This grenadilla conical ring-key flute features a nickel silver mechanism that is silver-plated. It was entirely overhauled and is now in wonderful playing condition. It has new pads, felts and corks.  It also has a beautiful case covered in real leather, plus two new wooden tenon protectors.

This conical ring-key flute has very good intonation. It is pitched at a=440 Hz and has a soft, warm sound. It’s the perfect type of instrument for a modern player who wants to play on a conical wooden flute with almost (!) the same fingering as on a modern flute.

The Berthold family of turners, brass and woodwind instrument makers originated from Bad Homburg vor der Höhe and Speyer in Germany. It all began, many years ago with a certain Wagner Wolfgang I Berthold (1631-1665).

Our Johann Heinrich BERTHOLD was born in Homburg in 1834 and one was of nine children. He learnt his trade with one of his brothers Georg (1824-1904). Johann Heinrich Berthold went to work at the instrument workshop of Jakob David HELWETH (1812-1866) in Stuttgart and later took it over. In 1879, he became instrument maker to the court and worked in the King’s Building or Königsbau in Stuttgart.  

In 1906, together with his son Wilhelm and Richard Schwerdtner, he founded the music store Berthold & Schwerdtner in central Stuttgart. Both Bertholds left the company which remained in the hands of Schwerdtner who continued using the store’s name. Johann Heinrich Berthold died in 1920 in Stuttgart, but the music shop that he founded still remains.