Vintage Albert Cooper Silver Handmade Flute

Our Description

Whether you are a professional flautist, an aspiring musician, or a collector of fine instruments, the Albert Cooper Flute offers an extraordinary playing experience. With its exceptional craftsmanship, superb sound quality, and innovative design, this flute stands as a testament to the artistry and dedication of Albert Cooper.

This is a rare opportunity to purchase an Albert Cooper silver flute. Albert only made 93 flutes (he started serial numbers at 101), so these do not come up for sale often. 

Technical Notes

A beautiful example of the work of the late Albert Cooper, this being his 14th flute of a total of only 93, this instrument is in .925 Stirling silver with a 9K rose gold headjoint.

This flute hosts a number of interesting features on the keywork. Cooper often collaborated with American makers to produce his keywork, and this flute exhibits such American-style keys. Immediately noticeable is the Coltman C♯ key. This enlarged C♯ hole attempts to circumvent the necessary compromise of the hole normally doubling as the vent-hole for D₅, which is here given its own key at the back of the flute next to the trill keys. The difference in tone is notable here, with the C♯₅ lacking its usual fragility and tuning instability, instead sounding as open as the rest of the low register. D₅ and D♯₅, with their vent hole now positioned more optimally, also see benefit, making the tone of the C₄–D♯₅ register strong, rich, and consistent throughout. The second and third registers are sweeter in character, offering interesting opportunities for tonal contrast.

Other unique elements include a on/off split-E mechanism, actuated by a spring-loaded bolt next to the G touch, and a Brosser F♯ key and split-F♯. This particularly aids the F♯₆, another often troublesome note, by closing the A key (left open in traditional mechanisms) and thus better positioning the vent-hole. Playing around the top register, the F♯ tends better in tune and has a notable openness that can be heard immediately simply by switching fingerings between traditional, and using the Brosser key.

These alterations are fairly unobtrusive, requiring only a little readjustment of hand position, and can be largely ignored to allow the flute to be played as any other Boehm-system flute, but open exciting opportunities to any player interested in exploring their nuances.

General Condition

This flute has been through our workshop prior to sale and is in excellent condition throughout, with some patina on the inside of B and G♯ touches. All pads in excellent condition. Some small scratches at the top of the barrel.

About Albert Cooper

Albert Cooper was a British flute maker who apprenticed at Rudall Carte until the war. After discharge, he returned to Rudall Carte but left in 1959 and set himself up as flute maker. Cooper's primary contribution to flute making is the Cooper Scale, where the position and size (opening) of the flute's tone holes have been accurately determined. This has been now universally adopted and is promoted by all the major flute makers. Albert was a founding member of the British Flute Society. He served on the society’s council and was for many years the vice-president. He was a familiar figure at BFS events and at flute events around the world.

Specifications

What's Included

• Hard case
• Cleaning accessories

Item Details