Vintage Rudall, Rose, Carte & Co 1851 Patent Flute

Our Description

This flute is a very special instrument. Made in 1865 with its original box, this instrument is a fine collectors' piece.

The socket is engraved:

COUNCIL PRIZE MEDALS /
Rudall, Rose & Co /
Patentees /
100, New Bond Street /
London /
Boehm's Parabola /
Carte's Mechanism

Technical Description

This silver flute with an engraved barrel embouchure can be dated to 1865. It has closed keys with French key-arms on the keys not operated by the fingers, and soldered Y-arms on those that are. 

This instrument is an example of Rudall, Carte, and Co.’s 1851 system: Richard Carte filed the patent in an attempt to address what he saw as some of the shortcomings of the 1847 cylindrical Boehm flute, which the company also made and is the basis of most modern flutes. Specifically, he sought to reduce the number of cross-fingerings left in the mechanism, as well as reducing the need for action on the right-hand little finger and the left-hand thumb. 

While the flute is not playable at current, the headjoint was tested on a modern flute. The embouchure barrel (and thus the strike wall) is bushed with wood. The round, elliptical embouchure is remarkably free-blowing, and produces a very sweet, focussed sound. 

This instrument is a fascinating piece of the history of the flute — in a time of flux between the older systems and the institutionalisation of the Boehm flute at the Paris conservatoire in 1860 — where makers were still grappling with a new way of making flutes and alternative mechanisms were still being proposed. 

For more information on the 1851 Patent, we highly recommend Terry McGee's page.

General Condition

This beautiful and highly sought-after flute is in wonderful cosmetic condition for its age. It does require a full overhaul by a specialist; it currently is unpadded and unsprung. This will make a stunning collectors' piece when this work is done.

Specifications

What's Included

Original case

Item Details