Eugene Albert Silver Flute 1

EUGENE ALBERT SILVER FLUTE

By clicking on this picture you can take a closer look

at the beautiful engraved lipplate. Note the strange use 
of cork at the joints due to the clarinet background

of this builder. Can be dated around 1855.

Eugene Albert Flute 2

The picture gives you another idea but this

flute is in fact absolutely straight!

Very lightly built keywork.

Eugene Albert Silver Flute 3

A closer look at the odd left thumb key.

The same feature can be found on the E.J. Albert flute.

A very nicely built flute though Albert is better known

for his clarinets.

E.J. Albert Flute 1

E.J.ALBERT FLUTE (SILVERPLATED)

This flute (in a new case) can be dated 1910.

It's design still remains close to that of his father

Eugene Albert. The sound can be described as

a somewhat woody coloured.

E.J.Albert Flute 2

The head of the E.J. Albert flute.

E.J. Albert had several fights at court with his brothers

regarding the use of the name Albert.

Anonymous Instruments

ANONYMOUS INSTRUMENTS: 
PICCOLO / BOXWOOD FLUTE

 

This is a so called stencil instrument. Especially in the 19th

and early 20th century it was quite common for instrument

builders to supply instruments to dealers left unmarked.

The dealer was able to put his own name on the

instrument. Some details are very specific however

so within time we will find the actual manufacturer.

As can be seen on this picture most of these woodwinds

were at least at the joint reinforced with a metal tube.

Hence it wasn't that bad when a crack appeared in the wood

at some parts. The metal prevents it from leaking.

This 6 keyed piccolo hasn't been altered yet

as at this moment too often happens in order to obtain

a louder tone e.g. the enlarging of the holes and

lipopening.

The midsection of this instrument that is crackfree!

These older instrument may not be the loudest
but their sound is so sweet that even piccolo haters
will love it!

BOXWOOD 5-KEYED FLUTE

This flute has been made out of boxwood en therefore
a very light instrument. Boxwood is quite precious and
harder to find but its resonance is incredible: A great
sounding instrument. As often happens this is a so
called stencil instrument made for one of the many dealers.

BONNEVILLE AUGUSTE

This beautiful plated Bonneville flute recently has been added to the

collection. As far as the sound goes these instruments are

hardly beatable!

For those who have seen more Bonneville engravings

this one must turn up to be a bit strange:

The addition of "Excelsior".

It's number places it between 1910 and 1920.

A shot of the tail of this unaltered instrument:

Sounding length proves to be about 602 mm.

No changes on the lipplate as well.

You do not need to play flute to like the

exquisite workmanship on this flute and

especially the crown.

Philipp Hammig Silver Flute

PHILIPP HAMMIG SILVER FLUTE (SOLD)

This flute may not win the beauty contest but is

a very good player with two "faces":

By changing the heads you have quite another story to tell.

This instrument can be dated mid sixties and has the 900

silver hallmark on every part of the flute.

Another picture of the Philipp Hammig.

A detail of the tail of the Philipp Hammig silver flute.

Note the rollers fit onto the keys. Drawn toneholes.

William Haynes Flute

This flute from the thirties of the 20th century is

in a pristine condition. A beautiful player with that creamy

sought after tone good Haynes flutes are known for.

 

Besides al the inscription necessary you are able to

see the addition: "Special Model". We do not know

exactly what is so special on this silver flute but

we presume it to be the axes work mounted 

directly on the tube itself. Nr. 12098 which place 

it in the year 1932 produced on the 14th of May.

This flute can be found back in the registration

reports of W.Haynes described as CL G# C Spec.

CL G# stands for closed G#. The last prefix C 

stands for C foot. William Haynes flutes from 

before 1980 are considered to be from the golden 

age of Haynes though they still are producing 

fine instruments!

The unaltered lipopening.

The typical earlier Haynes keywork.

Everything in a "like new" condition.

Enough distance for this instrument to breathe!

And the pads are in great condition as well.

As has been stated earlier: solid silver.

FREE

Johann Kern Flute

JOHANN KERN FLUTE (SILVERPLATED)

This is a silverplated Johann Kern flute in it's

original case. It has the adress stamped on a little

black plate. A very nice player.

Johann Kern Flute 2

A closer look at the delicate keywork of this

silverplated Johann Kern flute

Johann Kern Flute 3

Johann Kern lipplate

It is interesting to compare this ebonite lipplate

with that of the above published Philipp Hammig.

A. Laurent Flute

A. Laurent Silverplated flute

This french flute out of the golden era of french flute manufacturing

has been built by a lesser known person. Even the Langwill index

doesn't give any information about this flutebuilder.

However, the adress stamped onto the body is not far

situated from the Lebret workshops so chances are

big that it appears to be one of Lebret's foremen

who started his own business.

It is an all original silverplated flute with the typical

french cups. Besides that its'sound is very close to

the more renowned flutebuilders like Lebret and

others. I'm not acquainted with the fact that the

famous crystal flutes builder C. Laurent could

be an anchestor.

Though this instrument was in very dirty and

allmost unplayable condition it was clear to me that

it certainly had potentials. After a cleaning and repadding

job it appears to be absolutely true.

For those interested: Soldered toneholes and of

course the inline mechanism that is thought to have

a superior soundresult as the tube is able to vibrate

more freely.

Leblanc Flute

Of course Leblanc is well known for his clarinets but his flutes
from the earlier years are a rewarding find as well.
This one is in need of a total overhaul but the notes
that do work sound really promising.

As can be seen on the lipplate this is a well used
flute from which one must conclude it is a good instrument.
The crown is worth a careful examination!

The engraving is done with care as well.
As far as I can see an unaltered lipplate.

A detail of the midsection showing its'mechanism.

L.Lebret silverplated flutes

Somewhat curious is this example of a silverplated flute

by L.Lebret. Most of his flutes are open hole.

Besides that, this is a very early one, almost
one of the first 1000 instruments he built.

As with most earlier instruments this one has a seamed tube.

The form of the keys and the ball shaped mechanism is allready

there. L.Lebret started working on his own in 1888 after

spending a decade working in the Louis Lot workshop.

A nice crown which is quite significant for the Lebret heads

and the unaltered lipplate. This instrument has got the

qualities of a good french flute of that time.

The inscription ads: fournisseur des conservatoires.

Can be dated just before 1900.

This is a silverplated open hole L.Lebret flute.

In fact there are many of them but different in quality.

This one has that sought after creamy french tone

though it is a bit later example. In the thirties of

the past century Robert Malerne took over Lebrets'

workshop and produced flutes up until the mid fifties.

Louis Lebret Flute

A nice picture of the unaltered head and lipplate

Some Lebret flutes have "L.Lebret Paris"

engraved under the lipopening.

This one has that engraving underneath

the lipplate.

Louis Lebret Flute 2

A picture of the tail of the L.Lebret flute.

Note his specific keywork.

Louis Lot Silver Flute

LOUIS LOT SILVER FLUTE

This example of the Louis Lot flute is in pristine condition

At the time this instrument was produced Ernest Chambille

was the foreman of the company.

Made somewhere around 1921.

Detail of the tail of this premium model flute.

Some models only have a silver tube and plated keywork.

This one is a full silver example.

A nice detail of the crown of the head and the engraving.

The number of these flutes can be found on the head.

It has been overhauled completely by the old french flute

specialist Ton Kooiman (De Meern) and is a nice player.

Playing at A = 440 Hz this instrument has remained unaltered.

Louis Lot Chromeplated Flute

LOUIS LOT CHROMEPLATED FLUTE

This chromeplated flute is a late 1920th flute

made by Pauline Chambille who was the daughter of

Ernest Chambille. The number hasn't been stamped

on the regular place but somewhere hidden on the

post of the keywork.

The engraving somewhat differs from that of the early Louis Lots

On this picture you can see the number of this

instrument stamped on the post of the keywork

H.F. Meyer 11 keyed Flute

H.F. MEYER FLUTE

An original H.F. Meyer flute, one of Germany's finest flute builders

of the 19th century. The case is original and in a very good condition.

Even the spare pads are still there.

The typical endcap can be seen here together with the special

shape of the barrel. Other significant features are the angled

G# key and the mounting of the posts on plates.

The head was executed either in ivory or wood.

Most of the heads cracked however over time due to the metal

tube mounted inside. This embouchure has been pinned as well

but I'm not sure wether if this is a repair or actually done

by the fabrication of this instrument. It has been done with

care and is hardly visible. Probably done in order to keep

the wood around the mouthhole together.

A closer picture of the angled G# key and the posts of

it mounted on a plate that is screwed onto the body.

The rest of the eleven key lay out can be studied here.

The Dayton Miller collection holds some examples of

these flutes thought Wikipedia shows a picture of

 a genuine H.F. Meyer as well.

The typical barrel form and the makers stamp

with the crown on top.

GEBRÜDER MÖNNIG FLUTE

The german flutebuilding (and other windinstruments) family

Mönnig gave birth to several remarkable instruments but besides

that also mediocre quality instruments during the DDR times.

This is a full Boehm flute that only has a metal head.

I still have to find out wether if it has been made out of silver.

Wooden flutes are rapidly increasing in popularity as

their sound is so beautifully rounded. This flute is no

exception: I expect it to be a professional flute made

just before Worldwar II. Great Player!

"OTTO MÖNNIG" PICCOLO

A non engraved piccolo that probably could be made
by Otto Mönnig as it came in this case.

Beautiful ivoroid head and nickel plated keywork.

I think it to be a french instrument though a genuine
reform head made by Otto Mönnig came with it as an
extra but it did not fit onto this body.