I wonder if I might pick your brains please? A couple of replies down I post a link to pics of a mysterious dark stranger. Well, flute actually.
I would really like to identify my D flute…it is marked “improved, London”, is in a dark wood with large holes and brass ferrules, conical bore 8 key, 5 piece,and came in a handmade case together with a piccolo(?) stamped with “brigade model J.W.S.L.” The head is brass lined and the whole thing glides together smoooothly. It looks…late 19th century? Hard for me (no expert) to tell. There is a very prettyspiral turned pip or stalk of wood where you unwind a cap to get to the cork. The embouchure is a big oval. Someone seems to have put a lot of work into it long ago but I found it in a dusty corner of an antique shop, bought it for love & am learning to play it.
Welcome aboard Julia! Unfortunately, I can’t help identify your flute, but there are many on the board who can help…sounds like you found yourself a nice flute!
If you have a digital camera, pictures might help, too.
Hi there, which end of the UK are you? There’s a reference to a "flute droite marquee Brigade Model J.W.S.L. " on a Belgian auction site - useless fact probably.
I would think many flutes have improved, London on them..no other maker’s marks? Otherwise, photos will help those that know about these things.
I’m near London.
A good searching of Google has left me little the wiser about my flutes! The Belgian referenceis very tantalizing…there are no other makers" marks on the flute or Piccolo/fife. It’s still a nice set even if it must remain anonymous! It plays OK except the lowest notes are hard to find ( but I AM a beginner…)
Julia - with regard to the lower notes being hard to find…are you able to get them out at all? It’s hard to tell with the lower notes which are harder to find when new, but sometimes it means there is a leak on one of the lower pads (or in the joint just above where the notes get difficult).
So, if you can play to low E OK, but the D is hard, it could be you or there could be a leak on the D pad…this would also mean hitting the low C and C# would be a no go. If you can only not play the lowest C and C# well, those are often hard notes anyway, but if they don’t get better with time, I’d be thinking leak.
How do the pads look on your lower notes? One way to check for leaks is the “suck test”. To do this you take apart a section, cover the tone holes and close any keys (if you’re doing the foot with those open keys), cover the end (I put it against my leg when I’m wearing shorts), and suck…You should get a good vacuum, but if not there is likely to be a leak in that section.
Eric, many thanks for your generous advice. I think the d pad could fit better and am saving my pennies to have a bit of work done on this to get it to its best.
And Andrew, many thanks indeed for your identification. Mystery solved. The military words make me think - was it for playing in an Army Band?I guess Willis & son was a big London music store as I find pianos when I search the web for that company. Also is it not they who were producing the vertically held 11 hole Giorgi patent flute at http://www.renard-music.com/maxi10593.jpg
Luckily for me “d” on the flute matches “d” on my electronic tuner.
