got a flute in for restoration, marked “Improved / Parker / London / Patent”. Eight keys with pewters on C# and C, boxwood and Ivory, the woodturning is in the “old style” seen on early/earlier flutes with the square flap keys, with the low C/C# and Eb block going all the way round the flute, all ivory crown and a slide sleeve of boxwood. But the keys are clearly in the “newer” style with round receiver plates for the C/C# plugs like on most younger RC’s, the foot keys remind me of a Keith Prowse flute I once saw. I only found early one-keyed flutes made by Parker in the DCM collection, and a multikeyed one on Rick Wilson’s flute page with square flap keys. The style of keymaking doesn’t seem to fit to the maker’s working period, so I wonder if anyone has got some info about Mr Parker, especially when he worked.
The flute plays nicely by the way, but tuning isn’t good. The footjoint is extremely flat. A and B sharp. Overall pitch quite close to 440Hz but higher than the Fentum I’ve also here at the moment.
Brent Santin of Ontario, makes a few comparitively inexpensive, beautiful wooden flutes a year. He is based in Ontario, Canada and use his own hand made reemers and tools. The flutes, made in various woods, are loosely based on the outer dimensions of an 1830s flute by a maker called “Parker” from London, (circa 1700 - 1800). But the inner dimensions and finger sizes are basically his own. He says his flutes are closer to a Pratten but not really either a Pratten or Rudall and Rose.
There are beautful pictures and audio examples on his sites:
Terry should have asked… any stamps on those keys? I agree they’re a later style (1840s at earliest, probably later), whatever the other design aspects and maker stamp suggest.
I’ve not taken the flute apart yet, as time didn’t permit that. I wasn’t able to spot any key marks while they were mounted. I’ll report back if I spotted some…
