816

Stamp: Stamped on headjoint only: (lyre)/ A. G. BADGER/ NEW-YORK/ (lyre).

Marks:

Manufacture Date: This stamp is seen on Badger's 1832 system conical flutes, made in the 1840's and 1850's. It apparently was changed to "Badger & Co." after the Badger and Monzani partnership of 1858-1859. We know that Badger had cylindrical flutes to copy from the three great European makers after his friend Philip Ernst returned to New York after attending the Exhibition of 1851. Thus this instrument predates 1858, and probably postdates 1851. This flute is the earliest dateable American Cylindrical flute we have seen, contemporary with and possibly predating the famous silver flute now in the Mark Leone collection.

Hallmarks: No hallmarks.

Comments: This exquisite flute shows that Badger quickly made use of his unique ability to ignore the patent protections for the cylindrical bore, making him the uninvited fourth guest to the most exclusive party of flutemakers ever. This instrument shows that Badger was definitely up to the challenge. This flute is as fully the equivalent of it's contemporaries in Europe as any maker outside of the tradition could produce.

Material: This extraordinary instrument is made of an exotic hardwood with pronounced swirls and very fine grain. The footjoint piece is almost burled. The keys and trim are of silver. The springs are steel pins. The cap and corkscrew are turned wood. The lipplate is engraved silver. There is no tuning slide.

System: This is a copy of the Godfroy flute. The workmanship is exquisite. The foot is to C, the G# is Dorus, the thumb is the classic French Briccialdi, the trill is to B. The keys are made and padded as open-hole French model, yet they have been carefully fitted with silver plugs. The embouchure is fitted with an engraved silver plate from the bottom half. The footjoint is the back-clutch pinned foot of Godfroy. The pad washers are the screw-on Boehm type.

Condition: The condition of this flute is excellent. The pads may be original. The embouchure is practically perfect. Internal inspection reveals a strange uneven cut on the lower inside edge of the hole at the bore. The low C key is very slightly bent; the only sign of wear. There are two or three small cracks at the headjoint socket, a small chip on the crown, A blow to the low C key has bent this key, and caused the tube of the rod to split at the end.......

Pitch: Seems pitched at A=448.

Sounding Length: Sounding length 59.2 cm.

Measurements:

Weight: 384

Case: In apparently original case, which shows more wear than the flute itself.