This looks nice, I’ve heard of this guy before, makes nice flutes apparently… Hehe!!!
And it’s already more than I can afford… That said, to all you great flute makers out there, many of whom are on this forum, your flutes are worth it and probably worth much more. I do wish I could own one of these…
But I being just a poet,
Alas can only show it!
I played this flute about two weeks ago. Solid, solid work. Tuning is immaculate. Keywork is among the best I’ve ever encountered, including Olwell.
Someone will be very fortunate to acquire this gem of a flute.
and how it sound like?
the seller (yes, we are taliking of a C&F user 
) is departing from this beauty quite soon…
dam, if only I have more money… 
an 8 keyed flute could be nice for me!
ehi Jay, may I have a bit discount price? 
OMG! I am sorely tempted to let go of my down payment on a Grinter (expected in a few months) and jump on this one.
It’s a fantastic flute. It is a Wilkes after all, and his reputation was built on flutes like this one. This Wilkes is newer than the Wilkes played by Kevin Crawford on his D Flute album. That should give you an idea what this flute is capable of.
I’m selling because I need money. 
If you have any questions, you know where to find me…though I’ll be out of town the next couple of days with limited internet. Consider this sale advertised here as well. I’m not opposed to cancelling the ebay listing should I get a respectable offer from a Chiffer.
Best,
Jay
Does anyone know how this flute would fit a piper’s grip?
Update: Just got the following answer from Master Chris:
all that I can sat is that It quite old . probably around 1992.
Would it work with straight fingers??
Yes
I am actually not a huge fan of the sound of Crawford’s flute on his ‘d’ Flute album. It was a little too honky or something. It is nothing against his playing, for his playing is top notch. I am just not that much of a fan of the sound of the flute.
Didn’t he play a Wilkes Pratten on his d flute album?
I just went a-googling… His myspace page mentions that he plays a Grinter in Bb, but doesn’t say what his D flute is. It certainly looks like a Wilkes, though…
Pat
I asked Kevin once what her preferred, and he told me Rudall all the way.
Yes, but to my knowledge, he actually played a Pratten on that album. He switched to a Grinter Rudall in D later on, and that’s what he was playing when I met him at a workshop a year ago. He got two identical Grinter Rudalls in D. 
Does anybody have any info (hands on would be nice) about
the weight of this Wilkes? Lots of silver, silver channeled blocks
and so on, can add up.
Jim, I’d expect the Wilkes to weigh pretty much the same as the 8 key Grinter you had (nearly a pound-440gm).
Hugh
If Crawford plays the same flute as on the album cover, it looks to me like a 19th century, small bore flute (the foot of the flute points out of the photo…). I heard somewhere that he liked the sound, but not the tuning, and that he asked Grinter to keep the sound, but improve the tuning, which is why he switched to a modern flute. I can’t vouch for the accuracy of my recollection, or my source!
Hugh
I sent a message to him, to come answer these question… 
I’m going to recant my statement about Kevin playing a similar flute on his D Flute album. I remember hearing that he was playing a Wilkes, and think he sounds great on that album. Nevertheless, I certainly don’t want to misrepresent this flute should I be wrong.
It doesn’t change that this is a Wilkes, it plays beautifully, and it’s still for sale.
All the best,
Jay
As far as I know Kevin Crawford used an 8 keyed Wilkes Rudall type in D flute CD, the same that apperars in the cover (and the same model that I own made by Wilkes too). He had as well a Pratten Wilkes in Eb, but I think he used it for Moving Cloud recordings.
After that he switched to Grinter flutes in all the keys you know: D, Eb, Bb and C.
Regards,
S.
i second what smoro said.
Sale pending.
Best,
Jay
mmm, sold, or so it seems…
dear jay, how much money you required for such beauty?
(I’ll definitly need an 8 keys sometimes…)