Here’s one for you collecters: http://cgi.ebay.com/Flute-Martin-Lot_W0QQitemZ170061513199QQihZ007QQcategoryZ37977QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
He links to these photos on the eBay page.
http://www.williampetit.com/flute-martin-lot/martin-lot.htm
Is that really a foot extention or should it be used on the body?
It’s a foot register. It’s used to adjust the sounding length of the right-hand portion of the flute – really only necessary if the flute has multiple midsections.
I take it Martin Lot was Louis Lot’s father?
A quick search says that Thomas Lot started the Paris flute-making workshop in 1730, taking over from Naust. He died in 1787. Martin Lot was active from 1743-1783, but I didn’t find the relationship between Thomas and Martin (brothers? father and son?..). Louis Lot’s dates were 1809-1896, which makes it likely that there is at least one, and more likely two generations between the baroque flute makers Thomas and Martin, and the famous classical flute maker.
Hugh
It’s over a thousand bucks with a day left and the reserve isn’t met. It must really be something. Makes me even more glad for my recent good fortune.
Holy Tofrigginledo! 1 hour to go and it’s over $9000!!!
Sorry, it’s not worth it.
Ended at $9500 with reserve not met. This must be one special flute.
IMHO the reserve was just unrealistic.
Good original baroque flutes can be found for much less.
Hmm- Wonder if this person really wanted to sell or was just fishing for information on what folks might be willing to pay- maybe for appraisal purposes. It’s interesting to note that three of the bidders (including the $9500 bidder) were first-timers. Don’t know what that means- maybe that this type of instrument is better sold through another venue…
I agree with springrobin. According to his website, William Petit seems to have sold several Lot baroque flutes, among other instruments.
Maybe he was just trying to find out how much ebay users would pay for instruments he normally sells in his shop…
The last “non-zero-feedback-user” bid was at 3750$. Already a good price for a one keyed flute on ebay.
And maybe he’s now reading this forum… I remember that comments posted here had some influence on ebay auctions for Rudalls 
I don’t think that the seller had any intention of selling the flute on ebay. He has an attractive website, selling all kinds of early instruments, and it seems to me that he would prefer to sell directly from his website, hence the large reserve price. I’m guessing that he uses ebay to advertise to a huge international audience and to attract potential customers to his website and that he will use the ebay bidding to help validate a high selling price. It seems very unusual that a first time bidder (shill?) on ebay would bid $9,000 for an old flute. I like the first bidder who bid $2.50. Now there is a person who speaks my language.