S867
Louis Lot
#: 7816
Paris France
Stamp: On headjoint, engraved: L.L / LOUIS LOT / PARIS / 7816 / BREVET . Engraved (not stamped) on body: L.L / LOUIS LOT / PARIS / BREVET . (No second period for L.L on either stamp).
Comments: This flute has the big, bold sound of the plated Lots, with plenty of texture and control.A very fine player.The fact that this flute was built to play at A=440 (the headjoint is uncut, and set at this pitch), coupled with the "Swan" hallmark of importation to France, suggest that this was made for a foreigner.
Date: Made in 1908 (Giannini). The proprietor was E. Chambille.
Material: This curious flute is made of plated mechanism, silver body and foot tubes, plated headjoint tube, and silver lipplate.The springs are of blue steel.The tubes appear to me to be seamless; others (including the owner) differ. It was just at this time that seamless tubes were first seen in France
Hallmarks: Hallmarked on lipplate with boar's head and diamond maker's mark, ' H#V". Bottom tenon of body and base of footjoint tube hallmarked with two swan stamps, indicating import of silver to France after 1893 (flutes, even of French origin, appear to have been stamped as import, possibly when brought into France by expats). Replacement crown and cork facings hallmarked, "W S ", apparently for William Simmons (http://www.willysimmons.co.uk/).
System: This is a modified model 7, silver and plated flute with C foot. Bb trill.
Condition: Other than the usual signs of use, and the replaced crown and cork, this instrument appears to be in excellent original condition. Modest repair work has been done over the years, including a tiny bit of replaced tubing on the upper C# rod.
Pitch: This flute plays very nicely at A=440. The scale is the typical Lot scale, and the headjoint does not appear to be cut (certainly not by 5 mm), suggesting that it was made with a slightly shorter headjoint tenon than usual.
Sounding length: Sounding length 600 mm.
Measurements: Embouchure 11.81 x 10.06 mm. Chimney 5.2 and 4.8. Body scale 227 mm.
Weight gram: 382
Case: In new case.
Restoration status: Restored a few years ago by David Chu.
Price: Available! $8,000.00
Chambille brought the Lot flute into the modern age with a more robust construction, a seamless tube, and an ever louder sound.
The keywork has a more precise, almost machined sturdiness than the more handmade flutes of yesteryear. This is the model that Verne Powell copied for his French flute design.
The thumb key shows the precise construction and finishing skills of Chambille. The lack of a thumb trill (now the Bb trill) means that the thumb tail can be shortened and ornamented as we see here.
The full movement beyond the old teardrop D# occurred around #6500, in 1899. Chambille increased the size of the touch.
The rear of the Hanging T clutch, showing the use of two set screws, as encouraged by Villette some 30 years earlier.
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Louis Lot flute 7816 was made in 1908 according to Tulla Giannini. This was the fourth year of E. Chambille as Proprietor.
The hallmarks include silver marks on the lipplate, namely the Boar's head of Paris, and the maker's stamp H#V, not yet changed by Chambille to his own E#C. The double swan mark is an indication that this flute was re-entered into France.
The lipplate and embouchure are completely original. The crown is a later addition, and bears the maker's mark WS inside (see photo).
The new crown is very nicely made, apparently by Willy Simmons of Liverpool, England (http://www.willysimmons.co.uk). The hallmarks " W S " appear under the crown.
