All,
Does anyone know if the Langwill index is online? I tried a google search with no luck.
Thanks,
Tony
It may not be online,but it’s very cheap for what it is .It must not be taken too literally in parts .
What’s the Langwell index?
Langwill is a dictionary of flutemakers first published in 1960 but republished in a revised edition af 500 pages in 1993 by Tony Bingham of London ,seller of antique instruments .
Almost well explained.
The Langwill’s Index is actually of woodwind makers, so flute is definitely a major portion, but so are clarinets, etc, etc.
It was first published in the early 1900s (the first edition is a tiny thing). The last, the sixth edition, was published by Bingham and is edited by Waterhouse, quite ably I should add. There are many deletions and miscalculations, but in all it’s a wonderful reference tool. In the US, the going price on the book is about $125. Not cheap. So, if you’re just interested in reading it (and have no need for the ownership of the reference) then your local library ought to have a copy. In fact, my local had editions 2-5 as well, which was wonderful to track down old Rudalls. I’ve located 3 in that manner that were listed previously, but now are not.
Bingham has been great about letting folks know where to send corrections on future editions.
dm
I was hoping to use it to track down a maker. I’ve just aquired a C. Gerock and was curious about the maker.
Besides that, could someone PM me or post here people that do restorations? I don’t think the flute will actually need much: One key is missing but the other 5 appear to be in good order. But there is a bad crack on the back of the head joint. I don’t know if it can be repaired of if it just needs to be replaced.
Anyway… Cheers,
Tony
There was a fella named Migoya used to do restorations. Web site is fyfer-restorations.com (maybe he restores fifers?).
Most flute makers will do restorations too. I don’t know anyone in Memphis, but there’s gotta be someone.
Anyway, Langwill, yes, great reference. Find someone who has one and bug him/her to get you a copy of the pages for the maker you’re interested in.
My mistake .I forgot that clarinets are musical instruments .I gave Tony Bingham about £40 for my copy .You can make that up on one good purchase if you need to rely on the information in the index . Not that you will find that much about Mr Gerock .I have a Gerock & Wolf flute whichI have to make a barrel for .It would be nice to learn more about him .In fact I don’t think anybody knows much at all about 19th Century English makers at all .Perhaps there is someone out there I am not doing justice to.I would like to know .It would be great if somebody produced a well illustrated book on these makers .In the violin world such things are an economic proposition , but flute players all seem to be dirt poor ! Sad
From what I know. This particular flute is just marked C. Gerock, not Gerock & Wolf, but it has the same address in London. And from what I’ve read, Boehm in 1831 spent some time there on a new flute design. I don’t remember exactly what he did there, but if you do a google on Gerock you should run across the article. Something about hearing Nicholson playing gave him an idea, etc…
I guess I need to contact some makers… Besides the obvious ones can anyone recommend someone?
Also, does anyone know why, it appears, that English makers were fond of putting unicorns in their stamps?
Cheers,
Tony
If anyone is interested here is the flute that my Dad actually got for me…
Cheers,
Tony
Your dad’s name is Grubhole? 
I know… Some peoples kids, huh?? 
I used to wonder why you are called Grixxly .I can see now that it is better than Grubhole Junior .
The unicorn was often used in English heraldry.
In an article about the 1600s: “The Christians of the day adopted the unicorn as a symbol of Christ. It was well known that only a pure maiden could tame a unicorn and therefore Mary, the Virgin Mother, was often depicted in art with a unicorn with its head in her lap and hence it became a symbol of Christ himself in allegory. During this time the unicorn was often part of heraldry and included in a nobleman’s coat of arms. The French were partial to the combination of the unicorn and the iris as symbols of nobility and loyalty. The English used the rose and unicorn to stand for strength, constancy and immortality. When England, Scotland and Wales consolidated into the United Kingdom of Britain many Coats of Arms then included the lion of England with the unicorn of Scotland.”
Kevin Krell
Yeah, that one’s not too appealing! Actually I got my ‘nick’ because many years ago my my Wife bought me some bear claw slippers as a gag gift for Christmas, and my Nephew who was very young was running around yelling there was a ‘grixxly bear’ in the house, not being able to pronounce grizzly; and it stuck. So now I’m Grixxly. 
Cheers,
Tony
Don’t wear those slippers when there are any bears around ,or you may find your sexlife unexpectedly upgraded .