A solid silver flute, made during the ownership of the Louis Lot workshop by E. Barat (1889 – 1904). *** A solid silver Louis Lot flute, number 7358 ( 1904 ) ***
French hallmarks and maker’s mark are found on the embouchure plate, the body and on most keys. Soldered tone-holes, perforated (French) keywork to low B, in-line G. We measure the silver tube as .014 inches (.35 mm.) Bb shake, no adjusting screws. Embouchure measures 9.9 X 11.9 mm.
Sounding length is 638 mm. We see no evidence that the head has been altered or cut shorter. The head, body and foot clearly show signs of “seamed construction”; the seam to the head is quite visible . The flute was constructed with a one-piece body and foot: that means it is not possible to remove the foot from the body. As well as the name of the maker on both joints and the serial number on the head, the body is also engraved “E. Segond / Montauroux / Var”. It seems that M. Eugene Segond (born 1861) was the physician to the village of Montauroux (modern population 6400 residents.) We note that a street in the middle of the village bears the name “Segond” and it’s been speculated that the street was named for the first owner of our flute.
A note about pitch…
As I usually do, I compared this instrument with a 1961 W.S. Haynes instrument that I’ve known for six decades and more, my “test” flute that’s quite special to me and is, alas, not for sale.
I found Lot number 7358 to play very well at A = 440 with the head section all the way in. The 638 sounding length would indicate tuning to 435 – 438, but I discovered it played well at 440. By side-by-side comparison with the 1961 Haynes, I note all tone-holes are both in the same position, except for the low B. The distance from the center of the low B tone-hole to the end of the foot is three mm longer on the Lot than on the Haynes. Further, I note that the lowest three tone-holes on the Lot are slightly wider diameter than on the Haynes.
Simply said, all notes on the Lot play very well for me at 440, the low B a bit lower in pitch.
Lot flutes from the early part of the last century sometimes possess tone-color (“voice”) that is unique, colorful and unique. Our number 7358 meets all the criterion of a “Golden Age” Paris flute and we recommend it highly.
The flute is part of a small collection of French instruments that I've acquired over the years, which means I may offer to sell a few more in the upcoming months. I have several other similar Lot flutes, all original, not "re-tuned", still with original embouchure plates. For that super-particular flutist who want "original, original, original," we invite them to come visit us and try everything in our flute vault!
But please note: This instrument wears all original parts and has not been cut shorter or re-tuned. Regretfully it is not for sale to any person who might have plans to alter it in any way. I have a wonderful English wife, I own two vintage British roadsters and I've visited the UK more than one hundred times. But I will not sell this flute to a resident of England where the ruination of fine vintage instruments seems to be acceptable.
Flute questions? Write me! Always glad to hear from flute people!
*** GR/Wichita
HG