On eBay - Antique Silver Mounted Flute by Hill and Monzani

[jemtheflute]

On eBay - Antique Silver Mounted Flute by Hill and Monzani

Nice looking flute - looks like a fresh discovery - in need of restoration (missing long F touch, missing low C pad-disc, bad barrel crack) - but a fine flute, well worth someone's effort and expense!

[dunnp]

The Irish Flute Store has had one for sale for ages at a reasonable price.

There is a boxwood one on the Musical Treasures site as well.

[jim stone]

How do these play? What do they sound like?

[radcliff]

the crown is a replacement...
I will try yo bid on it, even if I'm out of money, but maybe I'm not the only one on this boat.


Btw, another nice one: D'almaine 8k
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/230636438146

[LewisC]

This flute has the double Bb touch that piper's grip players like and it has the angled G# that works well for piper's grip. Small embouchure and small finger holes mean you need to have focused airstream. The flute at IrishFluteStore is missing the G# key which this one has. If this one were cheap enough you could put the two together....

I bought a Monzani with a broken F3 block, but the rest was in beautiful shape. The case it came in was designed to make it easy to shear off the F#. Either the touch or the block holding it in. Jon C repaired the block and in addition made a second headjoint with slightly larger bore and much larger embouchure. This opens the flute and brings a lot more volume and tone.
Lewis

[jim stone]

How do these play? What do they sound like?

I know what old rudalls sound like. How do these compare?
Grateful for some info.

[Jon C.]

How do these play? What do they sound like?

I know what old rudalls sound like. How do these compare?
Grateful for some info.

Oh this one is right up my ally! Someone get it, and send it on over!
One word I would say for Monzani "smooth" ... The problem with the one piece lower section, you have a tendency to have a flat foot. the tuning is a lot like a Rudall, or I should say typical for 430htz tuning. But they are elegant flutes. I really like the key work, they have the floating key cup, with the flat leather pads.

[groxburgh]

Jim - in my opinion my Hill/Monzani is very very like an early small holed Rudall Rose to play. Same tone, same tuning (complete with flat low C#, D, D#).

Cheers
Graeme

[jemtheflute]

Oh this one is right up my ally!

Does your ally mind? I mean, I know the American Imperial Hegemony has a rep for shafting friend and foe alike, but...... Morals of an alley-cat, see.

Someone get it, and send it on over!

As the vendor will only post to GB, I'd be prepared to act (by advance arrangement with specific individuals - pm me) as a postal intermediary if anyone Stateside wants to see if they can get clearance from the vendor to bid from abroad and, if they win, get it shipped to me, pay me the onwards shipping costs and I send it over......

My very first 8-key flute was a small-holed Monzani - probably an originally lower spec/cheaper one than the present eBay example. It worked well enough, but was hard work - it was largely responsible for me, as I shifted over from Bohm, working at using all the proper key-vented fingerings as, without them, it just didn't play acceptably. Had I started on a Pratten type or big-holed Rudall type, I might not have made that effort, and I'm glad I did. It had a sweet tone and played quite acceptably at 440, but ultimately wasn't what I wanted for ITM. When my R&R opportunity came up a couple of years later, it was part of the exchange deal with Paul Davis. He described it, fairly, I think, as an 1820s dilettante flute. Certainly there were higher grade Monzanis that were definitely pro-players' flutes. They have some popularity in the Period Performance field for early Romantic material.

[LewisC]

I agree with the smooth description. With enough focus an edge to the sound can be applied, but it will never be a loud flute. The foot has a very small exit bore, plus the small holes means a lower volume. The F# is better in tune with the Fnat key pressed and the foot is pretty flat. The A and B tuning are typical for that period. It seems like a parlor performance would be about right.

The workmanship and design are outstanding. It is a delight just to hold such an instrument, much less play on it. The angled G# block could not be done with a lathe, it would have to be cut in a special fashion (by hand?). The pads are attached in a floating manner to always seat properly. This was done nearly 200 years ago.
L

[jim stone]

Thanks to all. Helpful.

[Jon C.]

Oh this one is right up my ally!

Does your ally mind? I mean, I know the American Imperial Hegemony has a rep for shafting friend and foe alike, but...... Morals of an alley-cat, see.
What can I say, my iPad speaks for me, I guess that my alibi.

Someone get it, and send it on over!

As the vendor will only post to GB, I'd be prepared to act (by advance arrangement with specific individuals - pm me) as a postal intermediary if anyone Stateside wants to see if they can get clearance from the vendor to bid from abroad and, if they win, get it shipped to me, pay me the onwards shipping costs and I send it over......
There's a thought...
My very first 8-key flute was a small-holed Monzani - probably an originally lower spec/cheaper one than the present eBay example. It worked well enough, but was hard work - it was largely responsible for me, as I shifted over from Bohm, working at using all the proper key-vented fingerings as, without them, it just didn't play acceptably. Had I started on a Pratten type or big-holed Rudall type, I might not have made that effort, and I'm glad I did. It had a sweet tone and played quite acceptably at 440, but ultimately wasn't what I wanted for ITM. When my R&R opportunity came up a couple of years later, it was part of the exchange deal with Paul Davis. He described it, fairly, I think, as an 1820s dilettante flute. Certainly there were higher grade Monzanis that were definitely pro-players' flutes. They have some popularity in the Period Performance field for early Romantic material.

[Jon C.]

The flute sold for 477£! A very good deal for someone!

[radcliff]

"someone" must now have a truly wonderful wide collection.
he got this nice one just a couple of days ago
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/290578161166

[radcliff]

and there is still this nice german http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/110705306805 on the bay.