MINE!!!

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Casey Burns
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MINE!!!

Post by Casey Burns »

I just sent off the last payment for this flute. A "Nicholsonized" Rudall, Rose and Carte serial number 6078. This flute plays fantastically, and will be a good one to copy, blocks and all. I will be working towards having copies of this particular flute in 6 key and maybe even for 8 key available by the end of the year hopefully. But for now it is wonderful as a maker to own such a lovely piece. A friend of mine purchased this off Sothebys back in 1980 and hardly played it. Its in amazing shape. Note that the case is for a different flute - but its the one that arrived with it.

Image

Note the "Nicholsonized" features - a cutout for the left hand to improve its position, and an inlayed piece of shark skin for the right hand thumb.

Image

Casey
hpinson
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Re: MINE!!!

Post by hpinson »

Hi Casey. What, with this flute, does "Nicholsonized" mean?

Also what is the half moon indent just above the first hole?
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Re: MINE!!!

Post by kkrell »

hpinson wrote:Hi Casey. What, with this flute, does "Nicholsonized" mean?

Also what is the half moon indent just above the first hole?
Described in text between the photos.
International Traditional Music Society, Inc.
A non-profit 501c3 charity/educational public benefit corporation
Wooden Flute Obsession CDs (3 volumes, 6 discs, 7 hours, 120 players/tracks)
https://www.worldtrad.org
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Re: MINE!!!

Post by hpinson »

That's it - just a thumb cutout and sharkskin grip?
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Re: MINE!!!

Post by PlanxtyPipes »

Nice! Congrats Casey! Looking forward to seeing your copies.
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Re: MINE!!!

Post by PB+J »

That is beautiful. Aged to perfection
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Re: MINE!!!

Post by Jayhawk »

Beautiful looking flute! And the timing is it period or modern?

Eric
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Tell us something.: I play flute and stringed instruments and enjoy playing in sessions and for step dancers and teach music part-time. My flutes are a new Gilles Lehart blackwood keyless in D, a c.1820 Clementi 'Nicholson improved' English boxwood single key in F and a simple-system 8-key English blackwood flute made by Richard Weekes of Plymouth, Devon c.1840 both in beautiful, pristine condition. I also have a wooden c.1880 English keyed flageolet. My home is in North Somerset a short distance from where my family come from at Blackford in the Mendip Hills and my repertoire are the tunes that are local to my area. That is the rural vernacular English music from when ordinary working people simply played and danced to their own rhythm with little concern for that which lay beyond a day's walk.
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Re: MINE!!!

Post by mendipman »

That's a beautiful flute.

I've read about Nicholson's adapting a cut-away for his left index but had previously only seen one example. My understanding is that the cut-away and right thumb-friction (so neatly done with inlaid shark skin here) were to facilitate his preference for increased inward pressure of the flute against the lip. His right thumb pressure was said to be more on the side of the flute (exerting outward pressure) due to his linked preference for off-setting the tone holes; twisting the bottom section away from the body. It's fascinating to see those preference literally shape the flute design itself.

What date would this flute be? 1820's?
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Casey Burns
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Re: MINE!!!

Post by Casey Burns »

Rudall, Rose and Carte was in existence from 1852 to 1878. According to the Registry this flute was made sometime around 1852 to 1854.

There is a short writeup about the cutout and the shark skin in Rockstro's book in section #536.
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Re: MINE!!!

Post by flynnieous »

Now that's a really cool flute.
Matt Flynn
Chicago, IL
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