Flute – BLACKMAN, Josiah
An 8-keyed flute by the London maker Josiah BLACKMAN (1819-1886), made from Cocuswood with nickel silver keys, finger hole bushings and rings. The rings are beautifully decorated with the Guilloché technique … also called rose engine turning. This technique is rarely found with flutes. The original pewter plugs found in the foot…
The conical ring-key flute – game changer of 1832
It is known that towards the end of the eighteenth century, flutes with eight keys, or double and alternate keyed flutes were preferred among musicians. Yet things were to change drastically with the Theobald BOEHM (1794-1881)1832 invention – the conical ring-key flute. Sadly, it was to become a beautiful instrument…
Flute – METZLER, Martin
A four-part, boxwood flute by Martin METZLER (ca. 1755-1809), who made this instrument around the turn of the eighteenth century.Very little is known about Martin Metzler and his time in London. We do know that he rented dwellings in the area of Norton Folgate until about 1788. Martin Metzler was…
Stephan KOCH – crème de la crème of Viennese master wind instrument makers
Stephan KOCH was born in Veszprém in Hungary on 12 April 1772. He was the son of the master turner, Christoph Koch and his wife Elisabetha. Stephan married Antonia Trost on 17 November 1799 and went on to have at least seven children. It seems that Stephan learnt the turning trade…
Flute – HAMICH
This elegant, German, Boxwood flute has ivory rings and a single brass key. We can date it to the late eighteenth century… perhaps around 1780. It was made by HAMICH. But who was HAMICH? A trawl through the New Langwill Index gives us quite a few matches… but it’s all rather…
Oboe – ZIEGLER, Johann
This rare oboe by Johann ZIEGLER (1794/5-1858) was made around 1840 from finely selected figured Boxwood , decorated with ivory rings and fitted with nickel/German silver keys. ZIEGLER was one of the most important woodwind instrument makers during the mid-nineteenth century, with a great reputation. His instruments were played in many…
Tebaldo MONZANI – the Italian-born English gentlemen and musical entrepreneur
Tebaldo MONZANI was born in Verona in 1762. He was the son of a merchant called Anthonio MONZANI and his wife Teresa. They had another son called Antonio who died in 1807. There is no information to be found on Monzani’s initial training or career as an instrumentalist in Italy. He…
Johann ZIEGLER – Viennese woodwind instrument-making at its finest
A Hungarian in Vienna Johann ZIEGLER was born in Komárom in Hungary in 1794/5. Komárom is on the northern bank of the Danube River. Little is known about his early life and his beginnings in Vienna. We do know that he learnt his woodturning skills under the watchful eye of Stephan…