This splendid Boehm-system flute was made by Luigi BILLORO (1870/1-1942). Luigo Billoro was born in Monselice in Italy. He was a flute virtuoso and teacher, not to mention a clever businessman. Yet Luigi Billoro spent very little time in Italy!

He travelled to South America as a young man, where it seems he fell in love with Brazil, particularly Rio de Janeiro. He played there often and was always well received by the public and press. He was a brilliant flute teacher too and loved by many.

Billoro worked together with flute makers in Italy to produce instruments and even went into partnership with Barlassina to form the company Barlassina & Billoro before he started his own company and ‘brand’ in around 1914 in Milan. 

Luigi became known as Luiz Billoro and he was heavily involved in the management of musical and operatic productions in South America with his flute production still in Milan. He married twice and had three children. He had been on a business trip in Buenos Aires, when he became ill and died on 15 August 1942 at the age of 72. He was buried in the city he loved – Rio de Janiero. After World War Two, his son Emilio continued his father’s work in musical and operatic production.

This elegant Boehm-system flute appears to have been made by Luigi VANOTTI.  It features a B-foot joint. It has a high-G/A trill key, which is even stamped with L. VANOTTI/MILANO/BREVETTATO and can be used with the right index finger. A second lever, near the G-sharp key, goes down to the foot joint. It is employed by the little finger of the left hand to close the C-sharp and B key of the foot joint. The flute is silver-plated. It has that long tenon style that is typical for Italian flutes of that time. The tone holes are drawn, not soldered.

This flute has a bright and colourful sound plus it speaks well. It is housed with its tenon protectors in its original stylish case.