I am selling the masterpiece of my flute collection, as I travel too much to keep this beauty. Rudall & Rose #5384, complete with patent head, original box/certificate, and a custom second box and head made by Terry McGee. Terry also made an expert repair on one of the joints in 2003. A beautiful piece, of course, and sounds like none other, so rich and distinctively Rudall. It has been lovingly cared for, maintained and only played on special occasions.
Truly the flute for the connoisseur. $6100. References available upon request.
I worked on this flute, it is one of those “special” Rudall & Rose flutes, that have that special magic!
The flute has a strong voice and good tuning. Someone should rob a bank and buy it!
Well, heck, I’ll send them to you, Lorenzo! Dave Magoya knows this flute well, as we almost lost it in the mail when I received a box of flourescent lights instead of the flute a decade ago. Oh man!
Thanks for chiming in. Did not know you had known this flute. That’s very cool!
I forgot, someone asked me about the lineage of this flute made in 1848. Some people have had a crack at it, like Jon C mentioned. I don’t have a complete lineage of the flute before DM brought it to my attention.
In 2001, the owner at that time had a second head joint made by Chris Wilkes (who also made a lovely cleaning rod in cocus wood that I use on all my flutes). When I received the flute (in exchange for flourescent light bulbs–DM and I were just laughing about that shipping debacle)–it was apparent that this was an interesting piece. It has the obvious engraved silver overlay to the embouchure with two names who must have been among the original owners of the flute (J.F. Shepherd and B. L Olmstead–were they taboo lovers? I hope so! ) in classical script etched in the sterling that only your great great-grandmother could write, the handcrafted silver endcap of the R&R insignia/coat of arms. But the coolest aspect was the custom thumb rest in sharkskin. How expertly done. Who would think to do that? it survives today in impeccable condition. Tough sharks and how it was inlaid into the cocus wood.
Fast forward…I wasn’t delighted with a tiny bore repair done by Chris Wilkes. No knock on him. I’m just a bore junkie, as my old friends might remember. At the time, I was waiting for the Grinter cocus 8-key, when I began discussing the tiny bore flaw with Terry McGee. I also didn’t like the beautifully crafted and perfect headjoint made by Wilkes for this flute. No one wants to overuse the special patent head on this flute. Wilkes players are much better than me, when it comes to embouchure, so I ended up selling the Wilkes head to a member of this forum. Terry played my flute, played with variations, and then built a blackwood, unlined, eccentric bore head (nice big embouchure–reedy, yet pure!) and special in Tasmanian blackwood, velvet-lined custom case for the flute and both headjoints. Later I learned that Michael G wanted a shot at this flute, and that would have been a toss-up. I dig both those awesome Ozzies.
Took Terry 6 months to get the full meal deal back to me. His unlined head just opened up the sound of this flute (everyone assumes from afar that the head is the original head, though they remark about the volume and big tone, while keeping original distinctive Rudall tone). And the bore? Man, did he improve the quality of that one spot in the bore that was repaired by Wilkes. It’s impossible to see with the naked eye, and the bore shines like a mirror. And it rings the bell, baby! Hurt me.
For the last 12 years, this flute has resided in Shanghai, China, but now residing Stateside.
) in classical script etched in the sterling that only your great great-grandmother could write, the handcrafted silver endcap of the R&R insignia/coat of arms. But the coolest aspect was the custom thumb rest in sharkskin. How expertly done. Who would think to do that? it survives today in impeccable condition. Tough sharks and how it was inlaid into the cocus wood.