I was surfing through the larkamp.com website, and came across an interesting looking metal keyed flute, purportedly from the 1890s. Interesting indeed, but at 900 bucks, not interesting enough for me to purchase… 
It has a more, um… “cottage” look to it than Clinton’s India flute.
http://www.larkcamp.com/giffiles/AMISJan05/amb067-1.jpg
Clinton (no relation)
Fascinating, but “cottage” is a nice euphemism. One might fear that tone would be questionable, intonation might be dreadful.
The price is ridiculously high unless a) you have tried it and know that my fears are ill-founded or b) it has good provenance and proven antique value.
I’d pay 100 for sheer curiosity value, but not more without knowing much more positive things about it.
I remember seeing that on lark.
For a simple metal flute, I wonder why it seems like no one has reused a Boehm flute or piccolo head and put a simple system tube on it. Seems like it would be an interesting body exchange. After all, you can get at least a half dozen flute heads for the bodies, from shakuhachi to whistle.
made my Doug Tipple’s great grandfather, it was…
worth every penny of the price
Looks like plumbing with valves.