I have received one of these 8 key ebonite flutes as a xmas pres and - it really works! I have a cold so have not yet had a chance to appreciate the smell.
Shoner, if you see this, a pic to compare would be great. And - does your Boosey have marks? any further details? Boosey and Hawkes?
The thing is, these Indian copies are marked. The top tenon on mine has 4 nicks |||| and each key that I can see under has 4 slashes ////. The gifter of my flute has one too, and that one has 3 nicks and 3 slashes.
Terry McGee has informed me “We know that Hawkes, Booseys, Henry Potter and Rudall Carte at least made vast numbers of flutes for Victoria’s regiments, a lot of which were stationed in India, which in those days included Pakistan.”
The Empire Brass co in India so far only said “We have based our design on old british designs the origin of some are unknown -it’s just that they have been produced here for many many years”.
I would think the originals might have also been made in ebonite due to the climate and used maybe for marching bands.
Any Empire brasseries care to examine their top tenons and peer under the keys with a strong light? I’d be interested to find out what we’ve got.
A current auction for one of these empire brass “irish D flutes” says that you have to close all holes + the foot holes to play a D. Wouldn’t that make it an E flute?
Well Lesl that thread you linked to was a nice trip down memory lane. I went and dug my Indian Eb out today to see if it had any marks and found none. I bought it about the time of this thread and though I haven`t even looked at it in the last couple of years it still plays great. All I had to do to it was replace the cork disk it came with with a new cork and away I went. Messed about on it today and realy had a ball. I have an old english Eb 8 key in black wood and they look very similiar. Both are very powerful flutes and a gas to play. Thanks for the thread, I almost forgot I had one of these things
Ajay - loved your pics. What a beautiful instrument. I wonder if there is more than one replica model floating around? Cos mine does not look like your 1903 Boosey. Here’s a bad pic of the Empirebrass ebonite from ebay -
quite a few differences.
Does anyone know Shoner, has he not checked in yet. Would love to see his.
Monk, with tuning slide out about 3/8" mine clocks in at Eb. So with the foot it goes to C#.. With the slide all the way in it is 50c flat of E, I suppose the foot gives a flat D that way. I’ve not got that last pad adjusted right and can barely get the note to sound. (but have never used keys..)
So Blackbeer, glad you had fun digging yours out. And your Indian has no markings. ok, anyone else?
Here’s a photo of a Boosey Eb, made I think in 1916 while the Germans were limiting the shipping lanes around the UK. Johnny Gallagher has kindly added a ring to the foot. He’s a nice guy. The flute is high pitch but plays well with the head out 3/4 an inch.
It’s a great sounding flute. I’ve since enlarged the 6 hole to bring the e up in pitch. initially it required keeping the Eb key open. The key work is a bit odd but totally bombproof. One flute maker remarked that the G# has crossed the channel. The Boehm foot arrangement works so much better than the block/pewter layout. Anyway, it plays superbly but I would sell for $5K. Yeah right.
The Indian plastic Eb dimensions were identical for bore and finger hole placements. The bore is quite large.
Wow - Shoner you are right. This certainly looks like the flute. The only differences visible are the headjoint top (nothing on the Indian) and the rings which on the copy are wide and flat. The bottom of the foot on the copy is the same.
What does the stamp say? I can make out Guaranteed and Toronto.
and, have you got any marks |||| on the top tenon or under the keys ////.
And your Indian has no markings. ok, anyone else?