FS: Eugene Lambe all blackwood D flute w/ brass tuning slide

[kkrell]

For sale: USD $455 + $15 shipping. New flutes are priced at 800 Euros (approx. USD $915)

ALL WOOD EUGENE LAMBE D flute in African Blackwood (marked E. Lambe). This is an all wood version intended for Ireland with a traditional oval embouchure, fully lined head with brass tuning slide. This is NOT the export model (which has a silver-plated head with German reform lip-plate). There's a big chip off the (probably ivory) ring at the HJ cap (3rd photo). The matching barrel ring has some filler in the gap (2nd photo) or might be original. The remaining rings on either end of the slide & on the foot are brass. The main body is one piece, with a decorative turning in the center - the hands do not rotate.

Eugene Lambe was one of the first to revive making traditional flutes in Ireland, beginning around 1977.

"I usually based my flutes on an old Rudall Rose 8-keyed flute that I still have and that plays very well. I used that one as a kind of model but adapted it a little to suit Irish music. For example these old flutes were made to play well in the third register, which we don't use. So I tried to bring out the first register stronger, and maybe sacrifice the third register to get a good bottom note.” - Eugene Lambe

Payment by PayPal preferred, but will consider other arrangements. Please PM me first if purchasing for payment details.

I am selling because I have plenty of flutes, mostly keyed.

Kevin Krell

[Terry McGee]

Very interesting to see one of Eugene's flutes, Kevin. I don't remember seeing one earlier. Two things jump out at me:

Firstly his date of starting making, which you gave as 1977. I started in 1975. I still don't know when other makers started (we are not good at getting our history down, are we!), but very interesting that we are so close, yet so different geographically (Australia and Ireland). I had been in England, Scotland and Ireland in 1974, spending at least 3 months in Ireland, but don't remember any talk of modern making at that point. I know from my trip diary that I was assembling information at that time and getting my ideas together about making. Just an idea whose time had come, I guess.

Secondly is the fact that both Eugene and I opted for (what I call) an integral foot, although he went a step further and made it an integral body and foot. I wanted the three bits to be of roughly equal length to make case making easier. But the important point is we both cut off at D length, rather than going down to C length. For me, that was all about paring the flute down to the essentials (I guess like the tin whistle) with the emphases on simplicity and performance. Fancy stuff could come later....

Thanks for that image.

[pancelticpiper]

I had been in England, Scotland and Ireland in 1974, spending at least 3 months in Ireland, but don't remember any talk of modern making at that point.

That is very interesting!

I bought my first "Irish flute" around 1977, it was by Ralph Sweet. He numbered each flute, and that one was #174 or something.

We here in the USA had just gone through our Bicentennial, in 1976, and it created a huge increase in interest in all things Colonial including Fife & Drum bands, fife playing, and fife making. Ralph initially was, as best I recall, mostly a fife maker. His old catalogue from that time has numerous fife models, wooden flageolets, Baroque flutes, and Irish flutes.

From what I read online I infer that Ralph began making fifes around 1973. I can't find a firm date, but I read that from 1973 he was playing in Fife & Drum bands and began making fifes at some point prior to the Bicentennial in 1976, and soon expanded to making wooden flageolets and fullsize Irish flutes.

[JoFo]

I sent you a PM.

[kkrell]

I sent you a PM.

A thought just occurred to me - aren't you in Sweden? I wouldn't be able to sell this flute to you , anyway, due to CITES II restriction on African Blackwood. The flute is in the U.S. Sorry if I had not made that clear.

Thanks for the inquiry, though.

Kevin

[Terry McGee]

I had been in England, Scotland and Ireland in 1974, spending at least 3 months in Ireland, but don't remember any talk of modern making at that point.

That is very interesting!

I bought my first "Irish flute" around 1977, it was by Ralph Sweet. He numbered each flute, and that one was #174 or something.

We here in the USA had just gone through our Bicentennial, in 1976, and it created a huge increase in interest in all things Colonial including Fife & Drum bands, fife playing, and fife making. Ralph initially was, as best I recall, mostly a fife maker. His old catalogue from that time has numerous fife models, wooden flageolets, Baroque flutes, and Irish flutes.

From what I read online I infer that Ralph began making fifes around 1973. I can't find a firm date, but I read that from 1973 he was playing in Fife & Drum bands and began making fifes at some point prior to the Bicentennial in 1976, and soon expanded to making wooden flageolets and fullsize Irish flutes.

OK, so again about the same era. And if I remember correctly, Hammy was not far behind (he might chime in...). We must get this historical stuff pinned down before we all go off to la-la land, or worse! (What was your name again, young man?)

So we have Eugene, and Hammy in Ireland, Ralph in the US and me in Australia. Can anyone think of any others in say the seventies or before? Anyone know who and when were the first makers in England? And in continental Europe, or did that come much later?

We have to remember of course that there were plenty of people making early flutes and recorders around the world well before we Irish flute makers caught up. I guess their need was much greater and that prompted people to try making them earlier. And those flutes tend to be more simple - 1 key and no tuning slide. Even simpler for renaissance flutes - no keys, one piece and cylindrical bore. And you could turn up 19th century flutes reasonably often in second-hand markets, or through dealers like Paul Davies or Tony Bingham (At the Sign of the Serpent). Not so 16th to 18th century flutes!

[kkrell]

This flute is still available.