I was wondering if any-one knows something about Beranger&Buffet, flutemakers who made flutes around 1850. I have also another name on the flute which is Eric de Thié I think. Hope somebody knows something 
Thanks guys and gals!
Bodhro,
I am probably just going to muddy the waters here, but here goes. The best known of the Buffet firms was founded by Denis Buffet-Auget in 1825. He was succeeded by his son Jean-Louis in around 1830. Everything from this firm that was made after 1844 would have been labeled “Buffet-Crampon.” There was also a Louis-Auguste Buffet appears to have had a shop in Paris from 1830-1885. Now we have to deal with the Thibouvilles, who seem to have partnered with just about every instrument maker in France during the 19th century. Thibouville-Buffet was listed as a maker from 1857-1864, and was succeeded by Thibouville-Beranger (1864-1869 or 1870) and Thibouville-Cabart (1869-1880?). Somewhere around 1880 the instruments were just labeled “Cabart,” a name that continued until the 1970’s, when the firm was bought by Loree. The best guess I can come up with is that a Beranger-Buffet flute would have been a collaboration with Louis-Auguste and made before 1864.
Could you let us know what all is engraved in the flute? I don’t know if that would help, but I would be interested to know. I saw a flute listed as Beranger-Buffet on eBay a while back, offered by someone in Bulgaria. There was a circular logo on the head joint but it was not readable from the photo. I’m betting that Terry McGee can answer this without resorting to speculation.
It would likely do well to source your info. If personal research, then that’s pretty cool you have that at your recall command.
But I suspect it’s lifted from Langwill’s. If so, say so.
If not…I’m impressed.
Sorry, David, I should have done so. I didn’t have handy access to a Langwills so most of this came from Eric Hoeprich’s “The Clarinet.” Hoeprich cites Langwills frequently but has done a lot of his own research. Some of the rest came from notes I’d made researching the background of my viola which is a product of the Thibouville-Lamy workshop. Most of that came from Henley’s “Dictionary of Violin and Bow Makers.”
The NLI gives the range as 1864 to 1869/70 or a little later. Strange, given Beranger died in 1865. I guess one you’ve spent all that money on a new stamp! Jansen describes trying to work out the meanderings of the Thibouvilles as a “nightmare”.
Could you let us know what all is engraved in the flute? I don’t know if that would help, but I would be interested to know. I saw a flute listed as Beranger-Buffet on eBay a while back, offered by someone in Bulgaria. There was a circular logo on the head joint but it was not readable from the photo. I’m betting that Terry McGee can answer this without resorting to speculation.
Certainly, but not without resorting to the NLI. If it is visible, and I assume it is or we wouldn’t suspect if of being what we suspect it of being, we might expect:
(Lyre)
BERANGER
Succr. de Thibl.
BUFFET
TB [monogram]
No mention of a cartouche (oval border around the mark) in the NLI, but they were pretty common at the time and in that family.
Terry
Here’s a link to the one I saw on eBay.
Hi guys this is the one I bought on ebay for less than the asking price after I made an offer. Thanks for the info. I just put new cork on the tenons and it plays wonderful. No cracks a really OLD flut according to the cork inside!; The flute is indeed stamped on all pieces with Beranger on the top of the stamp and Buffet underneath with in the middle another name which I would describe as eric r De Thie r or something in that order. A fine antique flute in perfectcondition for not much money thanks for the info!!!
Ron
I took a closer look at all the stamps and it is :
BERANGER
Succr. de Thibl.
BUFFET
What does this mean I can’t follow the history…what is NLE
NLI is “The New Langwill Index: A Dictionary of Musical Wind-Instrument Makers and Inventors,” by William Waterhouse. I looked in WorldCat and could not locate a copy at a library in Belgium; which doesn’t mean there might not be one. There are several copies that come up in libraries in the Netherlands. It might be worth a road trip or perhaps your local library could get a copy through inter-library loan. If you go to this page:
http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/87239408&referer=brief_results
and use Netherlands in the “Enter Your Location” box (if it isn’t there already), you will get a listing.
Thanks Mike I do appreciate this! All the best!
@Terry : I left the inside cork stopper where its been all these years, I oiled the flute already several times and play it in gently. The cork doesn’t has any defects or mold and I can play G and D faultless in three octaves without deforming the note. Measured with a Korg tuner. No cracks at all, Rosewood and hardly touched. I’m very chuffed with this one! Thanks to everybody I’m off now for two weeks Ireland!!!