Historic Flutes

We are aware that there are gaps in information about some of the instruments in this section and would love to fill those gaps. If you can tell us more about the instrument(s) on this page we would be very keen to hear from you.

Goulding and Co, England

Boston Collection (B005)

Instrument: Flute

Maker: George Goulding & Co

Region: London, England

Era: Classical

Date(s): 1787-1800

Keys: 1

Stamp: Goulding & Co / London / 3

Goulding & Co was started by George Goulding in C1787. Multiple partnerships throughout his woodwind instrument making career saw numerous iterations of the Goulding stamp, but ‘Goulding & Co’ was the first mark he used for his instruments. This iteration of the stamp places the making of this particular flute between 1787 and 1800. The company traded until 1834. Langwill notes Goulding was designated as ‘music-seller to the Prince and Princess of Wales’ (29).

Ref: (29) William Waterhouse, 'The New Langwill Index' (1993), p. 142

George Astor & Co, England

Boston Collection (B006)

Instrument: Flute

Maker: George Astor & Co

Region: London, England

Era: Classical

Date(s): 1784-1814

Keys: 4

Stamp: Gx Astor & Co / London / (unicorn head icon)

Veriam Music Trust's George Astor & Co classical flute, England, Boston Collection (B006)

Brothers George and John Astor founded their woodwind instrument workshop in London in C1778, which traded until 1831. George’s wife continued the business after his death in 1813. The ‘Gx Astor & Co’ stamp indicates this instrument was made between 1784 and 1814 (30).

John Astor moved to America in 1783, where, through various business ventures, he became one of the richest people to have lived in modern history. His great grandson famously died as the wealthiest person aboard the Titanic when it sank in 1912.

Ref: (30) William Waterhouse, 'The New Langwill Index' (1993), p. 12

C. Gerock, England

Boston Collection (B007)

Instrument: Flute

Maker: Christopher Gerock

Region: London, England

Era: Classical

Date(s): 1804-37

Keys: 1

Stamp: C. Gerock / London

Christopher Gerock started his woodwind instrument making workshop in London in 1805. The company traded until 1837, and from 1824-1827 was partnered with ‘Astor & Co’. Later Gerock partnered with Wolf and became ‘Gerock & Wolf’ (31).

Ref: (31) William Waterhouse, 'The New Langwill Index' (1993), p. 133

C. Gerock, England

Boston Collection (B008)

Instrument: Flute

Maker: Christopher Gerock

Region: London, England (76 Bishopsgate St)

Era: Classical

Date(s): 1805-23

Keys: 0

Stamp: C. Gerock / 76 / Bishopsgate St / London

Veriam Music Trust's C. Gerock classical flute, England, Boston Collection (B008)

Christopher Gerock started the woodwind instrument making workshop in London in 1805. The company traded until 1837, and from 1824-1827 was partnered with ‘Astor & Co’. Later Gerock partnered with Wolf and became ‘Gerock & Wolf’. Gerock’s address was at 76 Bishopsgate from 1805-1823 (32).

Ref: (32) William Waterhouse, 'The New Langwill Index' (1993), p. 133

Longman & Broderip, England

Boston Collection (B009)

Instrument: Flute

Maker(s): James Longman & Francis Broderip

Region: London, England (26 Cheapside)

Era: Classical

Date(s): 1776-98

Keys: 1

Stamp: Longman & Borderip / London

James Longman and Francis Broderip made many types of musical instruments in partnership with each other between 1776 and 1798. They were also very well-known sellers and publishers of music (rivals to John Preston - see D011).

The company went bankrupt in 1798, after which Longman partnered with Clementi, forming Longman Clementi & Co, between 1798 and 1801 (33).

Ref: (33) William Waterhouse, 'The New Langwill Index' (1993), p. 240

Boston Collection (B016)

Metzler, England

Instrument: Flute

Maker: Metzler

Region: London, England

Era: Classical

Date(s): c1816

Keys: 1

Stamp: Metzler / London / B

Veriam Music Trust's Metzler classical flute, England, Boston Collection (B016)

The Metzler family business was a prolific musical instrument maker for almost 150 years, between 1788 and 1936 (The New Langwill Index). The Metzler / London stamp indicates an earlier date, as the company subsequently adopted the marks ‘Metzler & Son’ and ‘Metzler & Co’ (amongst others) (34).

Ref: (34) William Waterhouse, 'The New Langwill Index' (1993), p. 261-62

A. Stathopoulo, New York

Boston Collection (B017)

Instrument: Flute

Maker: Anastasios Stathopoulo

Region: Queens, New York

Era: Late romantic

Date(s): 1903 - 1915

Keys: 8

Stamp: L.P. / A Stathopoulo / New York / (within oval icon encircling stamp)

Anastasios Stathopoulo’s 1890 musical instrument making business was the beginning of what would become an historic American guitar brand – Epiphone.

Anastasios was a Greek lute and fiddle maker, starting out in Izmir, Turkey (then known as Smyrna, Ottoman Empire) in 1890. He moved to New York in 1903, and set up a workshop in Queens, where he expanded his musical instrument range. Anastasios died in 1915, and his son Epaminondas Stathopoulo (aka “Epi”) continued the business. In 1917 Epi changed the business name to ‘The House of Stathopoulo’, and in 1928 changed it again to the ‘Epiphone Banjo Company’. They went on to produce world famous guitars, and were bought by Gibson in 1957 (35, 36).

Ref: (35) Wikipedia contributors, 'Wikipedia' (2024), p. name Epiphone

Ref: (36) 'Official website: Epiphone' (2024), p. name Epiphone: History

Goulding & D'Almaine, England

Boston Collection (B018)

Instrument: Flute

Maker: D'Almaine, late Goulding & D'Almaine

Region: London, England (Soho Square)

Era: Classical

Date(s): 1809-1834

Keys: 4

Stamp: D'Almaine & Co / Late / Goulding & D'Almaine / Soho Square / London (fleur de lis icon with foliage)

Veriam Music Trust's Goulding & D'Almaine classical flute, England, Boston Collection (B018)

Goulding & Co was started by George Goulding in C1787. Multiple partnerships throughout his woodwind instrument making career saw numerous iterations of the Goulding stamp, but the period that they were based at Soho Square was between 1809 and 1834, when this flute was made. Langwill notes Goulding was designated as ‘music-seller to the Prince and Princess of Wales’ (36).

Ref: (36) William Waterhouse, 'The New Langwill Index' (1993), p. 142

Clementi, England / France

Boston Collection (B020)

Instrument: Soprano Flute

Maker: Clementi

Region: London, England / Paris, France

Era: Classical

Date(s): 1802-1831

Keys: 1

Stamp: Clementi / Paris

Muzio Clementi, well-known Italian pianist and composer, founded Clementi & Co in London in 1802, after recuperating from losses made when his previous partnership with Longman & Broderip ended in bankruptcy (37).

Clementi & Co became wind instrument makers and music publishers, and between 1802 and 1831 when Clementi retired, he expended great efforts in attempting to export the company’s instruments. There are a number of extant instruments which were likely made by Clementi & Co, but stamped ‘Clementi / Paris’ for re-sale in France (or to make the brand seem more international) (38).

After Clementi retired, the company became Collard & Collard.

Ref: (37) William Waterhouse, 'The New Langwill Index' (1993), p. 65-66

Ref: (38) Waters, S, 'Networks of Innovation, Connection and Continuity in Woodwind Design and Manufacture in London between 1760 and 1840. Galpin Society Journal, 73, 10. (Queen’s University Belfast record)' (2020), p. 17