Chiff and Fipple Forums

A rare occurrence indeed. There's a Wilkes keyless D flute, looks to be a Pratten model, on E-bay just now. African blackwood, wide silver rings, silver end cap, silver foot cap, wooden box. Corked tenons, not thread. I though Chris usually used thread. I wonder how old the flute is? The label in the box is very different to my Rudall model from 2000, so perhaps this is a recently made flute? Ah, I see the seller bought the flute in 2009. Location Southlake, Texas, does this invoke CITES as the flute is made of African blackwood?
Buy it now $2600 (€2,099) (£1867) (Swedish crowns 20817)
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Wilkes-keyle ... SwFLBabqxV

That link is Ebay UK, here's the Ebay USA listing

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Wilkes-keyless ... SwFLBabqxV

Yes CITES for shipping African Blackwood across international borders is now required. See flutemaker Casey Burns' posts on this complex topic.

E-bay listing ended yesterday with no bids on the flute made at all.

Steampacket wrote:E-bay listing ended yesterday with no bids on the flute made at all.

Probably because the BIN price was ridiculously over-the-top and even the starting price was discouragingly high. Wonderful and hard to come by as Chris's flutes are, I don't think anyone is going to pay that for a keyless, even with the engine decorated silverwork. The starting price is at the upper end of what would be reasonable to expect to get for this flute, IMO.

what's that $2600 price tag all about?

I saw this and thought it had sold for that price.....and I was ready to put my Wilkes keyed Bb flute up for sale! lol

The Wilkes keyless is on offer again, same high price so probably no bids:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Wilkes-keyle ... 0675.m4236

Sold for $1900 (approximately £1,368.78)