Schwedler-style flute – ADLER, Robert Oswald

This Schwedler-style flute was made by Robert Oswald ADLER (1865-1946). ADLER is another famous surname in German woodwind instrument making. Robert Oswald was born in Hermsgrün in Vogtland, Germany. He learnt how to make woodwinds with his father Johann Gottlob Adler (1825-1900) and spent some time working in Magdeburg for...

Reform flute – V. Kohlert Söhne with Pupeschi system

This reform flute was made by V. KOHLERT SÖHNE. The Kohlert company was founded in 1840 by Vincenz Ferarius KOHLERT in Graslitz, now Kraslice in the Czech Republic. At the turn of the century, the company changed names to V. Kohert Söhne when Vincenz Ferarius died and was then under...

Piccolo – POTTER

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...

Ring-key flute – GODFROY AINÉ, Clair

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...

Ivory flute – SCHERER, Georg Henrich

Imagine a four-part, full ivory flute made by one of the Scherers – Georg Henrich SCHERER (1703-1778). The Scherers made woodwind instruments for the rich and royal, including Frederick the Great (1712-1786), the King of Prussia.  Father and son made some extremely beautiful woodwind instruments – this flute is no...

Flute – CAHUSAC, Thomas (Junior)

This is a beautiful, boxwood flute made at the turn of the nineteenth-century by no other than Thomas CAHUSAC Junior or Thomas II (1756-?1843). The Cahusacs were among the first woodwind instrument makers in London and became extremely famous.Thomas Cahusac II was at the 41 Haymarket address from 1800 to...

Reform flute – KREISEL, Josef

This reform flute was made by Josef KREISEL who was active making mainly flutes, clarinets and piccolos in the city of Cologne, Germany towards the end of the nineteenth century. He learnt his skills from E. JEHRING in Altenburg and spent some of his journeyman years with the Wünnenberg family...

Flute – BILTON, Richard

What gorgeous figured boxwood! It was of course very specially selected, turned and finished to the delight of its then new owner.This lovely flute was made by the Englishman Richard John BILTON (1792-1870). Bilton had previously worked for John Cramer and his successors before setting up on his own in...

Flute – RAMPONE & B. CAZZANI & C

This exceptional late-Romantic flute was made by the company Rampone & B. Cazzani & C in Milan. On the death of the famous woodwind instrument maker Agostino RAMPONE (1843-1897), his son Egidio (1872-1937) went into partnership with Battista CAZZANI (1846-1920), a watchmaker and brass instrument manufacturer and married Cazzani’s daughter....

Flute – Goulding, D’Almaine, Potter & Co., 8 keys

This is a fully restored, eight-keyed, boxwood flute in four sections made by Goulding D’Almaine Potter & Co. D’Almaine & Co. was a firm of musical instrument makers, music sellers, publishers and printers that was in existence in one form or another for around eighty years. It was first established...