Pre-Owned Rudall, Carte & Co One Piece Body Flute

Our Description

This flute was commissioned by  H. Piddock of the Hallé Orchestra. Piddock had previously bought a flute from Boehm & Mendler and appears to have taken it to Rudall Carte and asked for one just like it.

Number 795 was completed in February 1879 (no date is visible in the records). It is described as a Cocoa Boehm (they didn't call it Cocus until about 1900) originally with medium holes and a closed G sharp. The maker was Holland. It was sold on 22 February 1879 for £29 - 8s (which is 28 guineas).

Number 794 was the same, so we assume Piddock bought two for his students.

We suspect this flute originally played at high pitch and was transplanted; at which time it was converted to open G sharp.

About Rudall, Carte & Co

The British company Rudall Carte was among the most famous and well-regarded names in the music industry of the 19th and 20th centuries. Founded as Rudall & Rose in 1822, Richard Carte (father of Richard D'Oyly Carte, of later Gilbert and Sullivan fame) joined the firm around 1850, and the company  of Rudall, Rose, Carte & Co then became Rudall, Carte and Company in 1874.

Up until its acquition by Boosey & Hawkes in 1955, Rudall Carte were producing high-quality flutes in a range of materials - primarily cocus wood, but also silver, ebonite and gold - at varying price points. In addition, many famous names in flute history honed their trade at Rudall Carte, including Albert Cooper, Ewen McDougall and Harry Seeley (the last two of whom, along with five other Carte workers, went on to set up Flutemakers Guild).

Rudall Carte cocus wood flutes in particular are rightly still held in high esteem today: beautifully engineered and well ahead of their time, a restored, well cared-for Rudall Carte can be a pleasure to play. Many players like to match a modern British headjoint (such as Robert Bigio or Peter Worrell) to get the most out of these instruments, although there are some notable players who find the warmth and charm of the original headjoint preferable.

Rudall Carte today are known primarily only in the flute world, yet they were hugely successful and highly influential: as well as selling other instruments, the firm published books and music, and were also concert promoters. We highly recommend Robert Bigio's excellent book Rudall, Rose & Carte: The Art of the Flute in Britain for a greater insight into this historic company's production and legacy.

Specifications

What's Included

• Original case

Item Details