Description
| Brand: | Mahillon | Body Material: | Ebonite |
| Headjoint Material: | Ebonite | Skill Level: | Intermediate to Advanced |
| Type: | Boehm style flute | Country/Region of Manufacture: | Belgium |
This is a very nice instrument and something you won't see everyday: an antique ebonite flute made by C. Mahillon sometime during the 1890s. It is made of ebonite, a very hard and durable rubber that was enormously popular for many years with professional flutists. This particular model has a special key for playing low C# with the left pinky finger. The flute was overhauled a few weeks back by top notch repairman Pat Nash of Mynett Music and is in fine playing condition. It plays with a light sweetness much like the wood flutes of that period. Sounding length is 585mm, so the flute is a bit high-pitched, but I was able to play it pretty well at a=440 by pulling the head out about 10mm. (Many of the flutes of that period came with two heads that allowed the player a certain flexibility with pitch.) This lovely antique comes with its original case which was designed to hold the flute in its assembled state. Along with the flute there is a very nice turned wood cleaning rod with hidden screwdriver, a tenon protector and a grease pot. The case is in pretty good shape for its age and does close okay, but one of the latches needs a bit of repair. All in all this is a most unique and fun to play flute. If you have never owned one of these "Gay 90s" instruments, this is a chance to discover what you've been missing. |
