Japanese? flute

squeezebox99 · Post by **squeezebox99** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 9:23 am

HI
Bought a guesser flute on ebay a month ago. It's rosewood and has some japanese (I think) characters on it - six holes and a key at the foot joint.
Of course I can't make a peep out of it - but my flute playing friend played it this morning and it's pitched in E. Not my cup of tea at all.

I want to post pics and sell the thing. It needs some work on the joints - it's way to ergonomic if you know what I mean...

How to post pictures? - or if you're interested, send me a message. I'm going to take some pics of the markings. The flute is small - maybe 18 inches? (will measure)...very rich sound...

Denny · Post by **Denny** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 9:42 am

posting images

squeezebox99 · Post by **squeezebox99** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 12:18 pm

oops sorry for the multiple posts...very mm

squeezebox99 · Post by **squeezebox99** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 12:20 pm

Will translate the japanese characters today

squeezebox99 · Post by **squeezebox99** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 12:21 pm

Shot with C830L,D340R at 2007-07-31

squeezebox99 · Post by **squeezebox99** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 12:25 pm

cool it worked! Here are more pics!

Shot with C830L,D340R at 2007-07-31

squeezebox99 · Post by **squeezebox99** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 12:28 pm

Shot with C830L,D340R at 2007-07-31

Denny · Post by **Denny** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 12:40 pm

it ain't magic if you understand it

Post by **Nanohedron** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 12:42 pm

Definitely not a Japanese flute in the traditional sense, or Chinese, or what have you. Whatever country it was made in, it's European by design.

Denny · Post by **Denny** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 12:48 pm

oh, yeah...

the real question, eh?

Post by **Nanohedron** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 12:51 pm

Still, I'm waiting on the translation. In some cases if the country of origin isn't flat-out indicated, you can tell if characters are Chinese or Japanese, as modern complex Chinese characters tend to be a bit more streamlined while the modern Japanese ones still retain the old forms, pretty much.

Tchie · Post by **Tchie** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 12:58 pm

if you can take much more clearer picture on the part of the thingy on the question, I can translate if it is really in Japanese...

I.D.10-t · Post by **I.D.10-t** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 1:37 pm

Or perhaps just draw a picture of the characters and take a photo of that.

squeezebox99 · Post by **squeezebox99** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 2:23 pm

Shot at 2007-07-31

My Japanese friend and her nephew - a master caligrapher - both agreed that the writing was most likely the mark of someone who owned the instrument - or that the instrument was made by some strange person who marked it up in this way.

There are other characters on the flute - mostly scratched into the joint bands including a tiny drawing of the sun.

My friends say the characters are Chinese, though that doesn't rule out a Japanese origin. I'm baffled. Any thoughts?

Anyone want to buy it?

Still scratching my head out here - am sticking to whistles I think - though Kevin Crawford IS definately a hunk

squeezebox99 · Post by **squeezebox99** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 2:29 pm

Shot at 2007-07-31

bigger drawing