On the early history of valves and valve instruments in Germany (1814-1833)

Blühmel and Stoelzel personally

It has not been possible to acquire more information about Blühmel's life than what we have described in the previous chapters. It is, however, interesting to consider Blühmel's application for a patent for woodwind instruments of 1 October 1828 on account of his biographical note at the beginning of his application:

"When I was young I learned to know woodwind instruments and later I had to perform many repairs on such instruments, since people relied upon me to be knowledgeable of wind instruments."

Blühmel was a miner in Waldenburg, Silesia; he learned about woodwind instruments and, on account of his mining work, had to exchange the violin for the Waldhorn and the trumpet. This was probably the moment when he became a Berghautboist (mountain-oboist). He died before 1845.

The following quotations show that Blühmel lived in needy circumstances: In a letter of 8 April 1818, addressed to the State Minister, Blühmel asks

"the charitable promoter of all that is useful and good, for financial aid..., in order to enable me to return to Silesia a little less wretched on account of pecuniary difficulties."

On April 14 State Minister von Bülow ordered the Public Treasury to pay Blühmel "100 Thaler from the Fund for Industrial Purposes against receipt.”

Blühmel recognizes in the same letter that the 400 Thaler of indemnity paid by Stoelzel are

"a very paltry compensation for all the trouble and expenses I invested in my invention over many years. However, considering Stoelzel's destitute situation I could not claim more."