If any of you are following the “Colonial House” series on PBS (or whatever they’re calling it now), you may have noted on the short segments advertising it that one fellow has a comparatively modern violin. Having said to myself, “Well, it ain’t ‘period’, but what the heck”, I got to wondering what kind of flute would have been likely played at such a time? I’m guessing Renaissance, probably boxwood.
Discuss.
Or not. 
I’ll agree with renaissance, but since they’re not a rich bunch I’d opt for pear or maple as the wood.
Granted, I’m not by any means an expert of this!
Eric
PS - It’s been fun. The only reality shows I like are these “back in time” shows that the BBC, PBS and their Canadian cousins have put on.
I agree that the only watchable reality shows are the historical ones!
I thought I saw a viola da gamba hanging on the wall in one of the Colonial House houses (?). At one point, one of the indentured servants used a recorder-looking instrument to sound the wake up call. He didn’t seem to know how to play it. He just tootled a few notes to wake them up.
I’m guessing it was a tabor pipe. No way could he have gotten more than one note out of a six-holed instrument fingering it the way he did.