8-key Wilkes - sold

[JessieK]

I listed my Wilkes flute and some other instruments:

http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?V ... ude=0&rd=1

[andrew]

Chris Wilkes has asked me to say that he finds scurrilous the suggestion that he has ever sold a repaired flute as new . He is furious.
He says that the flute illustrated is around 15 or so years old, and may be the one he sold to a party reluctant to be named, who he believes only stayed with him some years after the sale of the one illustrated, on the occasion of taking delivery of a Pratten model.
He has never offered anybody the choice of flutes and headjoints.
If it is the flute Chris thinks,the vendor of the flute he might confirm what Chris says, to restore Chris's reputation which he feels has been sullied.

[ChrisLaughlin]

Perhaps Mr. Wilkes himself ought to take this issue up with the previous owner rather than having Mr. Crawford dispute the issue with Jessie, who is merely passing on the information she was provided with at the time of purchase.

Chris

[jim stone]

Second this.

Two points seem plain.
First, it's extremely unlikely that Chris W would sell
a repaired flute as new.
Second, Jessie meant no offense and is sincerely
reporting what she was told.

Jessie, maybe it would be a good idea to amend the
ad--as the maker denies the report you were
given and of course is unhappy with it,
which I'm sure you don't intend.

The flute looks lovely, but I want that cat.

[andrew]

Chris Wilkes is not sure who the original owner was, or even if the original owner sold the flute to Jessie, or indeed what the person who did sell the flute on told Jessie.
Jessie expressed surprise that Chris should have done such a bad thing as to deceive the purchaser, which only made him more annoyed, as she didn't see fit to check with him before casting aspersions.
Who is this Mr Crawford ?
Mr Laughlin's ideas of merely repeating a defamation is bad in law.

[jim stone]

Chris Wilkes is not sure who the original owner was, or even if the original owner sold the flute to Jessie, or indeed what the person who did sell the flute on told Jessie.
Jessie expressed surprise that Chris should have done such a bad thing as to deceive the purchaser, which only made him more annoyed, as she didn't see fit to check with him before casting aspersions.
Who is this Mr Crawford ?
Mr Laughlin's ideas of merely repeating a defamation is bad in law.

If I may take this sentence by sentence, Chris has no reason to
doubt that Jessie was told what she reported, given the
first sentence, nor does he suggest he does.

She expressed simple amazement that Chris sold as new a repaired flute,
but there was no judgement involved or implication that
Chris was deceitful. Simple amazement is a combination of
surprise and confusion. She wasn't intending to cast
aspersions. This really does seem a fair and charitable view of things,
though I certainly understand why Chris doesn't like
it.

The point that it is a good idea to check such information
with the maker before posting an ad like this one strikes
me as well taken, however.

[andrew]

Indeed Mr Wilkes does have a reason to doubt that Jessie merely reported what she was told, Jim.
The vendor of the flute ( in a transaction only made in the last few weeks ) has confirmed that he made no allegation that the flute was damaged and repaired when sold new.
Some years after the flute was bought and taken to Arizona ( seemingly a graveyard for flutes ) Mr Wilkes visited the purchaser and may have effected repairs then.

"even more amazed that Chris didn't bring it to his attention when it was selected for a new flute " would suggest deceit to many !

[Blackwood]

I've known Chris for years. Besides being a master at his craft he is also a top notch individual, who is extremely proud and meticulous of the work he does. Chris would never sell a damaged or inferior product as new.

In fact, he just made me a brand new head for my Boosey Pratten and it is absolutely marvelous!

[Loren]

Does Chris mark his instruments with serial numbers and keep an Opus book with records of the buyers as well as repairs performed?

No offense meant to anyone, but this really should be an issue between the parties directly involved - Jessie is an honorable person and I have little doubt she'd update us, and her ebay ad, should someone (reliable) provide proof that what she was told is not the truth. In the mean time, having someone else speak for the maker in question is simply asking for trouble, especially when expressing anger.

Loren

[toddyboy50]

Chris Wilkes exemplifies the old world artist-craftsman that has become so rare to find. While I'm sure that Jessie didn't purposely mean any disparagement of his work, given that Chris literally lives to create perfection in flutes and his reputation is impeccable, it's easy to understand how it this would be taken as a slap in the face ....unfortunately I have to agree with Andrew here -putting second-hand information to the world through Ebay often risks a bad outcome

[jim stone]

Let me add these last thoughts:

It's obvious to me that one doesn't get the reputation for
mastery that Wilkes enjoys by doing shoddy things.

I've known Jessie for several years, and she is as
honest and forthright as anyone I know; if anything to
a fault. I do not read her as casting aspersions--though
it's obvious why what she said caused offense.
I assure you, however, that if she had beleived
deceitful practice was involved she either would have
said nothing or said what she thought in the clearest
terms, not expressed mere amazement.
I appeal to people not to read nuance into what she
said--some of us aren't nuanced, you see.
Not Jessie, certainly, if I may say so; nor myself.

I hope the ad will be changed.
Best to all, Jim

[ChrisLaughlin]

Who is this Mr Crawford ?

There is a very talented, friendly, polite and personable box-maker, Andrew Crawford, who makes boxes for wooden flutes. My mind slipped and somehow confused the two of you. Strange, since you haven't got much in common besides flutes and a first name.

Chris

[andrew]

Cheap as usual !
( though I didn't realise your mind had anywhere to slip down to ! )
At least we can never accuse Jim of that sort of thing.

[Nanohedron]

Cheap as usual !
( though I didn't realise your mind had anywhere to slip down to ! )
At least we can never accuse Jim of that sort of thing.

Charming.

[Denny]

Cheap as usual !
( though I didn't realise your mind had anywhere to slip down to ! )
At least we can never accuse Jim of that sort of thing.

Charming.

...as always!