Claude Laurent Crystal flute on eBay!

[Casey Burns]

Overall though the glass is intact and has the data that I need, more or less. Tiny glass chips could be restored with an optical rated epoxy, such as what they use to repair dings in windshields. The metal could all be restored - and replaced where not restorable. Michael Hubbert would be the one I would trust with this as his artistry is superb. The staining of the glass may be another matter, though a careful cleaning of the bore with a high proof alcohol such as Everclear might be all that is needed. One could spend a fortune restoring it.

I've been wondering what pitches these glass flutes play. I read a report on Early Flute where someone had borrowed the two at the Metropolitan Museum for a performance somewhere. Both played at A-420.

I suspect its a snowball's chance in hell as far as winning it, despite still being the high bidder this morning. The other bids are getting close to mine. The Vichy specimen with the broken foot joint auctioned on Saturday for 3600 Eu (almost $5000). There is much interest, several views of the page and questions to the seller about shipping, etc. My final bid isn't that high. I really hope Sergey gets a fair price for his family heirloom and that someone here on the West Coast (Jon are you bidding?) gets it. It ends really late at night here and most Americans will be fast asleep digesting barbecued ribs. It will be Tuesday morning in the UK. I plan to stay up for it. So we shall see......

At this point new tires for my Honda and saving up for quarterly taxes in June seems more prudent. I also am taking possession of some 196 flutes worth of perfect blackwood that has been well stored since 1985, and need to pay for that somehow.

And I'll just have to get my data from measuring museum specimens. Sometime in the fall I'll be on the East Coast again and will have the correct tools (all plastic tipped) and more time to spend in museums. Its still a back burner project to make copies of these someday. I was hoping to have time this spring to work on this but instead I was slammed with too many Folk Flute orders until I rose my price. I am still getting lots of Folk Flute orders despite the price increase.

Casey

[psychodonald]

Well Casey, I wish you all the luck; hope you can win it and not have to spend a fortune to do so. To say the least it is an interesting item; I only hope I look that good at 188 years old.

[Casey Burns]

Am thinking now that its going to go beyond my budget. On the other hand, I could get it, get the data I need off of it, do a minimal restoration on it, and turn around and sell it and get my money back. I might proceed on that theory.

It will be a late night.....

Casey

[Casey Burns]

Well I am not going to get it - that is for certain. Highest I want to go is $2000 and someone is already a higher bidder (even though the price is set at $1975. My guess is that if I bid at $3000 that I will still be outbid.

At least I will sleep well tonight, and be able to afford the new tires my car needs this week.

Casey

[Casey Burns]

Woke up to watch it. Was still at $1975 so I couldn't avoid teasing it up a little. But someone scooped it at the last minute at $4761. Not a bad price for the seller and not a bad price for the buyer.

Back to bed......I got flutes to make in the morning.

Casey

[Jayhawk]

That's not bad at all. Glad it worked out both for the seller and the buyer!

Eric

[Casey Burns]

Someone in the US won it. I wonder who.....

Casey

[RudallRose]

I know a fellow who owns 3.....chances are it might be him. I'll ask.

I've played them.....and they are very heavy flutes.....with a very interesting tone.

Very cool, though.

The one's I played belonged to Napoleon.....yes.....*that* Napoleon.

[Jon C.]

It would be a interesting flute to work on, but kind of risky!

[RudallRose]

nope. Not him.
He was underbidder, he says.

He says the flute is legit, as is the seller.
Shipping it out of Moscow, however, different bird entirely.

anyways....great price on a terrific collectible. They can fetch >$15,000 depending on for whom it was made, etc.

[apossibleworld]

Several people recently received emails from the seller, offering to sell it directly now for $8000. Well what happened to the ebay bid? Presumably it was a shill bid from himself. Pristine Laurents are worth lots of money, but this one certainly is not. He was lucky to get the high bid that he got, and shouldn't have pushed his luck.

[an seanduine]

Several people recently received emails from the seller, offering to sell it directly now for $8000. Well what happened to the ebay bid? Presumably it was a shill bid from himself.

There are so many kinds of fish in the ocean. . .

Bob

[psychodonald]

If, indeed, the post by apossibleworld is correct, I find the behavior on the part of the seller, olm.serge, very disturbing!!!!

[tomsilver]

Hi I have a Claude Laurant 1821 Flute. Does anyone know about these crystal flutes???

[radcliff]

Hi Tom,
those are actually quite colletionable ones, you should post us a photo : )