cuesnophone, goofus, hot fountain pen ?

Subject: cuesnophone, goofus, hot fountain pen ?
From: CraigS
Date: 27 Aug 02 - 06:26 PM

I have somewhere an early thirties recording on which Adrian Rollini is listed as playing a Goofus and a Hot Fountain pen. I found a list of instruments which includes both of these, and gives cuesnophone as an alternative to goofus. I could never work out which was which on the record, except that whatever they were they sounded like saxophones. Can anyone tell me what instruments these really are?

Subject: RE: cuesnophone, goofus, hot fountain pen ?
From: mack/misophist
Date: 27 Aug 02 - 08:16 PM

no

Subject: RE: cuesnophone, goofus, hot fountain pen ?
From: Mountain Dog
Date: 27 Aug 02 - 09:49 PM

Is it possible that "hot fountain pen" was a slang term for clarinet, similar to "licorice stick"?

Also, found this definition of a Goofus: Goofus - a kind of two-octave keyboard-mouth-organ, manufactured in France in the 20s and played by blowing directly into it, or through a length of tubing that allows the instrument to be laid flat on the stage. Adrian Rollini, who features it to great effect, favoured this method.

Just type "goofus instrument" into the Google search engine and you'll have everything you ever wanted to know about it at your fingertips!

Subject: RE: cuesnophone, goofus, hot fountain pen ?
From: GUEST,MCP
Date: 28 Aug 02 - 10:34 AM

Craig-

The red hot fountain pen was a kind of miniature clarinet (small enough to fit in a pocket) with a saxophone mouthpiece. You should be able to find one in the Bates Collection at the Ashmolean.

You can see a picture of it at: Carol Noakes Woodwind pictures and there is a sound clip at Jay C Easton's Soundclips (MP3 about 1.3Mb).

I had a look in Sudhalter/Evans/Dean-Myatt's Bix Man & Legend but no further information is given apart from the discography showing Rollini on bsx, gfs and hfp (although the latter are not explained in the key!)

Mick

Subject: RE: cuesnophone, goofus, hot fountain pen ?
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 28 Aug 02 - 10:58 AM

A very poor photo is HERE (google image search on GOOFUS)
RtS

Subject: RE: cuesnophone, goofus, hot fountain pen ?
From: CraigS
Date: 28 Aug 02 - 03:14 PM

Thanks a lot -I've been wondering for some time about these things. Truth is, I'm not too good at making Google work for me!

Subject: RE: cuesnophone, goofus, hot fountain pen ?
From: GUEST,MCP
Date: 28 Aug 02 - 06:09 PM

If you'd like to hear the goofus exposed (for comparison with the hfp) have a look at the Little Ramblers Page on the Red Hot Jazz site. There are links to a few songs (real audio) with Rollini playing the goofus (described there as a harmonica-like device with keys, usually shaped like a small saxophone) - Deep Blue Sea and I'm Satisfied Beside That Sweetie of Mine

Mick

Subject: RE: cuesnophone, goofus, hot fountain pen ?
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 28 Aug 02 - 06:34 PM

Great to see someone else hangs out at my favourite site, REDHOTJAZZ!

Rick

Subject: RE: cuesnophone, goofus, hot fountain pen ?
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 28 Aug 02 - 07:22 PM

Okay, so which came first - the instrument goofus or the song "Goofus"? The song's about an unorthodox sax player so there has to be a connection. But did whoever invented the instrument name it after the song? Or were the songwriters intrigued by the sound of the instrument?

Idly curious
Bruce

Subject: RE: cuesnophone, goofus, hot fountain pen ?
From: GUEST,Roger the Skiffler
Date: 29 Aug 02 - 09:30 AM

Looked 'em up in an Encyclopedia of Musical Instruments at the local library this morning. Noe there though I was pleased to see kazoo, washboard (and sarussaphone) were all illustrated! So I DO play 2 musical instruments after all!
RtS

Subject: RE: cuesnophone, goofus, hot fountain pen ?
From: GUEST,Guest,Brian Hills
Date: 09 Mar 08 - 08:28 PM

The 'Goofus' was a novelty instrument, from Couesnon makers in France,
made of brass, the central tubular body contained 25 harmonica-like
reeds. A curved brass mouthpiece plugged in the top end, while a
non-functional stopped off saxophone-shaped bell plugged into the
bottom end. Some were marked 'Couenophone - Paris', I have seen one,
possibly later, marked 'Couenophone - "Goofus". I believe Adrian
Rollini discarded the bell, also flexible tube (which enabled one
to play it like a piano, as it had four little feet to stand on),
and played it flute-wise.
The 'Hot Fountain Pen', also a novelty, was possibly invented by
A.Rollini. After A.Rollini's visit to the UK, Keith Prowse marketed,
(and advertised in the Melody Maker around 1930, for 17 shillings
and sixpence!) a Hot Fountain Pen, made from an ebonite tube 8 and a half inches long, range of 1 octave and two notes, in the key of Eb.
Used a miniature clarinet-like mouthpiece.