I came across this flute on eBay. The current bid price looks reasonable, but I have no idea what antique flutes in this condition usually sell for. Does anyone else?
If it’s fully fettled, it ought to command at least £1K IMO, even in today’s slack market. It’ll be interesting to see the upshot. If anyone gets it for less, they’re doing well, especially as it’s pretty much a full original kit. The vendor is Paul McGlinchey.
There was a similar Boosey advertised as being in immaculate condition and presumably sold on Done Deal a few months ago.
The advertised price was 850 euros.
It’s getting harder to predict the ultimate outcome of antique flute auction sales, as the downward spiral in values appears to be continuing. The last couple of Boosey Prattens I’ve noticed recently went for around the £700. mark ( neither as well appointed and in as good condition as this example ) but I suppose, as with all auctions, it just needs two people bidding who want it badly enough to throw all predictions out of the window, and this one has just been given further advertising space.
Probably many people watching this instrument. Nice original box with keys, and accessories to boot. What year would this have been made, would this be a high-pitched Boosey?
There’s a video linked in eBay. Play along and see! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMb-ECqn9KU
Well Thomas, If Terry Mc Gee’s chart is accurate, the last on the table is serial no. 19334 and this is listed as around 1910.? The question mark would appear to make this a guesstimate. So it may be early 20th. Century. see link below:
£695 = €904 = 8507 Swedish kronor = $1,010. Cheap for a working 8-key vintage or modern simple system flute. Hope it plays at A=440
Well, £695.00 is incredibly close to the £700 estimate that TWO TOOTS gave.
Antique flutes certainly aren’t going for the prices they used to get, and if the forum was not alerted this one might have gone for even less. In this market, the only Boosey eight key flutes that would push much higher would be those rare examples that are marked “R.S. Pratten’s Perfected.”
Did you check out the video demo for pitch? I’m not in a position to over the weekend.
Well here’s the flutini analysis:
It’s hard to tell from the clip, but to me it looks as if he has the tuning slide all pushed in… so maybe he just didn’t make any attempt to get it anywhere close to A=440Hz?
I checked it using a tone generator, and I got roughly D=600hz, which would put it at about A=450. But he did have the tuning slide pretty much all of the way in, so I’m guessing it could be played at 440. I thought about bidding on it, about £700 would have been my limit due to my budget. Seems like a nice flute at a good price for whoever snapped it up.
bigsciota wrote " I thought about bidding on it, about £700 would have been my limit due to my budget."
It’s a pity you didn’t take the plunge - you might have bid just enough to take it. I know hindsight is a wonderful thing, but it would have been satisfying to know a forum member came through.
I asked the seller about the pitch. He initially thought it was fairly high pitched, but after checking it he said:
“Hi, just checked it. Actually is better than I thought, in tune with slide out about 1cm. Sounding length is 58cm.”
In light of this information I decided to bid on this one, but I was too cheap to win it, as usual! I have noticed that I am nearly always the second highest bidder, which means I basically determine the selling price, but don’t actually win. 
I guess it is a very small market, and if I stopped bidding, you guys would get your flutes for half the price! 
Yeah, it is a lovely flute. But I only saw it last night, and while it sounds like a great flute, I tend to like to take my time with purchases to make sure I know what I’m getting into (especially if I’m sending $1,000 to an ebay seller for an instrument I haven’t played). I’ll be ready to buy a good keyed flute soon enough, though, and it’s heartening to know there are some nice ones for much less than the $3,000 newly made ones usually go for.
Seems like a very reasonable price to me, if it plays well. And that’s a big “if”.
I’ve tried literally hundreds of old cocus 19th century 8-key London-made flutes, and the majority just don’t play well. It’s probably mostly due to their condition, having leaks somewhere.
But even flutes which have been gone over professionally and are free of leaks can have feeble Low D’s, bad tuning, and so forth.
I learned a long time ago to only put my money down on flutes I got to play myself.
Thanks for all the replies. They’ve been very educational!
"Seems like a very reasonable price to me, if it plays well. And that’s a big “if”. " Pancelticpiper.
No need for doubt as regards the playability of this particular flute Richard. As Jem pointed out the seller was Paul McGlinchey, and then there is the video of Paul playing the flute: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMb-ECqn9KU
I was wondering if this Boosey was a high-pitched instrument, which could mean intonation issues when playing with A=440. This dosen’t seem to be a problem with this flute though.
I’ve tried literally hundreds of old cocus 19th century 8-key London-made flutes, and the majority just don’t play well. It’s probably mostly due to their condition, having leaks somewhere. But even flutes which have been gone over professionally and are free of leaks can have feeble Low D’s, bad tuning, and so forth." Pancelticpiper.
Yes, but a repadding of the keys, perhaps a new cork, and repairing any cracks can also result in a top quality instrument with a mojo and character you’ll never find in a newly made modern timber flute. I have a Rudall Carte made in 1892 which I bought via an online auction. With the slide out 18-19 mm it played spot on at A=440. It was in excellent condition, no cracks, but had lain dormant in it’s box for some years I suppose. It needed playing in, and rubber bands on some of the keys. However after a repadding by Jon Dodd of Miltown Malbay, Co. Clare it’s just wonderful to play now.
I have heard the pros and cons regarding antique versus modern flutes, and after hearing many, I have decided that the matter is entirely subjective. Both types have their pluses and minuses, and I don’t see the point in trying to argue which is best. I just happen to personally prefer the antique variety overall. I’m equally sure that there will be plenty of players out there who would not touch a 19th. Century instrument with a barge pole, and would feel quite justified in saying as much. I for one can understand and respect their opinion, even though I do not concur. Luckily, there is still an abundance to choose from out there, with an array of quality representing both types. A good flute is a good flute, whether antique or modern, the trick is being able to recognise it.