Conical ring-key flute – THIBOUVILLE

This is a stunning, fully-restored conical ring-key flute by THIBOUVILLE. There were many members of the THIBOUVILLE family and despite years of research and over 30 known maker’s stamps (thanks to René Pierre), this is a new one! The flute is made of grenadilla and has nickel silver keywork. It was...

Boxwood flute – Christian Friedrich Hetsch

This delightful, boxwood flute with horn rings and a brass key was made by Christian Friedrich HETSCH (1798-1880), sometime around 1840. He was the last in a generation of woodwind instrument makers and musicians who lived in the town of Urach, in the Swabian Alp in Germany.The flute has been...

18th-century flute – SCHLEGEL, Jeremias

Let’s travel to Basel… to the eighteenth century and the family woodwind instrument workshop of the SCHLEGELs. This eighteenth century flute was made by the musician and instrument maker, Jeremias SCHLEGEL (1730-1792) in around 1780. Jeremias was the son of Christian SCHLEGEL (1667-1746) and they both worked in Basel. In 1746...

Ebony Prudent flute

This unique and rare flute was elaborated by the legendary French maker PRUDENT. It is made of the darkest, sleek black ebony adorned with exquisitely carved ivory ferrules and topped with an ivory cap. The ivory at the lower end of the foot joint is actually formed to cover over the...

Flute – Rudall, Rose & Carte

This is a Rudall, Rose & Carte modified ‘1851’ system flute. This special system was devised by Richard CARTE (1808–1891). In 1850, he joined George RUDALL (1781-1871) and John Mitchell ROSE (1793/1794-1866). The principle of the 1851 system was to use the ideas of Theobald BOEHM (metal flute, cylindrical bore, conical...

Single-keyed flute – GOULDING & CO

This four-part GOULDING & CO boxwood flute has a fantastic appearance. The honey-coloured wood is truly beautiful. It features ivory rings and a single brass key. The embouchure is  slightly oval – measuring 8.70 x 9.65 mm. It is likely that it was created at the beginning of the 1800s....

Reform-style flute – SCHREIBER, C.A.

This sleek flute was crafted by Carl August Schreiber (1871-1931). It's a unique reform-style flute because it has solid silver keywork and head joint! So, who exactly was Mr. Schreiber? Carl August SCHREIBER, who lived from 1871 to 1931, was an influential flute and piccolo artisan based in Markneukirchen, Vogtland, Germany. He...

Early Romantic flute – STREITWOLF

This beautiful and fully restored Early Romantic flute was made at the STREITWOLF workshop in Göttingen, Germany, around 1830. Johann Heinrich Gottlieb STREITWOLF (1779-1837) was a formidable woodwind instrument maker, teacher, composer and inventor. This four-part boxwood flute with C-foot features seven brass keys and ivory rings and cap with screw...

Flute – LOT, Louis (DEBONNEETBEAU)

This beautiful Louis LOT silver-plated flute from the Debonneetbeau erawas fully restored and in its original case. Listen to a marvellous sound sample of this flute playing Syrinx by Claude DEBUSSY (1862-1918). It was made after Louis LOT (1807-96)  had retired and his first successor Honoré Désiré VILLETTE had literally just...

Piccolo – CHRISTENSEN, Niles

Niles CHRISTENSEN was born in Vejle, Denmark on 27 June 1874 to Karen Langsen and Christen Nilsen. He emigrated to the USA, arriving there in 1892 and was registered as a musician. Later, he took up American citizenship. If we take a look through the New Langwill Index, we can...