This delightful flute was a gift to a school friend in 1842 – William Guppy. It is a three-part flute, made of maple and fitted with one brass key. The form of the instrument suggests that it might be American, as does the style of the date and the wording on the box.

Inside top cover – April 16. 1842

Base of box – April 16. 1842 / Wm Guppy / Given by his affectionate School Fellows

In terms of condition, there are no visible cracks. This instrument seems to be designed more for display than for actual musical use. However, the flute does play. It has a nominal pitch of F and the lowest note is G with a pitch of a=440 Hz.

Who was William Guppy, you ask? Sadly, we don’t have that information. Fans of Charles Dickens will be familiar with the lawyer named William Guppy in Bleak House. What we do know is that this charming little flute is a wonderful collector’s piece with a history of over 180 years.