Anybody know what kind of flute (maker & model) Seamus Egan plays on
the Mad for Trad tutorial?
Doc
It’s a Pat Olwell in cocus.
Thanks Chris,
do you know if it’s a Pratton or Nicholson?
It is neither a Pratten nor a Rudall. It is an Olwell. Patrick O. has developed a flute that has a large sound, like a Pratten, and which plays very easily and is in perfect tune. He refers to his flutes as large, medium, or small hole models.
He would not name any of his own flutes with reference to other makers’ designs… unless he is specifically copying an older flute. I have heard him refer to a flute as a small-holed Rudall type.
Well, David, to be fair, Patrick does kinda call the big-hole model his Pratten-style, the middle one his Nicholson-style, and the small-hole his Rudall-style.
He does use those terms himself, perhaps because in the context of modern flutes calling something a “Pratten” means it’s big and not much else.
But you’re right in that they’re all his designs.
Stuart
It’s the Pratten Model.
Those who call Patrick’s large-hole flute a Pratten have not played a real Pratten-- or one of of Hammy’s lovely flutes. The differences are quite obvious.
When someone says that something is a “Pratten style”,
they aren’t really saying it is a “Pratten”.
The difference in the two expressions is quite obvious.
David,
Sitting in Pat’s shop with him and playing his flutes, he referred to his models as Pratten, Nicholson and Rudall. Yes, he explains that they are of his own design, hybrids, etc, but those are the terms he uses. If you want to debate the issue further you might insist to Patrick that he stop using those terms and adopt something along the lines of “big-holed, honking, super-loud, balls-out, sort-of-Pratten, hybrid model TM”.
Best,
Chris 
To answer Doc Jones’ question, Seamus’ flute is Patrick’s large-holed model, i.e. a Pratten model.
If memory serves, the sheet I have from Patrick uses both descriptions; specifically, the subheads are “Small-Holed flutes”, “Medium-Holed flutes”, Large-Holed flutes." Any Rudall/Nicholson/Pratten comparisons are in the body copy – maybe to provide reference for those who know what such things are? – but even there he makes it clear his flutes are not those animals but something uniquely his own.
Hopefully I’ll understand it all more in the 7 or 8 or whatever years it’ll be before I have “a big O” , but for now “I like a big ol’ honking yet-easy-blowing flute with a bottom D that sounds like a small sonic boom that you can still put a nasty edge on” will have to do.
And thanks to you, David, I need be in no hurry … that Hammy is the joy of my life! (And its maker is a fine fellow, too – do try to get up to Cuil Aodha if you haven’t yet!) Thank you EVER so much for such an immensely rewarding – and NEVER boring! – instrument, and I hope you’re enjoying your time in the land of flute-friendly humidity!
Hmmm, I guess I should have said Prattonoid, Rudalloid, or Nicholsonoid.
Rudalloid is certainly the most fun to say! 
Doc
… ideal nomenclature, Doc, esp. when we consider a genus for those types of flutes that are a real pain in the tushie … which would be … who wants to say it ? 