870

Stamp: On body: THE HAYNES FLUTE / MFD. BY / WM. S. HAYNES / BOSTON, MASS. / U.S.A./ 3077. On headjoint and footjoint: (monogram) WSH.

Marks: The number 6 is stamped under the thumb key shank.

Manufacture Date: Made April, 1915 (Haynes).

Hallmarks: No hallmarks.

Comments: This unusually loud and responsive wooden Haynes flute was made in 1915 for Gile J. Wilson (1889-1933), of Reading, PA. Mr. Wilson played in the Reading Symphony, and is listed as the featured soloist for the Oct. 28, 1917 program, playing �Charmant Oiseau� from Le Perle du Br�sil by F�licien David. John Wmmer played next to Gile Wilson in the Reading Symphony, and we suspect that he acquired this flute from Mr. Wilson. This flute came to the current owner via Carl Dietrich, whose father purchased this flute from John Wummer (Detroit Symphony, 1925-1937; NBC Symphony, 1937-1942; New York Philharmonic, 1942-1965). This is the most responsive, loudest, and easy to play wooden Haynes flute we have seen. The C# trill is very modern for this time, and appears to be original. The pillars seem quite high, and the keys made to rest open about 4 mm from the outside tube. This flute plays at A=440 and lower. It was originally built at A=435.

Material: This is a classic Haynes wooden flute. The body is a blackwood, the keys are silver, the springs are of gold. The pad washers are of the German screw variety. The crown is of wood, and the silver tip is now fixed in place. The corkscrew has been refitted with a metal rod and screw plate. The metal tuning slide in the head extends about 27 mm. into the headjoint.

System: This exquisite flute is made in the typical Haynes version of the Boehm and Mendler wooden flutes, with plateau keys and a pinned, two roller footjoint to C. Haynes has changed Boehm's system with the addition of a C# trill, the closed G#, and the French thumb. The trill is to the thumb key for B-C, not to the Bb as is today's preference. Haynes used Boehm's silver ball-and-screw adjustable version of Lot's shoulder clutches.

Condition: This flute is well used, yet is in excellent original condition. Modest repairs have been made over the years (the G# spring hook looks replaced, for example), and the rods have been swedged to take out movement, but these are merely the signs of a long and good life. Two small hairline cracks in the headjoint socket are caused by the metal insert, and of little concern. A crutch holder has been removed.

Pitch: Pitched to play at A=440 and lower.

Sounding Length: Sounding length 603 mm.

Measurements:

Weight: 528 g.

Case: In handmade solid wood case, with a space for a crutch, suggesting that this was part of the flute until recently.