Flute stolen!! (Prague)

spittle · Post by **spittle** » Sat Apr 30, 2005 11:11 am

Indeed, horror of all horrors, my daypack which contained my beloved John Gallagher Pratten flute was stolen in the Prague Central train station on our return trip home on Thursdsay evening

(along with the camera with all pics from the vacation, MP3-player, and more, double-ugh!). So if anyone sees one on the market please let me know. It's blocked left-handed for four keys and is in blackwood with sterling silver rings. The flute's sentimental value far outwieghs the monetary (though I save long to purchase it as well), so hopefully it will somehow make it back.

Thanks all for keeping an eye out!

Cheers,
- Ryan

On a positive note, Prague is a city of breath-taking beauty, and I was able to play the flute (and reasonably well!) at my brother's wedding which was the reason for the trip in the first place

andrewK · Post by **andrewK** » Sat Apr 30, 2005 11:21 am

I trust you had insurance cover ?

It would be interesing to know how many left handed players there are in the district.
Not so common, perhaps in ex- communist areas.
Until about 35 years ago Russians were simply not allowed to be lefties !

A note in the local newspaper might produce a result if you get them to make a little feature of it.

Good thing it was only a Pratten model ! ( If there is such a thing ).

spittle · Post by **spittle** » Sat Apr 30, 2005 11:44 am

Indeed, it does in fact appear to be covered under my homeowners policy, which is a huge relief.

I'm quite sure the sod who took the bag will be much more interested in the electronic goodies that the silly looking stick with the little knobs on it

In talking with a local Irish flute player in Prague, the 'scene' is not terribly active, (however for early music it's probably quite the opposite) which I'm not sure will help or hinder its recovery.

Also, you might be interested to know that modern tuning allowances aside John's 'Pratten' is an almost exact copy of Boosey's Pratten Perfected #5400 (I think) from 1856. I'm sure the more learned here will know if that date/model number sound correct. Anyway, it's probably about as close a modern Pratten as one gets new these days.

Cheers,
- Ryan

andrewK · Post by **andrewK** » Sat Apr 30, 2005 11:48 am

Well it is most interesting to learn that Mr Pratten took any interest in 4 keyed flutes !

Unseen122 · Post by **Unseen122** » Sat Apr 30, 2005 1:36 pm

I hate it when instruments get stolen if it happened to me I would be furious.

Post by **Dale** » Sat Apr 30, 2005 1:45 pm

Unseen122 wrote:I hate it when instruments get stolen if it happened to me I would be furious.

I agree. It's amazing how often this happens. There are whole forums on the internet devoted to stolen instruments.

Post by **Dale** » Sat Apr 30, 2005 1:46 pm

andrewK wrote:Well it is most interesting to learn that Mr Pratten took any interest in 4 keyed flutes !

I don't know much about flutes. What are you saying?

Unseen122 · Post by **Unseen122** » Sat Apr 30, 2005 1:48 pm

I think andrew is trying to play a joke on the way that was written 4 keyed flute sounds like a flute in 4 keys or the fact that Pratten always had the C foot.

andrewK · Post by **andrewK** » Sat Apr 30, 2005 1:59 pm

No joke.
I don't know where your flute education should start, Mr Wisely.
You will find a little further up this thread ( I know you have said you don't read flute threads before you ban posters ! ) that the flute in question is supposed to be an accurate copy of a Pratten's Perfected.
These had a good number of keys. Nothing whatsoever like a four key flute of the type recorded as stolen.
That is why I think and am suggesting that neither Pratten nor his maker Hudson would recognise a flute of the type stolen as anything to do with them , were they alive to be asked.
I would recommend for your delight and basic flute education Rick Wilson's excellent website to save you having to ask elementary questions and avoid unneccessary embarassment, though Terry McGee's site would be better if you are really interested in learning anything .. about Prattens !

Blayne Chastain · Post by **Blayne Chastain** » Sat Apr 30, 2005 2:51 pm

andrewK wrote:No joke.
I don't know where your flute education should start, Mr Wisely.
You will find a little further up this thread ( I know you have said you don't read flute threads before you ban posters ! ) that the flute in question is supposed to be an accurate copy of a Pratten's Perfected.
These had a good number of keys. Nothing whatsoever like a four key flute of the type recorded as stolen.
That is why I think and am suggesting that neither Pratten nor his maker Hudson would recognise a flute of the type stolen as anything to do with them , were they alive to be asked.
I would recommend for your delight and basic flute education Rick Wilson's excellent website to save you having to ask elementary questions and avoid unneccessary embarassment, though Terry McGee's site would be better if you are really interested in learning anything .. about Prattens !

I doubt that Dale’s identity is so wrapped up in flutes that he would suffer any embarrassment by asking the above question.

We all know that you know your flutes Andrew – no need for condescension to remind us of this.

John Gallagher’s Pratten is actually a copy of #4600 (Boosey). (Yes… I know it would have had 8 keys.)

:roll:

andrewK · Post by **andrewK** » Sat Apr 30, 2005 3:07 pm

Have you a photo, please ?
Is it a band flute ?
There is what appears to be a 5 key band flute on the new site mentioned above with the horrendously highly priced flutes. In the early days they seemed to stamp Pratten's Perfected on anything to help to sell them.
What date is a 4 key Pratten's Perfected supposed to be , and is the lost one as accurate a " copy" as the excellent " Rudall " is supposed to be ?

I don't claim to know much about flutes - just to have too many of the damned things.
Perhaps I should start thinking of 4 keyed flutes which were the bottom end of the market in their 19th century day as something of interest ?

If Mr Wisely had spent a little time reading Terry McGee's Site he could have saved even more time he has spent in disavowing any knowledge of flutes as he does.
I have to wonder about Mr Wisely's motivation in asking his question, of course.

andrewK · Post by **andrewK** » Sat Apr 30, 2005 3:20 pm

Sorry if I sound a bit ratty, Blayne. No sleep for weeks & months on Chemotherapy ,so I am not taking fools as gladly as I might formerly have done !

spittle · Post by **spittle** » Sat Apr 30, 2005 4:56 pm

Sorry for the lack of clarification Andrew, yes the key-block configuration (even lefty configuration?) are of my own, custom request - not the 8-key original from which measurements were taken. That flute, which John's design closely matches, however, is the #4600 which Blayne so eruditely pointed out.

Post by **Dale** » Sat Apr 30, 2005 5:24 pm

andrewK wrote:No joke.
I don't know where your flute education should start, Mr Wisely.
You will find a little further up this thread ( I know you have said you don't read flute threads before you ban posters ! )

You really lack manners. With the exception of spammers, in the history of the board, I've banned 2 posters. One of them wasn't you. And you I allowed back in. And, in spite of that, you've been haughty and rude to me since. It's not my custom to do this kind of thing publicly, but I've had a belly full. I'm sorry about your illness and uncomfortable treatment, but I don't think it excuses this level of discourtesy.

jim stone · Post by **jim stone** » Sat Apr 30, 2005 5:34 pm

But what a memory!