Now this would be a nice research flute! I wonder how it plays?? 
Nice combing on the head and barrel.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Antique-Wooden-Wood-Irish-Flute-Nicholson-Improved_W0QQitemZ7357861023QQcategoryZ10183QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Rockstro said those flutes were ādisfigured by ornamental turningsāā¦
But I always wanted to know how they played. 
This one is not a completely typical Nicholsonās improved, though, with its small holes.
My kind of guy! He really got into the groove on this fluteā¦ 
But I always wanted to know how they played. >
With the smaller holes, maybe it is in better tune the nthe larger holed models.
Are you going to try catching it?
Reminds me of the combing on this flute:
http://www.mcgee-flutes.com/headcrack.html
Terry says itās characteristic of Nicholson Improved.
Kevin Krell
Iād say this flute is almost a āfull Nicholsonāā¦
the Nicholson features are:
- thinned headjoint near the embouchure
- big holes
- head and barrel combing
- indent for LH1
- flattened area around the RH finger holes
- long F absent or bent up
- embouchure hole with ivory inlay
On Terryās website: http://www.mcgee-flutes.com/Nicholsonās%20Flute.htm the Clementi is a perfect example.
I have seen several flutes baring some of Nicholsonās characteristics. Itās rare to see one that have them all. 
It would be nice, but out of my reachā¦ It would look nice next to the DāAlmaineā¦
Krellā¦that is my Clementi-Nicholson (#315) of which McGee shows his work.
The one on eBay is a small-holed N.Imp fluteā¦not sure why, but they made several.
Mine (as youād see on terryās website) is large holed with all the fixinās of a Nicholson (minus the ivory embouchure insert)ā¦the Long-F was added later, apparently by Clementi/Prowse as the work matches perfectly.
Howās it play?
Incredibly. I love mine and every player whoās ever tried it are incredibly impressed. It always gets comments at the session for itās playability. Strong, deep, dark.
Iād buy another large-hole model if I came across one (buy only with all the ergonomics, which I loveā¦I have a Rudall like this and itās great).
dm
I saw that the other day sure looks interesting.
seems like a basket case, cracks on head, barrell, and body, missing spring,
missing parts of keys, the flute is good for parts.
I donāt think it looks that bad, there is not to many of these floating around. Basket case of not, it will probably finish off up in the $2000, which is a lot for partsā¦
Mine is large holed and has the RH indents but not the LH one. It has a Wilkes head and so is obviously missing the combing (which Iām not too keen on anyway). Mine has no long F key although, interestingly, if you look closely enough it has been plugged. I wonder how it was made originally - with or without that key. It also has the ivory ferrules below the wide silver bands.
I had never seen a small-holed model so it was most interesting to see this one on Ebay.
I think that for someone who is, or has access to, a good repair man, this would prove a mighty investment. Our old friend Andrew would have been just the man to snap this up but he tells me he has shifted his focus to collecting IWC watches!
Good luck to anyone who is thinking of bidding.
G
Someone is trying their luck with this one http://cgi.ebay.de/Antique-Wooden-Wood-Irish-Flute-Nicholson-Improved_W0QQitemZ7358366714QQcategoryZ308QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem I think Ebay needs notifyingā¦
On the subject, I have 2 Nicholson improved flutes, one by Prowse and one by Clementi (7key), the latter looking very similar to the one on Ebay with the combing on the head although I think mine was not top of the range to begin with as the foot has all pads and not pewter plugs. The keys are solid silver and has ivory under the rings.
How does it play?
Really nice, it is a flute where you can do a lot to each individual note being completely reliable at all times. The sound and playability of mine is very similar to the few Sam Murray flutes I have tried. This one only plays in tune as someone had put bushes in holes 2 and 3 and shortened the 4th joint bringing the foot keys higher and virtually covering the 6th hole making it impossible to use these keys.
It also had a crack in the head, barrel and 4th section which were repaired at some time but do I think it a ābasket case to be used as sparesā? no way, it plays beautifully. Of course if I was only a collector of antiques then the more original it is the higher the selling price but for a player it might not be so interesting as these flutes are notorious for being way out of tune.
The Prowse Nicholson Improved I have is like new and one of the best looking flutes I have ever seen and key work second to none but you can only play it in tune with a LOT of lip gymnastics making it not enjoyable to play, it is also the only small holed one I have seen. Are there any others out there?
Clementis come up from time to time and mine which was bought on Ebay was half the price of what this is already at with still over six days to go.
Colin
There nice watches though. Andrew hasnāt abandoned the flute buying, though he is trying to restrain himselfā¦
āThe sound and playability of mine is very similar to the few Sam Murray flutes I have triedā
thatās funny, i was going to say the same thing. I have a restored Nicholson type flute, the whole flute is thinner then other flutes i have, and so is the Murray, i have not measured the OD on the head but i can tell it is less then my other flutes.
the Murray has a bigger and more modern embouchure shape, but the playability and tone very similar.
e.
Here is Andrewās answer, in classic āAndrew Prowseā :
My flute Guru hates Clementis /Nicholsons / Prowses.
Never in tune, he says unless worked on.
I have Prowses coming out of my ears ( 3 ).
Must be roughā¦
Well,
Andrew just bid on the flute on the Chinese Ebay!
http://cgi.ebay.com.cn/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7358366714&category=308&ssPageName=WDVW&rd=1&referrer=http%3A//search.ebay.com.cn/wooden-flute_W0QQfcdZ2QQfromZR8QQfrppZ50QQfsopZ1QQmaxrecordsreturnedZ300
It turns out that there is a exact copy of the Nicholson in China, for a much better price! It is amazing that these Nicholson flutes are showing up all over the place. It even cracked in the same placeā¦ Amazing! 
is a shame that China have to use same picture, no?
ā¦and China one is new!
very clever!