker at various points up until 1837. As the Newark workshop was inactive C1790, Richard may well have worked with William at the London workshops until he retired (1). 

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*The Milhouse brothers, who learned their craft from their father Richard, continued to make some bassoons in the baroque style well into the classical period. This bassoon, although made in the early classical era, is baroque in style. It either pre-dates the maker’s transition to making classical style instruments, or was built in keeping with the baroque style intentionally.

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Ref: (1) William Waterhouse, 'The New Langwill Index' (1993), p. 264