Hi
There are some fine old flutes on this page for your viewing and study,
www.heatherbreeze.com also a couple with a little past history.
What prices !!
What continent are they on ?
( They seem to be shy in admitting where they live ).
For the beginner, are these prices generally low or high or about the norm.
I’m always interested in how one values antiques. My only point for comparision is this site.
http://home.comcast.net/~musictreasures/antiflut2.htm
4200 $ for a Metzler high pitch!!! IMHO, even with beautiful rings, that’s completely ridiculous. (Remember that Metzler some guy paid 430$ on ebay and tried to sell here immediately after for 1500?)
Or are they talking about moldo-valachian dollars?
Well i suppose condition and how these old antiques play today may be a factor as it seems some are in excellent condition,and not altered or changed from original.
Most of these things are potboilers.
These boxwood 4 keys were the cheapos of their day.
I sold a D’Almaine recently to a fellow in Denmark in fine condition for around £ 215. Here they are asking $ 2000 for anything similar.
The Potter looks nice, but one just as nice sold for a fraction of the price in Florida or some such votorcorrupt area for a fraction of the price ten days ago.
I can’t see anything tasty at all ( though I might get another Potter for the hell of it )
A one key Richard Potter would be nice.
( Though the ebony WH Potters can be really fine ).
Not there though, wherever "there "is.
If Iwere to sell all my flutes for these fancy prices I would need a big binbag to put all the £50 notes in !
Unreal !
Who pays these prices ?
As we have been told before probably nobody, as the stock seems to stagnate in these expensive shops.
If you like these prices, I can sell you a nice bridge in London, for a real good deal!
Jon
Pity you can’t offer me a nice bridge in Bhagdad, but some fool has knocked them all down !
dwinterfield:
I you want to know “normal” prices, you can for example have a look at the vintage instruments page at Lark in the morning http://www.larkcamp.com/oneofakind.html , that’s a lot more reasonable. Or http://vintage-instruments.com/ , even Tony Bingham http://www.oldmusicalinstruments.co.uk is cheaper!
glinjack:
Those flutes are probably in very good playing conditions, but for 3500 dollar I can have an unrepaired Rudall & Rose.
(edited to make the links active)
Your flutes are much more reasonable, Mr Glinjack !
How much for an already repaired one, Matt ?
I paid mine 1800 euros…
I think its nice to be able to view photos of old flutes regardless of what prices are on them, i believe the only people who get upset are those who want to buy them at a fraction of their price, anyway its great to view these old antiques.
i got to play that boxwood Pratten in F and it’s a nice flute and could be even dandier with a tad of attention.
For one man’s opinion.
Based on experience (since I haven’t played anyone of these particular ones), this looks like the most expensive collection of junk I’ve seen. None of these flutes look like that they are either:
- in modern pitch
- most are non tunable
- very small holes
Maybe some may be of interest to a collecter, but a quality demanding musician would be sorely dissappointed.
And based on that assessment the prices are wishful thinking at best.
Good luck.
Sven
Hi I get the idea that you are certainly not educated on antiques or antique flutes, certainly a large amount of antique flutes are untuneable
and some have small toneholes and quite a number are not in modern
concert pitch, those flutes were made 150–200 years ago and were cherished by the flute players of that era as they are sought after today by
collectors of early flutes and players of early flute music
I dont know what type of music you play but based on what i read on your quote i believe you are a modern plastic–flute player.
all the best.
back to the future.
But most of the offerings are NOT what would appeal to the baroque enthusiast, especially as they are from the wrong ( intermediate ) era.
One or two may have some charm in their low pitch, if they have it. We are not told, as I remember.
They were in the 1820s & 40s the bottom end of the market.
Now just because they have some age they are thaught of as " antiques ", and overpriced.
Ho Andrew,
I believe any item over 100 years old can be termed antique, but as regards
antique flutes we feel they should be at least 150 years,
I sort of enjoy the feedback from my posting of that flute page, i had mentioned “a study of old flutes” nobody is twisting our arm to make us buy
any of these flutes, obviously the prices are high on some of these flutes
maybe the owner does"nt want to part with some of them,
I would like to see more lists of old flutes on here just for viewing, it would be
interesting.
cheers.
" theres a shoe for every foot and a foot for every shoe"
glinjack wrote:
Hi I get the idea that you are certainly not educated on antiques or antique flutes, certainly a large amount of antique flutes are untuneable
and some have small toneholes and quite a number are not in modern
concert pitch, those flutes were made 150–200 years ago and were cherished by the flute players of that era as they are sought after today by
collectors of early flutes and players of early flute music
I dont know what type of music you play but based on what i read on your quote i believe you are a modern plastic–flute player.
all the best.back to the future.
You may be jumping to a quick faulty conclusion about my experience, but that’s up to you. My judgement is based not as a collector but as a professional flute player and the value I place on a flute from that perspective. I play a 1879 Boosey Pratten Perfected among others.
Cheers.