Well it has been a while since I posted a new eBay flute, so here goes!
These flutes are made by Blackman/London. The one on the left, I got about two years ago. The right one is my latest Blackman, this one is very close to the one in the Dayton museum. Still have to fix the Cnat key. They both are great players, low pitched, as you can see from the tuning slide setting!
Two very nice looking flutes, Jon. You can see the family resemblance, and they look like both are Cocus wood-do they both play and sound similarly too?
Yes, they both play very easily, I really like the embouchure cut on them. Both were designed for 430 playing, but not for the high pitched stuff, guess that was later.
Hi, Jon, interesting flutes. What was the purpose of the silver rings edging each of the finger holes?
How do they play at 440?
I think the main reason was allergy to cocuswood, I guess they knew about that? Maybe it was just to prevent wear, or just to look cool!
Hi Jim,
It has the usual problems, flat foot, flat F# and A, and B sharp. What I have done is ad a little shellac to the A and B hole, and that makes the tuning much better. You can see where the setting on the slide is for 440 playing, not much adjustment there!
I’ve been thinking about this too.
Its more of a standard feature than not… these inset rings.
Allergy might have been an issue but I wonder if they made the connection back then.
I think it may have more to do with mass manufacturing than any consideration to allergies.
You can bang out plenty of tubes and drilled holes allowing for time to twiddle with tuning.
Of course… you might be right in that they do look more cool.
Its a lot of extra work regardless.
If your new Blackman plays anything like the first then it must be a real gem. I just about walked off with it under my jacket til Jon caught me 
The couple of replacement ferules, that I have made in the past, are a lot of work to make and install. So I doubt it was a factory flute item. (maybe later, when the German factories copied the idea) Rather, special order, no doubt.
They both have that great embouchure cut, and play almost identical to each other. My guess is whoever made it for Blackman, made the other also.
fintan vallely told me to was to facilitate sliding between notes. his flutes do not have them, so he moisturizes his hands to get rid of the friction; he told me i would not have to on the silver ferrels.
There you go, great for slides!
Ah, sliding makes sense!