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791

Louis Lot

Serial #1869, 1867

Paris, France

Stamp: On body and foot : L.L./ LOUIS-LOT/ PARIS/ 1867. On headjoint: L.L./ LOUIS-LOT/ PARIS/ 1869/ BREVET�. Lipplate engraved with initials "V.A."

Marks: The little number 2 is stamped at the top of the foot and the bottom of the body.

Manufacture Date: Made 1874, probably in January. Louis Lot himself was two years from retirement, and this extraordinary instrument must have been the talk of the shop as it was being made.

Hallmarks: No hallmarks.

Comments: This is the professional's Boehm flute (Lot called only this system after Boehm). The unusually high quality of construction for this model shows that this instrument was made under the care of the Master. The squared embouchure, usually reserved for the metal flutes, shows that this instrument was meant as a partner to the most modern instruments, not a precursor. This is unquestionably the finest Boehm flute we have seen from Louis Lot's own hand and mark. The square embouchure gives added oomph to the very strong low B, yet seems to require extra precise lips on the high end. The tone is fantastic, with variety available from focused smooth to raucous raw.

Material: I believe this is the "grenadille ond�" that Lot mentions in his record book, meaning a special wavy-grained wood he used for his best flutes. The keys and trim are silver.

System: This is a professional version of the 1832 conical Boehm system, with a side G#, B trill, and foot to B.

Condition: This presentation flute was modestly used, and impeccably maintained. It is in perfect original condition, except for the new pads.

Pitch: Appears to play at A=440 with the headjoint all the way in. The flute was probably meant to play at French A=435, with the head out a tad.

Sounding Length: Sounding length 626 mm.

Measurements:

Weight: 436 g.

Case: In beautiful case, with initials, "V. A." on a silver plaque. The flute surfaced in Argentina, where it had been closeted for many years by the family of the original owner.

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The beautiful wood and the original gold stamping show that this was a special flute, which remains in perfect condition. The body is marked 1867.

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This ornate presentation flute remains in its original case, with tenon covers. The little round silver piece in the lid is actually a pad washer, holding down a silver plaque on the front, also with the initials "V.A."

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This is a fully developed flute, with the modern closed G#, sturdy rings, and classic pad cups.

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Lot often used this alternative mechanism for the Bb on his Boehm flutes. The touch to the left closes the two-holed thumb key, and raises a curved spade under a similar curved piece coming down from the Bb key.

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Here we see the top of the Bb mechanism, with the overlapping curved spades under the rods. The spades will be moving in different arcs, which makes this mechanism tricky to build just right.

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Lot's classic pinned C# with backclutch is joined by the traversing rod for the low B. The beautifully grained wood Lot used for this presentation flute is also clear here.

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This beautiful footjoint touch cluster is finely sculpted, and is in perfect original condition. The cluster is clutched to the B, so that touch alone will close the whole foot.

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This lipplate is extraordinary not only for the fine engraving, including the initials "V. A.", but also for the perfectly sculpted embouchure, which marries the silver flute embouchure with the delicacy of the wooden conical instrument.

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We call this short tuning slide a "French Slide". It only extends a few centimeters into the headjoint, leaving most of the joint with a wood surface. Unfortunately, these slides almost always generate a crack in the wood at the socket, and this flute is no exception. There is a small "stress reliever" crack, about two inches long, which has been filled. This harmless crack is the only fault in the wood of the flute.

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All of the name stamps still have the original gold stamping. The headjoint is marked as the next odd-numbered flute, #1869. Lot was either bad with numbers, or he enjoyed confusing future historians.

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