This solid silver Louis Lot flute was made right at the beginning of the Émile BARAT (1846-1918) ownership. Barat was born in Joigny, France in 1846. He ran a music shop in Paris from 1874 until 1889. He took over the Lot company in 1889 and flute production was...
Crafted in the mid-nineteenth century, this exquisite boxwood fife by Joseph WALLIS (1825-1883) is a testament to the craftsmanship of the era. Joseph Wallis started his instrument-making business and shop in 1848. It expanded and prospered over eighty years and three generations until it came to an abrupt end in...
This early Romantic flute was made by the meister woodwind instrument maker, teacher, composer and inventor Johann Heinrich Gottlieb STREITWOLF (1779-1837). He was admired by many… including Johann August Günther HEINROTH (1780–1846), music director in Göttingen who wrote an article about him which was published in the Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung...
This clarinet in C was made at the STENGEL workshop in Bayreuth, Germany. We think it was made around 1850-1860 by Johann Simon STENGEL (1803-1885). It features 12 brass keys mounted on nicely selected boxwood. The rings are also made of brass. All parts feature the maker’s stamp. This instrument...
This cocuswood marching or band flute was made by the company Henry Potter & Co. Henry Potter & Co was started back in 1810 by Regimental Drum Major Samuel POTTER (1772-1836). He named the company after his son Henry Potter (1810-1876) and it still exists today.The company moved premises around...
This C ocarina was made in the birthplace of the ocarina, which is a small town called Budrio in Italy. Its maker is known as the ocarina’s Stradivarius – Cesare VICINELLI (1841-1920). He made ocarinas from around 1878 until his death in 1920. His ocarinas were famous for wonderful...
Alfred Kurt BERNDT, a master flutemaker based in Berlin, remains a relatively obscure figure in the world of woodwind instrument making, yet his contributions deserve greater recognition. His legacy was brought to light through an article penned by his son, the late Klaus BERNDT, 16.09.1936 – 03.07.2025. In 2018, Klaus...
This E-flat ring-key piccolo comes from Munich, Germany. It is made of grenadilla wood and has rings and keywork crafted from nickel silver. Its maker was Johann Martin Benedikt LEHNER (1853-1915), who preferred simply Martin Lehner. The instrument is stamped with M. LEHNER / MÜNCHEN. The maker’s stamp also features a...
It is thought that only around 900 flutes were made by the legendary French master, Claude RIVE (1833-1895). Each Claude Rive flute is considered a masterpiece and players worldwide are drawn to Rive’s flutes since they combine aesthetic beauty with exceptional sound. Owning a Claude Rive flute is a dream...
Who was C.S. Barfoot? C for Charles and S for Smith, makes Charles Smith Barfoot (1778-1843). According to the Langwill Index, he was a music seller – well that’s exactly how he describes himself in his will. However, with a bit more digging, we discover that Charles Smith Barfoot was...
Münchner Kindl – ‘Munich child’
This emblem has represented Munich’s coat of arms since the 13th century. Initially, the depicted figure was a monk or friar with a Bible, but by the 16th century, it transformed into various representations, including that of a small child in a pointed hood, frequently seen holding a beer mug and a radish. It is believed that the name ‘Munich’ (München in German) is derived from the phrase Kloster von Mönchen, meaning ‘Cloister for Monks’, which relates to the nearby Imperial Abbey of Tegernsee, a Benedictine Monastery that was established close to the original settlement of Munich.
This image, in its numerous variations, has been displayed on countless items, including the city hall in Munich, manhole covers, and beer steins. The gender of the figure has also transformed over time, shifting from a clearly male representation to a gender-neutral child, and then to a small girl. Today, when the kindl is depicted by a person, such as during Oktoberfest, it is most often portrayed by a young woman.
