Hi everyone!
Just wanted to show off my latest eBay find.
Firth, Hall and Pond #1127
The flute maker that repaired the flute in 1978, who shall remain nameless, I have the original document of the repair, used silicone to repair the cracks! Not a good idea for crack repair, or for the poor repairer that wants to undo the dastardly deed! He might not have known better, but I can only hope he has learned the errors of his ways… Still have a couple of sockets that need replacing, but she is a sweet sounding flute.
This always make me wonder, was this flute actually made by Firth, Hall and Pond? Or was it a import from England? there are a few interesting markings, like “Patented” stamped on the head joint. The foot keys have a Prowse, or Clementi look to them. the interlocking foot keys, don’t look like the other Hall flutes I have seen. The saltspoon silver keys are not that common with F,H & P flutes. The tuning of the body is very good, the upper notes and the lower notes tuned within 5 Cents, but the foot is 30 cents flat. This is the second Firth, Hall and Pond that I have had from this batch, so it is not uncommon. This is a heated topic in the flute collectors discussions…
Looks nice. Will you play something for us?
As you-all set up your RTTA units and wait… 
I have to make some pillow pads first.
How is your German flute coming along?
The keys and blocks look an awful lot like the pratten I got from you. I don’t know how standardized/copied such things were… I’m just struck by the similarities.
Weee!
I’ll play it! 
Another nice one Jon.
I gotta say all the feeding and cage cleaning for that menagerie of yours must be wearing on you by now. 
Holes look small for a Pratten’s.
Hey I finally used that kid leather you gave me and made new purse pads for my Wylde. It makes perfect seals. Its good stuff.
You still need to try out my new Metzler.
I promise I won’t post it. Just wondering how it compares to the old German. On that topic I’m about to cut wood I think. See the “This Old Flute” thread for my latest plots and thoughts (HEY I’m a poet!) Lemme know if you concur.
Flute in D by Firth, Hall, & Pond, New York, ca. 1833-1847. Conical. Four sections. Stamped on upper joint: FIRTH HALL & POND / FRANKLIN SQE / N-YORK; stamped on head joint, heart piece, and foot joint: FIRTH HALL & POND / N-YORK. Cocus wood with ivory ferrules. Four nickel-silver keys. Total length, 24-3/8" (619 mm).
Some salt spoons on this one.
yes, I have had a couple with saltspoon keys. The one you have pictured looks more American, like the double rings. But you did see my Clementi, with a ivory head and double rings, looked like a export, since they were popular in the colonies.
Yes, you will have to stop by and play all these nice flutes! There is a nice Hawkes & Sons that is being restored at the moment. Block mounted, spot on tuning, probably early 20th century. And of course my Rudall Carte is waiting…
That is probably more of a Hawkes then a Pratten, you have. The Pratten have huge keys, yours actually have a more Rudall type key. Of course a blocks look a lot alike, not to much differences.
Sure, I can even send it to you to compare.
the American flutes use more of a German tone hole size then the English flutes. They are a lot louder, as Terry points out with his Gray Larson study. I showed the last Firth hall and Pond that looked just like this one, he was interested in it, as it was so different from his.
Go cut the wood… 