Saw this on EBAY and was wondering what you guys thought. I know little about the 19th century flutes, unfortunately.
http://cgi.ebay.ie/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180284546087&indexURL=0#ebayphotohosting
no match for your Olwell..
no match for your Olwell..
Wish I had me one of those!
search on ‘MONZANI’ We’ve seen these here before
and I believe you will find a discussion.
Also you might check terry mcgee’s site.
Few flutes are…
I have three… 
Hey Jim,
Blackman didn’t work for Monzani. I don’t know what Patent he was improving that belonged to Monzani? None of the three Blackman’s that I have, are marked with Monzani.
Wish I had me one of those!
I thought you did! What are you playing?
So what is this flute? Any idea?
I thought you did! What are you playing?
Currently playing a 6-key Copley. It’s a great player. I was just curious about the Ebay flute as the older flutes have always intrigued me.
It is a Josiah Blackman flute made between 1847-57. It is very close to one of my Blackman flutes, made at the same period. My other Blackman is a earlier model, an the other a later model. There were different makers that worked for him, including Wylde. The keys were made by Alexander Liddle, these are the flag shaped C/C# keys.
I just don’t know what the connection was with Monzani.
The flutes are usually great players.
I’m guessing that the only connection is that some part of it is using one of the several patents held by Monzani. I’ve got a Blackman flute and a Monzani but can’t see what what part …
Cheers
Graeme
Hmmm… I might have to bid on that.
Jon hordes all the Blackman.
Should I get another? 
It is interesting, as there isn’t any signature Monzani designs on it, such as the reversed tenon on the Barrel, or the cool floating key cups. Must have been a name recognition advertising ploy? The double rings, have the look of many American flutes, like Peloubet used the double rings. It was probably made about the same times as your Monzani.
My Monzani has keys hallmarked for 1832 and is stamped “Hill late Monzani”. Monzani retired in 1829 but based on its serial number I think my flute was made before he retired but not finished (by Hill) for several years . Anyway the Blackman on ebay looks rather nice, certainly better than mine.
Cheers
Graeme
It has a wide crack, but only in the barrel.
Is the metal sterling or german silver? -seems to be german silver-
The crack is par for the coarse… Yes, I think it is German silver, my other Blackman’s have the same. It can be miss leading, when the keys are freshly polished.
Well, your Monzani would be a little older, then.
Here are my two best Blackman’s, the one on the left is my favorite. They both were made for is 430 htz, you have to push the slide all the way in for 440. I guess these were made before the “Romantic tuning”, so they didn’t have to make the longer slide.
