Ever seen a flicorno before? We haven’t! This really special combined B-flat & F flicorno is one of a kind! Two flicornos in one!A flicorno is Italian and can be described as a variety of saxhorn and flugelhorn used in military bands. This particular one was made by the Ferdinando...
The maker of this piccolo needs no introduction… Jean-Louis TULOU, born in Paris in 1786 was a flute virtuoso, professor and head of the flute department of the Paris Conservatoire, principal flutist of the Paris Opera and a composer who was also heavily involved in the finest flute-making.He initially began...
The maker of this bassoon was Ignaz HUITTL. He was active making instruments around 1800 in the city of Kraslice (Graslitz in German), which is now located in the Czech Republic. It is just a stone's throw away from the instrument-making hub of Markneukirchen in Germany. It seems that Huittl was...
This piccolo is made of beautiful boxwood with ivory ferrules and a single brass key. It was made in London by POTTER, most likely Richard POTTER (1726-1806). Its flat plate D-sharp key is nicely scalloped and very typical for the time.The nominal pitch of this Potter instrument is C. The...
The Potters were a celebrated family of woodwind instrument makers and musicians working in the Classical Period in central London. Their story is a fascinating one and the subject of much detailed research specifically about flutes as they were flute specialists. Surviving Potter flutes outnumber by far those of other...
Joseph WALLIS is perhaps best known for joining forces with Carlo Tommaso GIORGI (1856–1953) to produce the Giorgi flute under patent in England. There’s much more to his story though – from the rise to the sad demise of the business he founded.Early life and careerOur Joseph Wallis was born...
Imagine an ocarina with exceptional intonation, pure sound quality and design elegance. Then its maker could be the man known as the Stradivarius of ocarinas – Cesare VICINELLI (1841-1920). From kiln man to ocarina maker par excellence, Cesare Vicinelli certainly had an exciting life. But how could that all come...
Ring-key flutes are very special, aren’t they? This Clair GODFROY Ainé (1774-1841) ring-key flute is just fabulous.There were five generations of the Godfroy family. Clair Godfroy Ainé or Clair Godfroy II was trained by his father – Clair GODFROY I (1750-1813) of course. Although he made all woodwinds, he is...
Joseph-René LAFLEUR (1812-1874) was considered to be one of the best bow makers in Paris where he had a music shop. Among his clientele was the French violinist, conductor and composer, Jules Prudence RIVIÈRE (1819-1900), who had settled in London in 1857 and fortunately for Joseph-René had learned to speak...
Here is a grenadilla oboe with nickel silver keys that was made by Hermann SAUERHERING (1840-1909) sometime around 1900.Hermann Sauerhering was born in a town called Rogätz – about 30 km north of Magdeburg, Germany. He was a woodwind instrument maker and instrument dealer. In 1875, he started working together...
