Hello everyone.
On Ebay, there is a keyless blackwood D flute for sale. The seller(s) believe it to be an antique French instrument. I myself, reckon its a modern Irish flute, but I don’t know who made it. Here is a link to the instrument; http://www.ebay.com/itm/Superb-Vintage-Wooden-Grenadilla-Flute-Key-less-8-hole-Restored-Key-of-D-/221332713480?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3388753008
I have no connection with the seller.
Correct me if I’m wrong with this assumption.
Read the description there. It’s impressive!
Impressive? Really.. Way to much for my taste! I wouldn’t even consider buying this flute after that sales ad!
Wow…talk about either a misleading sales ad or someone with a remarkable lack of knowledge of antique and modern wooden flutes. That’s clearly a modern flute, without a makers name it could be from the early years when people were just starting to make keyless Irish flutes or it could be a 10 year old flute from Pakistan for all we know.
Sheesh. I sent the seller a note asking why they thought it was an antique, and I explained how it had to be a much more recently made flute than they think unless someone sawed off all the block and plugged all the holes for the keys.
I’ll post back if the seller responds, but I do not believe they will. At that price, no matter the flute’s age, they’re clearly trying to rip people off…or they got ripped off by whoever sold it to them. Found in a French attic where it was stored for years? Really? Yet being sold by a music shop is Michigan and it takes months to restore a flute like that (how bad is their technician if it took them that long)?
Eric
“Best of all, she had no keys dragging her down.”
That’s a relief because I hate it when that happens.
Kirk
Here’s what the seller responded:
We believe this is a vintage flute. we cannot date the flute, but it was made long before 1970
Irish flutes …Key Less Irish flutes were used and played long long ago before 1970; flutes with no keys have been around for hundreds and hundreds of years
the foot joint we believe may have been a more recent addition, or modification to improve intonation.
I believe we will have to agree to disagree on our facts.
Best Wishes
Too bad they didn’t include photo’s prior to the restoration, that would have made their story a little more credible, perhaps. As it is, I certainly have my doubts, and $1,700.00 for that flute is just way too high IMHO.
The seller didn’t like that I pointed out that keyless flutes were not common (or even around) from the baroque era through the 1970s. I can’t think of a picture or an example in a museum of a totally keyless flute that wasn’t a flute with the key’s pulled off and the holes plugged by an Irish trad player.
The person is totally full of it and really has no idea what they’re selling. It should not take that long to restore a keyless flute…that’s just nuts.
Eric
Ah, yes, the very fulsome Ms Kampe of Winds101. Her English is rather poor and her descriptions hyperbolic to say the least. She does have some very good and interesting flutes and her website is well presented apart from the verbals. Her prices are often as hyperbolic as her descriptions, mind. And no, you can’t argue with or inform her. I’ve had a couple of “discussions” with her on FB or eBay… Also the repair tech she uses (I believe) is Jerry Schurr, who knows his stuff (see his own website). As for the flute in Q, it doesn’t look to me to be sub-continental… Can’t say much more than that.
Jerry Schurr is reputable…so maybe it is a good flute, but wow…I hope it’s an unmarked early Olwell at that price! It still should not take months to do what is listed on the ad…
Eric
Indeed. If it really did (maybe work backlog wait? 
). More sales spiel hyperbole, I’d say.
Because it’s freakin’ freezing where I’m at and I am therefore highly tetchy (18f and dropping…heading slowly towards -10 tomorrow night), I wrote back to the seller, gave links to Terry McGee’s site, Rick Wilson’s site and the Dayton Miller site…doubt the ad will change, but it’s beyond hyperbole…it’s dishonest.
Eric
The thing is, there’s always someone willing to buy “powdered horn of the Unicorn” 
Bob
Well, they changed their ad after my second email and sent me a nice note that they were not trying to be misleading. It’s still really highly priced, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a nice flute that was restored or improved by Jerry Schurr.
Eric
There are still several misleading statements.
She is authentic, French heritage…We do not know the maker – It might have been found in an attic in France, but does that mean it has a French heritage?
…a full restoration … took months to complete – Is spending five minutes once a week over a period of several months the same thing as a full restoration taking months to complete? Two hours for this job sounds about right.
What does this mean: "…the added foot joint with double undercut tone holes"? What are “double undercut tone holes?”
At the top of the page: Returns: 14 days money back, buyer pays return shipping
At the bottom of the page: We must be contacted within 72 hours of receipt of instrument if you wish to return. Upon the 4th day if we do not hear from you [it’s] a final sale
I find all of this delicious in a twisted sort of way. Like a 419 Nigerian scam. Who would fall for this crap?
Julia, sadly, I’ll bet somebody will. P.T. Barnum said it best, “There’s a sucker born every minute.”
OK, really nice email from the seller I’m sharing here to clear up the whole “intent” issue…
Dear Eric:
I want to thank you for your assistance with this instrument. This is our first “Irish key less” flute, we have little experience in time dating the instrument, and were wrong regarding its heritage and date of make. Jerry did overhaul this instrument; it was sitting in a box of dirt however that does not make it vintage.
Jerry and I did much research, and received quite an education. We are grateful to you for your links.
We also contacted Mr. David Shorey of Antique Flutes, who wrote:
**
Hi Liz,
This is a modern flute from stem to stern. It is neither French nor antique. The foot looks right in place with the body. In fact, this looks like a very lovely Irish style keyless flute; considering the apparent quality of the slide, rings, tone holes and embouchure!
All the very best, David
**
We will be re listing this flute at a later date, as apparently so assumed we were trying to sell a cheap flute for a huge profit.
Though embarrassing, this has been quite a learning experience.
Eric, much thanks for your kind help and best wishes for a healthy happy New Year 2014
Eric
Fair play to both you and LK, Eric! I’m a bit surprised Jerry Schurr didn’t know it for what it was and tell her, though.
Thanks for your work on this, Eric.
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Have to say I was puzzled by this description (for Rare French 19th Century Rose Wood Flute Colonne Pere Bourdeaux (France) .925) too…
This flute is a very high grade instrument, it is the first flute that we have come across that has no need for a tuning barrel and was not made with a tuning barrel, as the intonation is built into the flute.
Because 1. I’ve never seen a flute with built-in intonation and 2. I could have sworn they’d had photos of a flute with a separate barrel up there at some stage!