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 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 career Our Joseph Wallis was...
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...
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...
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...
The name Scherer conjures up images of beautiful instruments, crafted in ivory that were definitely fit for a king. Who were these famous instrument makers and where did they work? The story is a fascinating one, so read on! Back to Butzbach The Scherers were originally thought to have worked out of...
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...
Anyone who plays or collects ocarinas knows the name Heinrich (or Henry) Fiehn. The internet is full of ads selling ocarinas in all shapes and sizes made by the Heinrich Fiehn factory in Vienna. It’s clear from the popularity, international appeal and sheer sales volume of his products that he...
The Cahusacs were an English family of music publishers and instrument makers. The surname hints at possible French origins yet to be proven. The number of family members was huge. There were several wives, many children and of course, quite a few Thomases. Referring to each Thomas as senior or...
