- Circa 1925
- Nickel-plated maillechort
- Soldered toneholes
- Pointed arms
- Closed hole
- Offset G
- Split E
- C# trill
- G# trill
- Bb shake
- Left-hand lever (for B or Eb)
- Extended foot tenon
- B-foot
- Additional C key
- Engraved embouchure
- 493 grams
- Original case
If you like gadgets, this flute might be for you! It has lots of bells and whistles that you simply don’t find on other flutes. Where else would you find G# trill, C# trill, Bb shake, a left-hand lever for B or Eb, split E, an extended foot tenon, AND an additional low C key? Lots of doohickeys to explore.
But, the real question is – How does it play? Quite well. The pads are in excellent condition, and the flute is playable in its current condition. However, the foot might need an adjustment to make those notes respond quicker. Or it could just be the heavy mechanism that slows down its response. But, the rest of the flute sings!
The sound is very resonant and vibrant, much more so than some of the French flutes of the same time period. The middle and upper registers have a wonderful glow and taper to the sound, almost what you might experience with a well-built commercial Haynes flute. The lower register tends to favor the fundamental but can easily be coaxed to produce a core that will let the sound travel.
Pitch-wise, the flute plays well at A=438 Hz with the head pulled out 1/4″. With the head pushed all the way in, the flute plays equally as well at A=440 Hz, though you will need to be familiar with playing a traditional scale flute.
Overall, this is a great flute for the flute collector who appreciates innovation and a classic flute sound. The case is original in fair condition.
SOLD
