Wylde Flute on Ebay

BMFW · Post by **BMFW** » Thu Sep 11, 2003 9:08 am

This auction has finished before anyone gets too excited.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... gory=10183

I have an interest here in that I sold an un-stamped Wylde a few months ago (through my own ignorance I didn't even know it was a Wylde until I sold it - hey, them's the breaks :roll: )

Anyway, my un-stamped went for about £400. It had a few cracks but was intact and fairly playable. The one on ebay had numerous cracks and all the keys were off the flute and in pieces - and it went for £640. If only Mr Wylde had taken the time to stamp my old flute.......moan, moan, moan.

However, it's always fascinating to see what these old instruments fetch. When you think that a Wylde is basically a Rudall - £640 is a bargain and £400, well.......moan, moan, moan.

Given the prices that Rudalls on Ebay have been going for lately, it seems odd that a Wylde does not attract more of a premium. This suggests that far more is being paid for the name than the playability of the instrument - 'twas ever thus I suppose.

Is anyone here smirking quietly with a bargain Wylde and a dented credit card in their possession? - Shame on you

Graham

andrew · Post by **andrew** » Thu Sep 11, 2003 9:32 am

Graham was amazed at the amount I parted with for an old wreck ,and received a wonderful mint fine playing flute in it's place .The Scots are still triumphing over the English !The Wylde just sold was probably incomplete and will cost a bundle to put into prime condition .Graham will no doubt try his old flute one day but will no doubt be so enamoured of his new flute that he will have lost interest in the old'un .Still , if anybody needs an unstamped Wylde with Wilkes head & barrel they only have to ask .

BMFW · Post by **BMFW** » Thu Sep 11, 2003 10:05 am

Well at least I know it wasn't you that bought this one, how many flutes does one man need??? True, the entire Wylde / Prowse deal that we struck was most agreeable - as will be proved later tonight when I indulge my weekly flute/Guinness obsession at one of Edinburgh's fine hostelries.

Do you think that this recent Ebay Wylde has gone for more than its market value - or is Wylde the best kept secret in the antique flute world.

Despite my apparent moaning I'm not at all sore about the price my old flute fetched. As far as I'm concerned I opened it up to the market and got what it was worth - I do fancy trying it now that Chris has made the new head and barrel.

Anyone else have an opinion on the market values of the non-Rudall antique names.

Graham

RudallRose · Post by **RudallRose** » Thu Sep 11, 2003 12:54 pm

Wylde flutes surely are the unsung unknown find. Wylde continued to make flutes for Rudall/Rose long after he continued to make his own, which were virtually the same.
By they way, Patrick Olwell was the one who bought this one off eBay.

bradhurley · Post by **bradhurley** » Thu Sep 11, 2003 1:07 pm

One of the best flutes I've ever encountered was a Wylde, owned by a Leitrim man named Pat Casey who lives in New York. I remember him telling me that a lot of great flute players had offered to buy that flute off him, including Matt Molloy.

andrew · Post by **andrew** » Thu Sep 11, 2003 4:49 pm

I regret that I could not compete with Mr Olwell , having wasted all my money on Rudall & Roses .I shall have to save up for the next one , or better still find a course of aversion therapy.

RudallRose · Post by **RudallRose** » Fri Sep 12, 2003 1:26 pm

I'm with you, Andrew.
But I'm lucky enough to have two RR flutes made by Mr. Wylde and both extremely fine players. Both of them very late in the 8-key years, too.

andrew · Post by **andrew** » Fri Sep 12, 2003 4:38 pm

What I am dying for,Dave ,is an enlargement on the references that contributers have made to unlined Rudall & Rose flutes .I don't remember anything except perhaps by Willis ,(and should I call his work R & R anyway ?), but who am I to say ?

RudallRose · Post by **RudallRose** » Sun Sep 14, 2003 7:13 pm

Unlined Rudalls are not that unusual, just hard to find.
Most of the Bb or alto G flutes were unlined. (such as #2707; so-called "regular" ones without slide include #458,and #2850 which was sold in 1993 with two head pieces, one with slide and one without)
I do also know that Catherine McEvoy plays an unlined Rudall.
All are in the catalogue.

So they're out there, Andrew
Trick is finding them!

eilam · Post by **eilam** » Sun Sep 14, 2003 9:32 pm

David, what about partly lined with a slide? I'm pretty sure I've seen one in a picture of some collection.

andrew · Post by **andrew** » Mon Sep 15, 2003 11:08 am

I fear that the price of the Wylde flute would have been even higher had the vendor not been difficult about answering questions as to the number of keys left, and what they are made of .One thing which seems to depress the value of Wylde flutes is the number he made with nickel keys .Perhaps it is not a bad thing ,apart from fashion . Nineteenth century bowmakers often regarded nickel as a better material for making bow fittings than silver .The market just happens to demand silver now for a good price to be attained , to the point where dealers have changed the old mounts in many cases .I suppose it would never have been economical to change flute keys.
Does Mr Migoya know how the latest flute was mounted , and has he any observations on Wylde mounts ( or any others ) ?
( Sorry to work you so hard ! )