Solid silver flute – Bonneville
This beautiful, solid-silver flute was made by the Bonnevilles – one of France’s finest flute-making workshops. Founded by Auguste Adrien BONNEVILLE (1819-1895), the business would endure three generations of expert instrument makers.At first glance, we can admire the high level of craftsmanship evident in every millimetre of this flute. The…
Reed contrabass – Luigi ALZIATI
It goes by many names… contrabbasso ad ancia, contrebasse à anche or simply reed contrabass. This strange item is not a brasswind, but a woodwind. It does look a bit like an ophicleide and was used in bands like a contrabassoon.This instrument normally has seventeen keys. These include five for…
Flute – Benedict PENTENRIEDER
This is a stunning and rare flute by the Bavarian and Munich-based master instrument maker, Benedict PENTENRIEDER (1809-1849). Pentenrieder’s life story and that of his immediate family is quite a sad one. He lived a very short life… dying at the age of just 40. He worked at the same…
Flute – HEIDEGGER, Georg
Here is a three-part flute made by the Bavarian maker Georg HEIDEGGER (1815-1859). Georg Heidegger was the first of a family of instrument makers. The family was active in Passau, Bavaria, Germany and Linz, Austria from the nineteenth right up to the twentieth century.The flute is crafted in grenadilla and…
Flute – RUDHARD, Johann Baptist
If you are from Stuttgart, this instrument may be of particular interest to you. It was made by one of the few instrument makers who worked there in the nineteenth century.Johann Baptist RUDHARD was born in Engelboldshofen, near Leutkirch, in Allgäu Germany on 4 September 1788. He was a musician…
Les Bonneville – Paris
This short story centres on a young man from the small village of Bessancourt in France. He would establish his own workshop in Paris, specialising in the art of making exquisite handmade flutes, ultimately becoming one of the most renowned flute-makers in French history. The business would endure across three…
Baroque salterio
Here is a trapezoidal-shaped salterio with two sound holes. This type of salterio was played in countries like Italy and Spain by the upper-class aristocracy. It could be played using the battuto technique which used hammers or sticks or using the pizzicato or plucked technique.Proudly presented inside the salterio is…
Flute – Clementi & Co.
This flute was made by Clementi & Co. The company was set up by the Italian-born composer, pianist, conductor and teacher Muzio CLEMENTI (1752-1832).Born in Rome, the young composer and pianist Clementi was sponsored and brought to London by the wealthy, British writer and politician, Sir Peter Beckford. Beckford had…
