850:
Claude Laurent
The flute is dated 1815, which was a very prolific year for the Laurent shop.Actually, the keywork and the hallmark suggest that the flute was made a few years earlier, probably just prior to 1810 as the hallmarks suggest.We believe that the owner had to hide his Napoleonic allegiance, which would have been obvious simply by owning a Laurent from 1809, by changing the date to 1815. One other possibility could be that Laurent was so overwhelmed with orders in 1815, when his customer list swelled thanks to the influx of adoring English and Germans, that he had to reach into the drawer for keys. This beautiful crystal glass flute is made with silver keys and trim, steel springs, a blue (possibly lapis) cabochon in the crown. Sorry, sold.
849:
Clair Godfroy, ain Serial # 705
Made c. 1860, assuming 53 flutes per year. This date agrees with the key style and mechanism. This extraordinary flute is made of grenadilla(?) wood with silver keys and trim. The upper body tenon is covered in silver, apparently an original design. The lower body tenon is covered in brass, as a replacement for the original cork, to buttress the tenon.The pad washers all appear original, and are broad of width and made of white metal, except for the thumb key, which is the old gilt "high-hat" design.The headjoint socket is fitted with a tuning slide extending about 2.5 inches into the otherwise wooden head. Available! Please contact us for details.
848:
Clair Godfroy, ain Serial #5364.
We estimate an extraordinary annual average of 303 simple-system flutes from 1818-1836. Thus this flute would have been made in 1835. This masterpiece is made of grenadilla? wood with silver keys and trim. Footjoint keys with metal pad washers. Springs of steel. Available! Please contact us for details.
843:
Louis Lot Serial # 2722
Made in 1879 (Giannini), under Villette. This is a model 5, silver flute with C foot. The crown is a metal screw. The lipplate is remarkably made with the "over and under" embouchure uni which Lot invented in the early 1860's, and is unique for Villette flutes. Sorry, sold.
842:
Clair Godfroy, ain Serial #811
Made c. 1862 (per the flute #802 dated 1862 in Peter Spohr's collection). Dating Godfroy Flutes.Dating Godfroy cylindrical flutes has always been controversial. Scholars have tended to be influenced by the desire to have their own flutes made at the earliest date possible, especially the crucial date of 1855 when Louis Lot split and set up his own shop. In fact, calculating the average number of flutes made between the dated instruments gives a fairly rational idea of the dating of all the Godfroy cylinder flutes. The development of the side G# key also gives an idea of the timeline, which fits into calculations based on average number of flutes produced.The dates that we can ascribe to serial numbers are: Serial #1=August, 1847 #802=May, 1862 (per inscription on flute) #1503=Sept. 1, 1878 (per date on case). Average flutes per year to 1862= 53 Average flutes per year 1862-1878=44. In fact, one would assume that Godfroy's market share and production would be affected by two events; one, the opening of Louis Lot's own shop in 1855, and two, the opening of the patent protection in 1862. Thus the difference after 1862 makes sense, yet a graph between 1847 and 1862 would not likely be a straight line, since increasing interest for the cylinder flute in fact did occur throughout the 1850's. Curiously, Godfroy's production seemed to exceed that of either Louis Lot or Rudall   Rose. For example, between 1855 and 1864 Louis Lot made 340 cylinder flutes (Giannini), or an average of 38 flutes per year. Rudall   Rose, with their new partner Richard Carte, had made 575 cylinder flutes by August 25, 1869, or an average of 26 per year. Returning to Godfroy we can extrapolate the rough dates for the known numbered flutes (many of the Godfroy wooden cylinder flutes are unnumbered). The earliest silver flute with Godfroy's name is in the Duplaix collection, and bears the oval cartouche of the wooden flutes. The earliest known numbered silver flute, #465, would have been made in 1855, the very year that Louis Lot left Godfroy's. Since our system is not pretending to be absolutely accurate, this flute cannot be said to have been made either before or after Lot's departure, but it was made during this period. The next known silver flute, #600, would have been made c. 1858. This flute has the only known "developmental" side G#. Curiously, Louis Lot does not mention a side G# until 1860 and his flute #479. It is probable to assume that 1858 is a reasonable date for Godfroy #600, giving Godfroy the likely credit for first applying the side G# to the metal flutes. The first mark that Godfroy used on silver flutes was clearly a continuation of his wooden flute stamp, and lasted throughout his partnership with Louis Lot. Thus 1847-1855.The second mark (previously thought to be the first), was used on #465 (c. 1855), and last seen on number 680 (c.1859-1860). The third mark, with a Gothic "Paris", was first seen on #657 (1858-1859) and is last seen on #1158 (c.1870). The final mark, with a capitol PARIS, is first seen on #1313 (c.1873-1874).Curiously, there is an overlap between stamp designs 2 and 3. This gorgeous flute is made of beautiful silver, with a barrel embouchure presumably filled with wood. The corkscrew is a silver tipped wooden rod. The springs are currently gold. The pad washers were modernized in 1978. Available! Please contact us for details.
841:
Clair Godfroy, ain No serial number.
Probably made c.1839-1845. This is one of the earliest design of Godfroy's, and was supplanted by the "tear drop" D# design before the advent of the 1847 footjoint. This beautiful flute is made of a fairly thick piece of cocus(?) wood, with silver keys and trim. The springs were originally flat (probably including the Dorus G#), yet during years of use the flat springs have mostly been replaced with needles. Sorry, sold.
837:
Louis Lot 6764
This extraordinary and perfect presentation flute was made for "J. I " in 1900 (Giannini), under E. Barat, proprietor. It appears that the flute and the perfect case were little, if ever, used. The embouchure, at 9.9 x 11.7 mm is cut for the fantastic control and clarity of the original Louis Lot. The delicately engraved gold lipplate and the guilloch engraving on the silver barrel set this lovely flute apart. The fact that it is in perfect, beautiful and barely used condition, and is an extraordinary player helps identify this flute as a rare treasure. Sorry, sold.
836:
A. Bonneville 3220
Made c. 1908 (Shorey). Auguste Bonneville's business appears to have continued their numbering series even during the times that Bonneville's son was part of the business. They were especially well known for their plated flutes, such as this perfect example.The firm began in 1876. We estimate a production of 100 instruments per year. Number 3220 would therefore have been made roughly 32 years after 1876, or c.1908. This flute, in practically unused condition, is of silver plated metal. The instrument is so little used there is no wear on the plating, except for a dimple under the thumb key.The springs are of gold, except for the little one on the closed G#, which is the usual blue steel. It is hard to believe that the springs have been replaced, but this seems more likely than that the gold springs are original. Removed.
835:
Louis Lot Serial #4166.
Made 1886 (Giannini), under Debonneetbeau de Coutelier. A lovely, "before lunch" Debonneetbeau, with excellent playing qualities. Made of seamed silver tube with silver keys and lipplate. Springs of white steel. Crown of silver. Padwashers converted to modern style. Removed.
834:
Clair Godfroy, ain No serial number.
Made c. 1853?Dating this flute is a pleasure and a challenge. The flute and the original Palisander case are in immaculate condition, almost as new. There is no serial number.The Godfroy workshop, including Godfroy's partner Louis Lot during the first six and a half years of the cylinder flute, changed their design little, once it had been finalized very early on.The first three years saw tremendous change, as the 1832 vaulted clutch system was transformed to the sleek, simple, and elegant mechanism familiar to flutists today.The earliest numbered Godfroy flute we have had the honor of midwifing is #113, a wooden flute with C foot. Godfroy 113 is already set up with the complete modern mechanism, although the G# has been converted from Dorus to the side G#. The thumb key is the completed Bb mechanism we call the Briccialdi Bb, apparently invented in 1849. Thus #113 must have been made after 1849.After #113, every flute was made with a very similar mechanism. Only a few changes occurred with which we can date these flutes.Three specific design elements appear to have developed over the years. These are the shape of the backclutch, the shape of the footjoint clutch for C#, and the shaping of the open holed keys, including the width of the "Y" arm attachment.The backclutch was originally made with broad "hips", whereby the three overlapping spades extend further on the sides than the span of the upper parts require.The broad hips were also used on Louis Lot's early flutes.Godfroy flutes 356 and 572 were built with smaller hips on the back clutch. This flute here has the broad hips.By the 500 series the open hole keys had been rounded considerably on the top.The footjoint clutch on silver flute #657 is clearly advanced, as are the "Y" arms and the backclutch.The current flute appears to have been built between #113 and #357, certainly before #572, so we give it an estimated date of c.1853. This gorgeous flute is made of beautifully figured wood, probably "Portuguese ebony" as mentioned in Louis Lot's record book for high quality flutes. The keywork and trim is of silver. The springs are blue steel. The pad washers are gilt. The corkscrew is, of course, a turned wooden system.The original wooden case is absolutely beautiful, and, like the flute, in perfect, as new condition. Sorry, sold 10/15/07.
833:
Cahusac No serial number.
Made c.1790? This address was used from at least 1780 to around 1810. The construction of the flute suggests it was made during the early, but not too early, days of the keyed flute in London. Boxwood with ivory trim and silver keys. Sorry, sold.
832:
Nonon
Tulou system. Made after Nonon's patent of 1854, to the end of the workshop c. 1867 (Langwill). Made of very nicely grained dark wood, possibly "Portuguese ebony". Keys and trim of silver.Fancy engraved silver inlay at embouchure.Springs of gold. Sorry, sold 11/20/07.
831:
Louis Lot 3541
Made 1886 (Giannini). Five years after Boehm's death, someone ordered this Boehm-system French flute from Louis Lot. The open G# and reversed Bb of Boehm fit nicely onto this affordable French sweetheart. In spite of the long pitch, the keys are easy to play with small fingers. This body of this beautiful, near-mint condition flute is made of a beautifully figured dark brown wood I doubt we would call grenadilla today. I almost suspect that the headjoint and footjoint are from a different piece of wood. Their finish looks a tad fresher, and the stamp is a later style (although different stamps on the head and body are common). The wood of the body looks just a stage higher quality.The keywork on the footjoint matches the body in style and period.The keywork is practically untouched by human hands, and is plated. The steel screws are among the freshest we have seen. The springs are steel. The corkscrew is wooden. Sorry, sold.
828:
Rudall Carte   Co Ltd 8822
This lovely solid silver Alto flute is hallmarked for silver purity on the tube and the keys. The English hallmarks include a date, in this case the lower case "h", which is the date mark for 1963. This is a silver Alto flute from the great English alto-flutemaker Henry Green of Rudall and Carte (per Bigio). The attractive and well made silver mechanism shows great skill remaining at Carte's well into the 1960's. Available! Please contact us for details.
826:
Ate. Bonneville Serial #5137
We guess 100 flutes per year from this shop, which opened in 1876 and dates this flute at 1927. This is a lovely example of the Bonneville solid silver flute. The tone is very rich. The articulation is precise, when the air is blown in the special Bonneville way (impossible to describe, but brings the flute to full life). The "sweet spot" on these flutes is different from the Lot instruments, and the tone actually has a richer texture than a Lot. The pitch is perfect at A=440-442, with the headjoint pulled out 1/2'.This is a lively, loud, and luscious flute. This is Bonneville's Silver flute, with seamed tube, currently with gold springs. Hallmarked with Bonneville's silver mark. One replaced pad washer, on the F key. Original pad washers of Bonneville's special domed metal. Cork screw of metal. This flute is restored to excellent playable condition. Available! Please contact us for details.
825:
A. G. Badger
A tough date to pin down. This lovely flute could have been made from 1860-1880, I suppose. Silver, with silver lipplate. Available! Please contact us for details.
824:
A. Kauffman No serial number.
Made c. 1820? Made of ivory, with eight silver keys, and with fancy silver rings. Ivory cork screw with replaced ivory tip. Available! Please contact us for details. PHOTOS COMING
823:
Richard Potter
This is Potter's famous and groundbreaking 6 keyed flute, with his 1785 patented pewter plug pad system. This instrument is a conservative one, since the buyer choose not to have the new metal-lined head. As well, the low C shank vaults over the C#, which Potter changed in the 1790's. Thus this flute was made within the 10 years from 1785-1795. This Mozart-era flute is made of lovely boxwood, with ivory trim and 6 silver keys. The pads are Potter's patented pewter plugs. There is no tuning slide in the headjoint. The springs are all replaced with new brass. The corkscrew is turned ivory. The instrument plays with a strong, loud, lively, and rich tone. Pitch A=425-430. Sorry, sold.
822:
Rudall Carte   Co, Ltd. Serial #6432.
Made c. 1924 (Langwill) Made of lovely cocus wood with silver-plated keys and trim. Corkscrew of wood. Springs blue steel. Sorry, sold.
821:
Rudall Carte   Co. Serial # 2846.
Made c. 1897 (Langwill). Made of cocus wood with silver keys and trim. Silver headjoint lining. Available! Please contact us for details.
820:
Louis Lot Serial #5650.
Made 1894 (Giannini). E. Barat, prop. Made of silver with 18 c. gold lipplate and escutcheon. Available! Please contact us for details.
816:
A. G. Badger No serial number.
This stamp is seen on Badger's 1832 system conical flutes, made in the 1840's and 1850's. It apparently was changed to "Badger   Co." after the Badger and Monzani partnership of 1858-1859. We know that Badger had cylindrical flutes to copy from the three great European makers after his friend Philip Ernst returned to New York after attending the Exhibition of 1851.Thus this instrument predates 1858, and probably postdates 1851. This flute is the earliest dateable American Cylindrical flute we have seen, contemporary with and possibly predating the famous silver flute now in the Mark Leone collection. This extraordinary instrument is made of an exotic hardwood with pronounced swirls and very fine grain. The footjoint piece is almost burled. The keys and trim are of silver. The springs are steel pins. The cap and corkscrew are turned wood. The lipplate is engraved silver. There is no tuning slide. Sorry, sold.
812:
McDougall, Ewen Serial #5.
Made in 1985 as a special order for Sid Zeitlin. Body and keys of 9 carat gold, headjoint of 22 carat gold. Cap with yellow sapphire. Additional headjoint of 9 carat gold, with blue sapphire in cap. Available! Please call for details.
811:
Louis Lot 1125
Made in 1867 (Giannini). Made of silver throughout, with white-steel springs. Original pad washers gilt. A recent overhaul has added a metal washer to the pad arrangement. Cork screw metal. Sorry, sold.
810:
Louis Lot 3952
Made in 1884 (Giannini). Made of silver plated metal, probably with silver lipplate. New crown of silver with steel rod. Sorry, sold.
809:
Louis Lot 3340
Made in 1882, the last year of Villette's proprietorship. (Giannini). This very beautiful flute is made of silver, with an 18k gold lipplate and chimney. The springs are of gold, including the flat springs under the thumb keys. The grommets are gilt, and the pad washers are of the screw, leather, flat washer type. Sold.
808:
Clair Godfroy, Ain 657
Made c. 1859, per estimate of production at c.50 flutes a year, and flute #802 (in the Spohr collection) is dated 1862 (1862 is 14.5 years after July, 1847, giving an average of 55 flutes per year). The numbers on the few Godfroy cylindrical flutes we are currently aware of do not seem to resemble a rational curve when graphed out; we are still not satisfied with any available dating suggestions for these flutes, so our dates are only current guesses. For example, the next dated flute after 802 is #1503, in a case dated 1880; this averages out to 39 flutes per year from 1862-1880 (remember, the patent opened in 1862, so Godfroy and Lot were no longer the only licensed French makers). Certainly there is nothing experimental about this flute. The next earlier flute we know is number 600, which has an extraordinary, experimental side G#. The following flute, # 680, has a special trill mechanism (Tulla Giannini dated #680 at c.1852).The side G# was first used by Louis Lot in 1860. If this flute is indeed earlier, it ascribes to Godfroy the creation and perfection of the independent G#! This extraordinary flute is made of silver, with blue steel springs. Pad washers on plateau keys appear to be silver; on open keys the pad grommets are gold colored. Head cork adjuster of beautiful threaded wood, covered in ornately engraved silver; one of these early Godfroy flutes' most attractive parts. Sorry, sold.
807:
Louis Lot 4676.
Made March 2, 1889 (Louis Lot Record Books). Debonneetbeau de Coutelier retired May 10, at number 4728 (record books), so this was one of the last flutes under his ownership. Made of silver with gold lipplate, gold nameplate of owner's initials, steel springs. Removed.
806:
Boehm   Mendler No serial number, as usual.
This flute is an entirely new model from the typical Boehm and Mendler flutes. It appears as though the market forces had finally convinced these gentlemen that a French model Boehm and Mendler was finally necessary. Throughout Theobald Boehm's published correspondence (provided by Ludwig Boehm), he is constantly responding to requests for flutes with the thumb keys and G# of Louis Lot. Boehm vastly preferred his own system, and was especially contemptuous of the ludicrously complicated Dorus G#. Even after Godfroy and Lot had successfully adapted the side G# to their mechanism, Boehm preferred to build his occasional closed G# as a single closed key, with no duplicate hole. Boehm, in 1877, described the famous "Macauley" flute (now in the D.C. Miller Collection) as "the last flute I shall ever make and the best I have ever made; it is the 'last child of my life' with which I hate to part." Nonetheless, he clearly continued to take part in the flutemaking business, as his correspondence shows. His published letters include flute business matters through to his last letter, dated Feb 16, 1879, in which he mentions, "I have now finished a new flute model, which is the best flute I ever had in my hands." It is possible that Boehm himself participated in the design of the "new model" flute illustrated here, the official "French model" Boehm flute. Silver tube and keys, with gold lipplate. Cork screw is a metal rod. Springs are of gold, and all appear original. Pad washers are Boehm's classic flats with a leather sub-washer under the round-headed screw. Sold.
805:
Boehm   Mendler No serial number.
Probably made fairly late in the career of Carl Mendler Sr. The workmanship is exquisite, as only a master could do, yet some of the more outr design features, which required extra work, have been softened. Shall we guess c.1875-1888? This very beautiful flute is made of silver tubes and keys, gold springs, and a gold lipplate. The cork screw is of turned wood. The pad washers are Boehm's screw-and-washer type. Removed.
804:
Louis Lot 281
Made for Petiton of Paris (possibly for delivery to Ledoussal Brest ) May 15, 1858. (Louis Lot record book). Made of silver, with silver lipplate. Steel springs. Gilt pad washers. Open hole grommets appear replaced with later Lot grommets, or they were made with an unusually large overhang into the open hole. Cork screw of turned wood with silver cap. Sorry, sold.
800:
Louis Lot Serial #1804
Made in 1873, under Louis Lot himself. Silver flute with original gold embouchure. Steel springs. Original pad washers converted to spuds on main line only. Sorry, Sold.
796:
Wm. S. Haynes Serial #738.
Made 1903, per Goodman. This is the third year after Haynes left J. C. Haynes Co to start his own business. Wm. S. Haynes serial numbers begin with #507, after he made 506 flutes for J. C. Haynes (no relation). Made of black wood, probably grenadilla. Silver keys and trim, with gold springs (four steel replacements). Cork screw wood with silver tip. Reduced! Please call for details.
791:
Louis Lot Serial #1869, 1867
Made 1874, probably in January. Louis Lot himself was two years from retirement, and this extraordinary instrument must have been the talk of the shop as it was being made. I believe this is the "grenadille ond" that Lot mentions in his record book, meaning a special wavy-grained wood he used for his best flutes. The keys and trim are silver. Sorry, Sold.
790:
Louis Lot Serial #5669
Probably made c. 1910. This flute seems to have been made just when Chambille registered his new E#C hallmark. Grenadilla (? a very black wood), with silver keys. Additional metal headjoint of drawn silver-plated tube, with silver lipplate. Also silver tenon cover for use with metal head. Removed.
778:
ATE Bonneville Serial #2404
Once again, we date Bonneville flutes at approximately 75- 100 flutes per year, placing this instrument around 1901-1909. This very nice piccolo is made with palisander wood(?), with silver keys. The springs are steel. The corkscrew is turned wood with a silver tip. The middle of the headjoint is completely surrounded with silver. Headjoint also with silver socket inset and short tuning slide. Available! Please contact us for details. PHOTOS COMING
776:
A. G. Badger Serial #2509
Made c. 1880-1892 (Simpson's dating of the stamp). Made of silver (probably coin silver), with ebonite headjoint. Cork screw of cocus wood, silver tipped.
774:
Louis Lot Serial #1584.
Made in 1871 (Giannini). Louis Lot was 64 this year, and very much active as the proprietor of the shop. He had largely finished his developmental work by this time, although he still maintained some of his cherished, but more expensive to build ideas. The tube and keys and lipplate are silver. The springs are of steel, which is also normal for this shop. LotŐs colleagues, Theobald Boehm and Carl Mendler, were the only ones using gold springs at this time. The pad washers may have been originally gilt (gilding mostly lost). Louis Lot had a very holistic attitude towards his flutes. This is especially seen in his pad washers. Lot meticulously shaped the washers with a graceful curve, and then gold plated them, to treat the singing air with the utmost respect. Over time, the added curves disappeared, but for a long while the gilding did not.The washer for the top G#, and the grommets for the F and Bb appear replaced with, probably, later Lot parts. Sorry, sold 9/22/06.
773:
Rudall Carte   Co. Ltd. 22849
Made 1892 as #2284, rebuilt in 1939 (9 added). (Bigio). Made of cocus wood with silver keys and trim. Springs of steel. Pad washers French type, appear plated. Sold
772:
S. Koch No serial number.
Made c. 1815-1825. This is an estimate based on the characteristics of the flute. The maker's mark was first used by Stephan Koch (1772-1828), who established the workshop c. 1807 (Langwill). Stephan was a master turner with citizen's rights by 1815. In 1820 he "sought privilege for newly invented flute" (Langwill), which may well have been the flute to low G which is illustrated in Georg. Bayr's Tutor of 1823.Stephan died in 1828 and was succeeded by his eldest son Franz (1794-1859). Franz in turn was succeeded by Stephan Jr. (1809-?). The last directory listing was 1866.This flute appears to be from the first period of the Koch workshop, when Stephan Sr. was proprietor; conceivably it could have been made shortly after Stephan's death in 1828, but this seems unlikely given the early keywork. Probably the short F key was changed by Franz early in the 1830's. Made of boxwood, with ivory rings. Keys of silver. Pad seats of brass inset into body. Brass lined shoulders for all keys, except the three articulated touchpieces on the foot. Headjoint fully lined with brass sleeve. Cap and corkscrew ivory, but threaded part of cap made of dark wood, like cocus(?). Joints covered in cork. Springs originally of brass; new steel springs on low C, C#, and B, and on long F. Sold.
771:
C. Rive Serial #356
Made c. 1883, assuming a production of 50 flutes per year, and a starting year of 1877. This lovely flute is made of silver, with steel springs. Five or six of the springs are new. The corkscrew is the modern metal rod type. The cork is silver(?) faced. Sorry, sold 11/21/07.
770:
Louis Lot 3314
Made in 1882 during Villette's last year as proprietor. Lipplate of sterling silver. Tubes and keys made of plated nickel silver. Springs of steel, and appear all original. Corkscrew a beautiful, virginal metal screw. Cork faced on both sides with bevel-edged plated metal. Pad washers white metal and all appear original and unscratched, as new. Pads are puffy old style. Sold.
769:
F. Bour
This beautiful, early French flute could possibly have been made by Bour, who moved from Paris to Chicago around 1890 (Berdahl). It certainly was made in France, however, and bears many qualities of the very early cylindrical flutes, joined with much later innovations.This flute's clutches were first used around 1865. The one piece strap was abandoned at Lot's after 1876, but continued at the Godfroy, Bonneville, and Rive shops. The pinless footjoint with round D# was a favorite of Debonneetbeau, yet eschewed by Bonneville and Rive. Shall we suggest 1875-1885? These were the years when production of cylindrical flutes spread out from the original shops of Godfroy and Lot, and this strange combination of components was occurring, yet while flutemaking was still considered sculpture. Made of "Portuguese Grenadilla", if I am correctly interpreting Lot's own descriptions of this wood, with the original finish intact and lovely. The keys and trim are of silver-plate. The corkscrew is of turned wood, silver capped. Pads appear original, or close to it, and get cleaner further from the blow hole, suggesting tobacco use. Pad washers of white metal, oddly they are dimpled asymmetrically. Springs of blue steel. Everything is as new, with two exceptions noted below. Sorry, sold.
768:
Boehm and Mendler
The Boehm and Mendler wooden flutes achieved perfection once Carl Mendler moved from foreman to partner, around 1860. This model served as the inspiration for the entire American flute industry until the Louis Lot model took over in the 1920's. By 1860 Boehm had been buying wooden tubes without keys from Louis Lot for several years. Interestingly, Lot never mentions Mendler in his record books. The wood is a deeply grained blackwood with reddish streaks; probably grenadilla. The keys and trim are silver. The springs are gold (except two steel replacements), and most look originalish. The crutch and holder are missing. Sold.
765:
Louis Lot 742
Made for Lauret of Marseille May 1, 1863. Made of silver, currently with steel springs. Cork screw of wood. Sold.
762:
J. C. Haynes 259
Made 1894-1900. Probably c.1897. Made of an unusually figured African blackwood. The keys are silver and the springs are blue steel. Available!
760:
Keller
Made c.1740-c.1765. This flute is made of very nice boxwood, with ivory trim and one silver key. The key appears original, but it has been fitted with a new steel spring. The cap is ivory and friction-fit in the head, with no cork adjuster. Sold.
759:
Rudall Carte   Co., Ltd. 543
Radcliff 543: 17 April 1912. Thinned cocuswood down to B natural. Middle and foot in one. Made by Bull. Sold on 21 January 1913 to A.A. Bohm ofAdelaide. (from Robert Bigio, who has just published THE book, available from Tony Bingham http://www.oldmusicalinstruments.co.uk) Made of beautiful reddish Cocus wood, with silver trim and keys. Entire flute appears completely original as from the shop, including pads and blue steel springs. Sold.
758:
Louis Lot 2054
Made 1875 (Giannini), under Louis Lot. Silver with 18K gold lipplate, gold springs. Cap is screwed onto metal rod. Pad washers are white metal. Lipplate assayed at .750 18K Plum, the highest quality of 18K. Springs are gold. Sold.
757:
Native American, possibly Andean Rollano??
Probably 19th century, judging by the aging. We are posting this very interesting flute in the hopes that someone out there will know what it is. We purchased it from an antique store in Washington state, where it had been sold by an Native American Flathead trader with no history (the flute had no history; the trader's history would have negated any story about the flute at any event, we were told).  
756:
A. G. Badger No serial number.
Made 1868-c.1880 (Simpson) Mary-Jean Simpson suggests in her 1982 dissertation, "Alfred G. Badger 1815-1892", that this label was in use during these 12 years. Made of silver, with wood-core barrel embouchure. Cork screw of threaded wood. Springs of steel. Soldered tube. Sold 10/15/2006
755:
Rudall Carte   Co. Ltd. 7690
Made 1934, by Fred Handke (Bigio/Carte Records). Made of beautiful dark Cocus wood with silver keys. Second headjoint is silver. Lipplate, G# side-hole, and D trill hole of ebonite. Original springs of yellow gold. New steel spring on C# trill. Wooden headjoint with special "Monel" lining (Bigio). Sold.
754:
Louis Lot (SML)
Made c. 1960?. Black wood with silver plated keys. Removed.
753:
Rudall   Rose Serial #1
Made in 1843. The circumstances under which this flute was built are famous. From Richard Carte's "Sketch of the Successive Improvements made in The Flute", 1851 (2nd edition 1855): "It was not, however, until the year 1843 that it [the Boehm flute] attracted much notice in this country. Its auspicious introduction into the French capital, and successful progress in France, induced Messrs. Rudall and Rose to examine its merits, and to consider how far it might be acceptable to the taste of the English flute player. This examination proving satisfactory, so far as concerned tone and intonation, the two greatest essentials of a good instrument, they determined upon commencing the manufacture of it, in the year I have mentioned. And in order to do this most efficiently at once, they invited to this country the partner of M. Boehm, M. Greve, from Munich, to instruct the workmen, and superintend its production." (1855 ed. p.19). Richard Carte, a prominent London fluteplayer, helped Rudall and Rose, the preeminent English flutemakers, to decide to make a flute based on Boehm's new system. They brought over to London the most famous maker of these flutes, namely Boehm's own flutemaker, Rodol. Greve. Greve, to whom Boehm had sold the rights to Boehm's own name on flutes, worked for several months with Rose and Rudall, and this is the fruit of that work. As Rockstro,Welch, and Fitzgibbon all say, there was a flurry of newspaper activity surrounding the release of this flute. It is certainly possible that Richard Carte received this very flute. I suspect that further study in English periodicals might well unearth reference to this specific instrument. If this was Carte's flute, then it was probably Rockstro himself who changed the springs. This is the first Boehm system flute by one of the most revered flutemakers in the world, made with the help of Rodol Greve, the flutemaker first to bring Boehm's ideas to reality. Made of beautiful, rich Cocus wood with silver keys and trim. The original springs are flat gold, tipping onto raised wooden pillars, or pedestals, the springs set where possible with Greve's signature double silver rivets. The very short springs on the two right hand ring sets are broken, and replaced with steel needles. The upper needle sits into an added (and elegant) spring rest; the other added one has fallen off. The flat, probably steel, spring on the D# key is a replacement, as are the similar springs on the upper C# and G# keys. In short, the original springs remain on the thumb key, the thumb key trill key, and the footjoint keys for C and C#. The original spring remains on the upper vaulted clutch, but is superseded by a steel needle.The pads are held in with apparently washerless screws. Interestingly, Rockstro talks of borrowing an early flute like this from Richard Carte, "Notwithstanding the apparent simplicity of Boehm's machinery, which was precisely similar to that shown in fig. 56, it was constantly out of order. The springs, which were thin, short, flat strips of brass [sic], were especially faulty, and although the instrument in question belonged to my good friend and master, Mr. Carte, who had kindly lent it to me, I took the responsibility of replacing some of them with steel ones [very sic]. Several of the pillars, which had become loose, I fastened with cement." (1890, p.331). This comment could well describe the amateur work that has been performed on this historical instrument, which easily could have belonged to Richard Carte, a student of George Rudall's and one of London's first performers (if not the first) on the Rudall and Rose Boehm flute. The likely connection to Carte, and the illustrious place that this very instrument had in London in 1843, will have to be the subject of study of someone closer to source materials. With this prominent serial number, and the strong emotions of the day known to have been published, I am sure a search of archives will be very fruitful. Sold.
752:
Collard, A.   Co. Serial number 88.
Made 1882-1887, per dates in Langwill. Made of Ebonite with silver keys and trim, short silver tuning sleeve in head, which is otherwise unlined. Available! Please call.
751:
Clair Godfroy piccolo
Probably made 1850-1860, during the very early years of the new system. Made of fine palisander(?), with silver keys and trim. Removed.
750:
C. Rive 396
Made c. 1883? Claude Rive established his own flutemaking business in 1877 (Langwill). He had been working in the flutemaking trade for Godfroy at least since 1869, we presume, since both he and A. Bonneville are listed as jewelers who owe the estate about F90 apiece (Giannini). Perhaps Godfroy was keeping track of how much of his wine they drank at lunch (Giannini).At any event, Both Bonneville and Rive opened up their own ateliers soon after Louis Lot retired in 1876. The patent had been open since 1862, we presume (15 years after 1847), yet few makers in Paris had taken up the challenge. These two, Bonneville and Rive, students of V. H. Godfroy (who died in 1868), remain the most famous and desirable flutemakers of the second generation after the original masters. We date this flute on the premise that Rive probably made around 50 flutes per year. This flute is made of plated metal, vermeil, with steel springs. The plating is of the highest quality. Sold.
749:
A. Bonneville 1578
Made c. 1890-1896, assuming 75-100 flutes per year. The case, which may well be original to the flute, is marked "9 rue Corbeau, Paris". Langwill suggests that the firm's address changed in 1896 to rue St. Sebastian. Made of silver, although without hallmarks. Sold.
748:
Louis Lot 6002
Made 1896, under Barat (1889-1904) (Giannini). Made of silver, with steel springs, metal washers. Sold.
746:
A. G. Badger   Co.
Made 1860-1868.This flute was made during a period of American elegance, probably just after the Civil War (very possibly during it). In spite of the barbarism of war, this flute showed that New York was still a city of the World.The stamp, "A.G. Badger   Co", is said by Dayton C. Miller to be listed in the New York registries between the years 1860-1868, only. Susan Berdahl, in her 1986 Dissertation, "The First Hundred Years of the Boehm Flute in the United States, 1845-1945" and Mary Jean Simpson in her 1982 dissertation , "Alfred G. Badger 1815-1892. 19th Century Flutemaker", both suggest that Badger stopped making the Dorus G# by 1867 or 1868.Oddly, two Ernst Schweppes seem to have been born in 1859, one in Ill. and one in Wisc. They were probably cousins, and the family came from Prussia (census records 1870, 1880, and 1890). The Illinois Ernst is listed as a Bookkeeper in 1880 and as an Attorney at Law in 1890.If Miller, Berdahl, and Simpson are correct in their facts and assumptions, this flute was made between 1860 and 1868. Since Ernst Schweppe was only nine years old in 1868, the gold escutcheon with his name beautifully engraved was probably a later addition. This beautiful flute is mostly made of silver with gold springs and a wooden cork screw. Most importantly, the embouchure is a wooden tube, surrounded by silver (a "barrel" embouchure). This gives the flute a tremendously warm and smooth tone. The pad washers are modified from Boehm's washer and screw set up.The headjoint is a curious group of metal pieces, including silver, plated metal, gold, and wood. Sold
745:
A. Bonneville 3452
Probably made c. 1909-1921 assuming 75-100 flutes per year production. Made of silver-plated metal. This is one of the treasures from Bonneville's shop that look and feel like silver, but actually mask a vermeil interior, seemingly replete with the tone and volume characteristics of all materials wrapped into one. Sold.
744:
A. Bonneville 2158
Probably made 1896-1903, assuming 75-100 flutes per year. Made of silver-plated metal. Springs of steel, pads of foam. Sold.
743:
Louis Lot 6944
Made in 1902 (Giannini) under Barat, two years before he retired. Made of silver tube and keys. Springs of steel. Pad washers of plated metal. Sold.
740:
Louis Lot 5568
Made in 1894 under Barat (Giannini). Tube, lipplate, and keys of silver. Blue steel springs. Removed.

 

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