Flute Photos!!! Come post your flute pictures :)

[jemtheflute]

Not "nach Meyer", "nach Metzler" - 'twas a joke.....

But seriously, Thalatta, I'm not the source of this Metzlerisation - I agree, to my eye these are generic mid C19th London flutes, what I believe Harry Bradley terms "English gentlemen's flutes" - with fair grounds. I think it is (and I mean no disrespect whatever) Jon C who started this thing of suggesting unstamped flutes that look reminiscent of stamped Metzlers, especially if they have "AL" stamped keys, may be actually from the Metzler workshops..... and while that is certainly a possibility, there is no confirmatory evidence and little likelihood of any.

On balance, I'm inclined to think that unless they are stamped "Metzler", they aren't Metzler. That style of flute was, as you suggest, pretty common, with or without embouchure bands, with or without bushed tone-holes - both typical but not uniquely Metzler features. And, in the light of my growing experience of the matter, it is becoming increasingly probable to me that key-makers and furnishers of other metal parts to flute makers were not necessarily "in-house", viz a key-maker's identical stamps turning up on stamped flutes by different makers as well as on assorted anonymous ones. That A. Liddle certainly made keys for Metzler does not imply that he only made keys for Metzler or that every flute with AL keys must have at least some connection (other than AL) with the Metzler output. All this is a question of the logical limits of the interpretation of available evidence (something my background as an archaeologist makes me fairly careful about).

So, if Jon has been saying that these flutes look Metzlerish and some other members here have picked up on that and conversed about it (and I do not exclude myself from that company - Mark P and sponge might be others thus influenced...), there's your explanation. I have, however, here or on Facebook, previously pointed out the need for circumspection in what extrapolations may safely or legitimately be made from the evidence. We should not be straying into art-critic-like subjective, purely "feel for style" based attributions with these artefacts.

[MarkP]

yep, I agree, my fault in part. I put up the pictures of the one I bought on E-bay without any knowledge of what it was and Jon and Jem were extremely helpful and generous in commenting and advising on it in Metzler-ish terms. Talking with Jem and looking at more examples since then (like Chris Coreline's) I've no reason to assume it has to be from the Metzler workshop other than the uncanny similarity in construction, measurements and Liddle silverware. I don't care too much as it now sounds lovely once familiar with the embouchure.

[Holmes]

These have been through the quick wash and brush up and have turned out well enough to post. The individual pics; the F has PTFE on bottom tenon.

Boosey, Pratten in F & D

D - Boosey & Co 28? Holles St serial# 7938
F - Boosey & Co Regent St serial # 13620 - Regent St indicates a later model by far.

[planxtydt]

Embouchure hole on Peter Noy thinned headjoint.


End cap detail.

[planxtydt]

Another Noy endcap. THE RINGS ARE HAMMERED (intentionally) !

[Latticino]

These are really some beauties guys. In response to the "Nach Meltzer" thread, here is my recently self restored one. Sorry for the awful photography, I couldn't find my tripod (the wood is actually a very nicely figured cocus):

[ericdesouza]

Mine Flute collection:

[jemtheflute]

Very tasty, ericdesouza...... labelling, please? What are they?

[Gabriel]

Top to bottom:

Grinter
Rudall
Olwell
Boosey
Firth/Hall/Pond

The photo has been posted earlier by someone else. See here: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=8997&start=565

Here is my new Aebi Rudall. It is a gorgeous flute. I haven't found anything that's not great about it yet.



The pewter plugs work flawlessly, the low C and C# are incredibly strong. The low E is very stable as well. The inner tuning slide appears to be copper (or red tombac), which looks nice as it's quite unusual.

[brotherwind]

The pewter plugs work flawlessly, the low C and C# are incredibly strong. The low E is very stable as well. The inner tuning slide appears to be copper (or red tombac), which looks nice as it's quite unusual.

Nice one!! I whish I had the C and C# keys. Maybe in the future... On My Aebi R&R the low E speeks especially well while venting Eb. It almost barks.
Do you experience a difference in the size of the embouchure whole compared to your Aebi Pratten?

Cheers, Moritz

[Gabriel]

On the new one the embouchure hole seems even bigger. I haven't measured it yet. I also notice that the headjoint is rather thin, it just measures 27.5mm dia. at the embouchure hole, that makes a chimney height of 4.25mm. 4.5 to 5mm are usualy standard. But whatever, the flute works nicely...

[Akiba]

Gab,

Congrats on the new Aebii Rudall. Looks great, and I'm sure in your hands, sounds great as well. Post any clips yets of it? You really have me thinking about investing in the Swiss master in the future. Just a few more St Paddy's gigs and I may be able to afford one in about a decade.

jason

[Gabriel]

I certainly can vouch for Aebi flutes...it is a shame that Tom's flutes aren't so widely spread. They play in the same league as Olwell, Wilkes & Co. - if people only knew...

I am going to record some samples for Tom's website next weekend. I can share them in the clips thread as well then.

[Berti66]

steffen, that sounds like a fab idea
berti

[helgew]

Hi there,

I found the chiff and fipple community when searching for bits of information about this little instrument, this is my first post



I started playing the flute a short time ago and got this simple piccolo really cheap (I confess that I bought it out of curiosity and because it looks so sweet *cough*). I just finished cleaning it (cork and pads are missing, now) so I can't tell if it plays well.
There is no label on it, the keys are made of german silver and there are no cracks in the beautiful black grenadilla wood.