Hi all,
it’s not mine, but someone here might be selling it, or someone might be interested in it, pretty old one I’d say, I cant see Wilkes anywere, but early ones may not be stamped,
postcard in the listing seems to give provenance, see what you think buy it now for under £500
JUST TO BE CLEAR, IT’S NOT ME SELLING 
Thanks for posting it. A number of people here post eBay listings that they find.
Regarding the listing… it is curious to me that the listing is a D flute but in image 11 of the post card from Wilkes it says “Flute in E flat”.
And in the postcard it actually says the (Eb) flute comes with silver keys…
So it’s obviously referring to another flute. Maybe a previous owner had both flutes and mixed up the paper work.
So there’s really no knowing who made it.
I though Chris Wilkes always stamped his flutes on the barrel and body parts? My Wilkes keyless from 2000/2001 is stamped on these parts and my flute case is the same as the one with the E-bay flute. The flute on E-bay is advertised as a D flute. There was a flute player Linda, from Cornwall, who used to attend Willie Week in the early 2000’s. Her husband played, and I think made Northumbrian pipes.
It’s just a guess but maybe the ‘Flute in E flat’ etc is just pictured on the other side of the postcard?
I have no opinion about the key or authenticity of this flute, but the case is very similar to the case for my keyed Wilkes. Mine is stamped and keyed and made more than 20 years ago, and the case had evolved to the contours of the keys with blocks to keep the flute from sliding around. But the shape and the latches and the actual green cotton-ish velveteen look pretty familiar. He made a case very similar to the Northwind case you can get today, but is slightly squarer rather than as sleekly curved at the Northwind. If there were a picture of the outside of the case I could say more. Again, it might or might not be his, but I would give it a look if I were in the market for a flute and could determine the key. Does anyone know the seller. Perhaps a question from an interested buyer could provide the name of the original owner.
And just to be redundant, without proper documentation this may or may not make it if the buyer and seller are not in the same country due to Cites II. Most of us know that already, but there may be a newbie out there looking at this flute.
I believe he stamped all his flutes, my 8 keyed which is 28 years old is clearly stamped on all parts and the tenons have silver bands. I couldn’t see a postcard in any of those pics.
“I believe he stamped all his flutes, my 8 keyed which is 28 years old is clearly stamped on all parts and the tenons have silver bands. I couldn’t see a postcard in any of those pics.” Gromit.
The photo with the postcard has been removed. It had part of the address to someone called Linda and Falmouth, Cornwall. A Eb flute was mentioned in the text from Chris Wilkes, and the price of a box would cost £20 instead of £40.
The handwritten part of the text mentioned the cost of the case & the fact that the flute was nearly ready.There was also a small printed section saying something like ‘E flat flute with silver keys & engine turned rings, made by Chris Wilkes’ with his address & phone no. which I suspect could have been referring to a photo on the other side of the postcard. It’s been removed as you say Steampacket.
The Wilkes keyless on E-bay has sold for £450. Did anyone here on C&F buy the flute? If the flute is indeed a Wilkes then someone has got a bargain. I hope so.
Someone did well. I asked Chris and he said that some years ago he released a few “beginner flutes” which were “seconds” - flutes entirely made by him which played to his exacting standards but which had production flaws. Therefore they are unstamped, deliberately.
That would explain the seller’s description of “knots”.
It seems, perhaps, that people if are not prepared to pay as much these days for secondhand modern simple system flutes as they would have done a few years ago. Quite recently a keyless Wilkes was sold quickly for £450, and an eight keyed Wilkes quickly sold for £2162. (€2500). Whereas a six keyed Grinter that has been up for sale a couple of weeks for £3000, and two eight keyed Grinters for sale since December 17th, 2017 for £3859 (£5500) and £4561 ($6500) remain unsold. The Wilkes flutes were bargains, and the prices unusually low. Could it be that there are more flutes than flute players just now?
I think the recent underpriced Wilkes 8-key was snaffled for obvious reasons. The OP keyless didn’t go quite so fast, probably because of the questions about its provenance, and whether or not it was underpriced once that question was settled may be more of a moot point. It was still a bargain, mind. The very expensive Grinters listed since last December probably aren’t shifting because they may be overpriced. The 6-keyer recently listed is also at a top price for a second hand instrument, and of course much always depends on the chances of timing - who is on the look out with ready cash at the time you happen to list? Folk who are locked into waiting lists for these top makers don’t always want to pull out of their place even if they can get pretty much what they ordered right now second hand. And the market generally seems to be even more depressed just lately.
"Quite recently a keyless Wilkes was sold quickly for £450, and an eight keyed Wilkes quickly sold for £2162. (€2500). "
And yet in February this year a keyless Pratten model flute by Chris Wilkes sold for $1900 (€1578) so as Jem said maybe it all depends on desire, and someone having the cash available just when a flute is made available
This seems to be the appropriate time to ask this question: What is it that makes Wilkes flutes desirable?
I am relatively new to the Irish Music scene and all I know about Wilkes flutes is that I’ve heard they are excellent and that the waiting list is “ten years or so” (per http://wilkesflutes.co.uk/Site/Contact.html). But I haven’t heard what makes them excellent.
I am lucky enough to own a Wilkes Bb, six key. It is absolute heaven to play. I find Wilkes flutes quite difficult at first, and then … they give you everything you could possibly want in a flute. Unbelievable responsiveness. Once you get the knack.
Mis-post removed and put in intended place.
All is forgiven.
Ooops, yes. Damn.