Hello All You Traverse “Timber” Players Out There !
I just am curious if anybody knows about any 19th century Blackwood Flutes,
kicking around North America, made by Keith Prowse of London, England ?
My own Keith Prowse Flute I bought in Croydon (South of London) in December 1972,
and it was my first “Simple System” Flute that I ever owned. I got it so I could start playing Irish Music. I had been inspired by a Seamus Tansey Lp from Outlet Records of Belfast…which I had received by mail, in California, some months before this occasion…
and Mr.Tansey’s playing… BLEW ME AWAY !
My Flute had a C# & C key Foot Joint with little metal circles around all six of the open finger holes, and a large metal Oval around the Embouchure (Mouth) Hole. The small wooden case that it was in, I left with my (former) in-laws with the idea that they were going to send on
by post…but they never did, so I always had it wrapped up in a thick kitchen Towel.
The reason I’m asking about this Flute, is that it was stolen from me in 1984.
It was in the same Case as my “Tayloresque” Uilleann Pipes and my Scapoli Zampogna,
which went missing on Clement Street in San Francisco, California, in June '84.
I did get both of the Pipes back, but never recovered the Flute.
It never was that much in tune with A=440 hertz, but I always compensated by
humoring the “B” of the scale. If anybody would care to comment here, or give me a
Private Message I would appreciate it greatly !
Sean Folsom
P.S. During my time in London, there was still a Keith Prowse company in existence,
and it was a Concert / Theatre Ticket Agency !
S.F.
Sorry to hear of your misfortune,Sean. Your Prowse would look much like the Prowse in the Dayton C. Miller collection? Makers Marks on all sections?
I have a Russel Serov interpretation of the Prowse design in Blackwood with six keys. He played a little with the bore and finger placement to make it true at A=440 Hz. He also opted to spring the keys, which are modelled after Wylde, with steel coil springs. A marvelous instrument.
I’ll certainly be on the lookout. It should be fairly distinctive, since the Wylde key pattern is not nearly as common as the R&R standard run of keys.
Better Fortune,
Bob
Is this your flute, Lebowski? IS THIS YOUR FLUTE? For sale from Zekley Musical Instruments-One of a kind, old and antique musical instruments for sale. Ugh, ever deal with this guy? 
Heh, heh. Sean’s been haggling with Mickey for decades now, if that puzzles anyone. Here’s Terry McGee on K Prowse: Keith, Prowse & Co. Says they’re pretty rare, and “3rd generation,” i.e., in the generations where they’d worked out some of the kinks in English flute tuning. Odd that yours was a bit out anyway. Maybe a leaky key? You could take after your first role model Seamus T and just rip all the keys off!
Here’s the DMC flute: DCM 0426: Keith Prowse & Co. / Flute in C. Looking for Keith Prowse Flute - Google Image Search, a…record label turns up.
It seems they also made concertinas, so we’re likely talking about an instrument dealer. NYC had a few of these - I had a Bruno flute for a while, they just stamped their name on things. My crappy silver flute is stamped Carl Fischer, you see that name on sheet music and wooden flutes. I’ve an E Baack flute, he also made Civil War drums. Very good flutes and a lot of old sheet music was built/issued by Firth Pond and Hall. Etc.
One pic that shows up is an ad for their concertinas, and says they are a “Music and Musical Instrument Warehouse.” The 'tinas were made specially for them, with improvements by “Signor Alsepti.” Ep a nab a! I make a you sweet tone conzert ah tina!
Another pic that shows up is of a K Prowse flutina, these were primitive accordions, so they must’ve been in the game for a lonnnnnnnnng time - these were popular in America in the 1850s.
Thank You An Seanduine and Kevin !
That pic is close, but no Cigar. Interesting stuff about the keys on the Flute.
and a corrected A=440hz. Model being made these days.
Some 8 years ago, Mikey actually remembered my Flute going missing and sent me to an Ebay listing for a Keith Prowse Flute, for sale in Texas.
I had a look, and it was a Prowse, but without the metal rings pined (with 2 opposing pins, filed flush) over the tone holes and the plate around the Emboushure Hole in the head joint.
I don’t know if these Rings were an unusual feature on those “K.P.” Flutes
or not ?
It certainly was a loud Flute with those BIG tone holes, unlike the comtemporary French and German Flutes of the period.
My consolation was this…
In 1986, I did happen on 2 19th century Flutes in Colfax Ca. One, an unmarked 6 key(possibly German) Flute that ends at D, is this is the one I use at Irish Music sessions. The other is a “Top-of-the-Line” H.F. Meyer Flute from Hanover, with an Ivory Head Joint with the long crack on the BACK… opposite side away from the Emboushure Hole, usually, the Crack is THROUGH the Hole with a big gap, that has to filled in, or pinned, if possible.
It has the original case, 2 brushes, 2 Tenon end caps of Ivory for storage, and a little Cork Grease cup with an Ivory Top. It comes apart in 3 sections and the Long Lower or 3rd section has the typical low “B” foot.
These Flutes were imported into the USA by the Barrel Load, by Sears Roebuck & Co. & usual price was $10 to $12 in the circa 1890 Catalogs.
I also had a number of “Nach” Meyer (after, or in-the-style-of) Flutes that I passed on to other Players, who were desperate for any kind of 19th Century Flutes, and this was in the 1970s, before the Big 19th Century Flute Revival of our Modern Age.
More anon, I hope ! your Piper, Sean Folsom
Sean, although not directly helpful, this may be of interest at least: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=80864&id=605989270 - photos of a repair job on a Keith Prowse flute I did last year for its owner - worth reading through the various comments on album and individual pictures, maybe, assuming you can access them ("friend request me on FB if you wish!) - and also some video clips there…
I spend an inordinate amount of time watching what’s on eBay in the way of old flutes. Helps that you can automate this stuff a great deal - I have an RSS feed to see what’s for sale with the magic words “Old flute” in the description, along with a bunch of other relevant terms. Am about done with all that, though - as Kant said on his death bed, Genug! Have a whole closet of the things.
Anyway, you see the little metal bushings in toneholes quite often. Don’t know if this was supposed to change the tone in some way, or protect the toneholes, or protect sensitive fingers from toxic tropical oils, which I assume was the reason for the lip plate on the embouchure. Some people find that necessary; I have a friend who can’t handle tropical woods at all.
I have a real HF Meyer piccolo, with the posts mounted on plates. Very soft and sweet tone but the keys are lightly sprung and it’s hard to play without colliding with a key by accident. Piccs are strange that way, a very minor difference in where the keys are placed can make them completely unplayable.
My HF picc plays in A=440; how about your flute, Sean? I find that unfortunately many of the German or American quasi-German flutes/piccs are pitched for A=435, thus with the head in all the way you’ll be in semi tolerable tune, but it’s not optimal. George Cloos’s flutes are like that, lovely players in lower pitch - Rod Cameron uses a G Cloos as the basis for one of his 8 key models - but hard to get in modern pitch. Luckily the first picc of his I acquired had a bit of brass tube for a top tenon - it was played by an LA session/orchestra cat in the first half of the 20th, and he obviously loved the thing enough to have it repaired, even crudely. So I had Brad Angus put in a new wooden tenon, which necessitated shortening it slightly (the brass tube had cracked the body slightly too), and now it plays in A=440 quite well.
Amazing work,Jem. A very impressive Album detailing the restoration of that Keith Prowse flute.
However, on closer inspection I have doubts that my Russel Serov flute is closely related to the one you so successfully restored.
Unfortunately I did not purchase my flute directly from Mr. Serov, and he has subsequently gone off the 'net and I have been unable to contact him . I have had to rely on the 'Wayback Machine to access his now defunct website for details of his flutemaking.
I am afraid I may have confused the issue somewhat by mistaking which Prowse he refers to in his (now defunct) website. He refers to using Wylde as a model for his keywork, and the keys do resemble those of pictures of a Wylde Vintage flute posted on C&F. However, since he elected to use steel coil springs on the keys there are no “bosses” or sprues to use as rivets on the keys. Unfortunately at some time before I acquired this flute, someone elected to respring the B flat key with a screwed on leaf type spring. This functions alright but I am left with an unsightly dot in on the ‘touch’ of the key where the screw shows.
Perhaps I should view this as a ‘beauty mark’
Great work, Jem!
Bob
Geeze Where To Start with all these Posts !
So Kevin, my H.F. Meyer IS a A=435 Hertz instrument, and really “Low Pitch” as they
used to call it, is easier to bring UP to 440 hz. than coming DOWN to A 440 from
“High Pitch” A=452 hz. which is what the Prowse Flute was probably tuned to.
452 Pitch was also know as “Philharmonic Pitch” and quite common for English Concertina
tunings right up to the 1930s when the 440 WAVE got started…one big USA supporter of this change was the Deagan Company, and their single “Tone Bars” to tune all the Band Instruments to A 440, and it was a GOLD MINE, they sold Thousands of these BARS to Schools and so on along with all the Marimbas, Vibraphones, & Glockenspiels that were made to the “new” 440 standard. You mentioned Flutinas, I did most of the Wikipedia article on these and the German Wikipedia enthusiasts kicked in more stuff, from their perspective. I have a bunch of these Basket Cases in my collection, most need lots of fixing…
Now Back to the Prowse Flute…
Yes, the Plate for Your Lips to Kiss, prevented many Allergic Reactions, the same was true
for these All Ivory head joints. It’s possible that the Metal Rings prevented the Player’s fingers
from these same reactions, but also prevented Splits and Chips (“Checking”) of the Wood around the Finger Holes.
Thanks Jem for Your Nice contributions to this Thread and if any more of You have Photos of these K.P. Flutes Please Post Them !
All for Now Sean the Fluter Folsom
Ah, my Cloos 11 key with ivory head is the same way; with the slide in all the way and blowing like a son of a son of a you’re getting to 440. It’s really like playing a screwy tuned English flute from the 19th, really. Different sound of course, more solid and dark. But it’s at its best with the head out maybe a full inch. Then you’re playing for the Kaiser!
Our buddy Ramon Martin down in Houston has an interest in the flutina as well. Forget if the two of you talked shop last time you were in Vancouver. I like essaying the odd schottische on the pipes etc. Have some books from that era and later, American tomes like Howe’s (1860s), Riley’s Flute Melodies (pub 1812), various fife tutors, Ford’s Traditional Music of America from the 1920s, some surprisingly cheap titles off eBay like Harding’s 200 Jigs and Reels. Most of those latter are chock full of chestnuts though, Moneymusk, Durang’s Hornpipe, etc. Looks cool on the bookshelf however!
FLUTE NEWS UPDATE !!!
A very nice reader of C & F contacted me about a Keith Prowse Flute for sale, right now, on E-Bay
(with 1 day and some change to go… for $500 USD).
This Flute is the exact same MODEL K. Prowse Flute that was stolen from me so long ago.
NOW PLEASE NOTE:
I DO NOT BELIEVE IT IS THE SAME FLUTE, ONLY THE SAME MODEL !!!
The is listed under Item Number # 180499238758
Title of the Ad is: Keith, Prowse & Co. 8 Key Wood D Flute
The seller is “jaybeess” in Boston, U.K.
I DO NEED HELP PLEASE for posting this Man’s excellent Photograph of his Flute on E-Bay,
here on this C & F Flute thread. I have tried to upload my own photos here before, and have
only met with failure, I do not have enough know-how to finesse it, sorry !
I did read all the instructions, which seems simple enough, but the “Up-Loads” would not get on
to the page.
My hope is someone might have seen my own Flute like this, somewhere on the North American
Continent and a good photo on here would help identify it !
THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP (and Thank You Alistair !!!)
Your Old Piper, Sean Folsom
how about just a link to the ebay page? (I’d have to steal the pictures and put 'em somewhere)
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180499238758
Yes of Course ! Sorry I didn’t think of that,
but the ad won’t be up that long after the Flute is sold, so the link will
“go dead” after a while…and then, no still photo on here.
The man that told me about the Flute was looking for any information
on Keith Prowse Flutes that he could find, so that’s how this thread came up
in his search.
Thank You for putting the URL up !
Sean Folsom
Hi,
If you want to post photos, go to www.imageshack.us and upload your photo, then copy the url for forums and paste in your message.
Good luck!
Thanks for the tip Jon. C.
Image below is of the Flute recently for sale on ebay i.e., same model (but not the same flute) as the one Sean the Piper had stolen.
Aha. pinemarten beat me to it. I harvested the eBay images yesterday but didn’t have time to edit, host-n-post 'em… won’t bother now unless someone wants to see the whole lot.
Just to add the obvious, that this is clearly a German-made “nach-Meyer” type flute - clearly Keith Prowse must have been acting as importers and retailers… I reckon the dates bracket the vendor gives is a bit early going on the flute itself - I’d say last quarter C19th to 1st quarter c20th. Looks like a good quality example, FW that’s W - one would need to play-test it to see what its tuning and voicing were like.
I see it ended unsold - I think the starting price was a bit high - I’d pay/advise someone to pay just about up to that for a good nach Meyer that was in fully playable condition and proven to play well in tune at 440… but this one needed a crack fixed etc… as a speculative do-er upper I wouldn’t pay over £100 for even a promising-looking one.
THANK YOU GENTLEMEN, FOR YOUR HELP !
Previously, I was trying to use “Photo Bucket” to upload photos
and it seemed that I had to have permission from C & F to do so.
The seller in the UK wrote me a very nice letter, and I assured him that
it is his Flute, not mine !
As for the basic construction of this Keith, Prowse Flute, if it was made in
Hanover, the makers there were copying the English Bore profile and SIZE
of Tone (finger) Holes.
I have owned many “nach” Meyer Flutes, both with C foot joints,
and with the long lower sections with low B keys.
I can say with confidence that the sound of the Keith Prowse Flute was
the English Flute sound and not the German sound.
Granted, that the outward surface style has elements of the Hanover makers about it,
but I think they were making these Flutes for the U.K. market and their basic
pattern was following the English Flute makers, making this kind of Flute an
example of a sort of “Crossover” Flute brought about by commercial “Out Sourcing”.
We are no strangers to this kind of idea…it’s just business !
Regards,
Sean “the Fluter” Folsom
so what percentage is Sean “the Fluter” Folsom of Sean “the Musician” Folsom?
Hey, c’mon Denny. Whaddya think, he’s probably drinking coffee and smoking fat cigars?
Cheers to the guy on the flute quest.
I was just teasin’ 'im, I was
ya know that sound pretty good right now 
Denny ! and to think at one time I though you were Denny Hall, the Piper of Gig Harbor !
What part of your time do you spend riding around on your horses, in contrast
to your Flute playing ? Why not combine the two ? If Mounted Pakistani Bagpipe Bands
can acclimate Horses to the sound of all those Bagpipes, why not Flutes and Fifes ?
Well I do a lot more Fluting at Irish sessions where I don’t know all the other Musician’s
Tunes, so I play the Irish Pipes intermittently, and more Flute… a 30-70% split I would estimate.
Fluting & Piping, Sean Folsom