I finally found the flute I’d “misplaced” years ago (it was sitting all alone, nothing on top of it, nothing in front of it, right there on a shelf in my office… but I didn’t see it until my old monitor blew its mind and I had to take the little swing arm paper holder down… and why… looky there!..)
It is a heavy, very dark wood, I’m assuming ebony, though I know there were others used, with nikel silver fittings. It has four joints - with a tuning slide in the first joint (which remains together on stowage in the case), an adjustable headcap, 8 keys, an embrocure band, and no identifying marks whatsoever that I can find… so I’m suspecting it was a Sears and Roebuck offering from the early 20th Century.
Anyone got info on same?
I would like to repair it if it isn’t too costly - it needs a new head-end cork, cork joint bands, and pads. It has one crack that does not go through from the inside of the 3rd joint, but I don’t think it needs any work there.
I have absolutely no advice, but that’s a really nice looking flute. Perhaps a local instrument repairman could fix at least some of it. There’s a guy in my area who knows a lot about a lot of instruments and he barely charges a thing (sometimes nothing) for regular maintainance, and for major jobs his rates are very good. If you could find somebody local to do parts of it, and have one of the Irish flute makers do the rest it might defray part of the cost. I have no experience in repairing antique Irish flutes, so don’t really take my advice, but I think it would be a good plan.
The the C-foot keys look very much like those on the German flute I used to have. A lot of these old German flutes are lovely players but don’t expect it to honk like a modern flute. If you take it to an instrument shop they should be able to fix it up for you (new cork, pads, repaired crack, polished keys), probably in the $100-$200 range. If they can repair a clarinet, they can repair your flute.
I was first thinking it was German made, as it very closely resembled some others I found photos of… but with no identification, it is hard to know. I have not found where the ‘no-name’ ones were likely made - could be Deutschland, no? The illustrations that most closely match it are of Sear & Roebuck offering in the 1920s - then anywhere from 5 to 15 dollars… not particularly cheap even then.
I am wondering if I should attempt the pad and cork replacement myself, since that is fairly simple, and I am instrument rich and money poor. Otherwise, I’m afraid it is sell it, as I don’t like to just keep them when I cannot not put them into usable shape, and someone could actually be using it. It is not really playable right now, as the joints are not tight, and the end cork is way too small (I did purchase one right after I got the flute, but it was way too narrow in circumference). The crack is apparently quite stable, as it hasn’t changed in the 10 years I’ve had the thing, and doesn’t go through to the outside of the instrument. It is in need of a good cleaning and polishing, but looks pretty darned good already. It should be fairly inexpensive to get working, but I am not even able to keep moths comfortable in my wallet right now, and it has been one really tough year… hoping the new one brings us back from the brink.
I hate to think of having let it go through my hands… but if I can’t afford to make it usable, I need to get it to someone who can. (sigh)
