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Wooden E. Delarue Flute

pete

Brassica Oleracea
Staff member
Administrator
I didn't even really talk about the flute!

It's pretty. While my sister is the flute person in my family, I know very little about flutes. I'm gonna have to have some fun with Google on that one!
 
Brief Googling:

* E Delarue isn't in the New Langwill Index of instrument manufacturers. That means it probably didn't have ties to other companies. Generally means "really small". I did see a couple references to E Delarue oboes, but more for F Delarue. (That may mean that there are two different manufacturers, someone read the name wrong or the name switched at some point.)
* Someone is selling a 1913 wooden Delarue flute online. For $2500. The seller, a music store, may have some idea as to the age of your flute, then, and its value.
* The earlier oboe references were for 19th century horns. This might mean that Delarue went *poof* around or right after WWI.
* That's a pretty hefty crack in the flute. That's possibly bad mojo. Is the joint that's cracked the headjoint?
* You may be missing an end stopper for that headjoint.
* The oboe folks mentioned that their horns *might* be high pitch. Depending on the age -- early 19th century, for instance -- it could even be French Standard Pitch. Probably little to no way of telling with that giant crack.

If it's the headjoint that's cracked, and it's solid wood, it's approximately $900 to replace. I don't know if that could be repaired.

From what I read, cylindrical headjoint wooden flutes with Boehm system (modern) fingering are insanely rare and relatively expensive (several thousand $ range). I *think* you've got a standard Boehm system flute; I don't play one, so I can't tell, 100%. I also think that the headjoint's cylindrical, based on the conical headjoints I've seen.

Hey, if you've got bigger pics, I'll consider it for my 2010 calendar :).

Check out http://www.oldflutes.com/boehm.htm
 
I'm around...

This is a totally standard Boehm design, and it looks very well made. Probably cocuswood. They keywork is actually very modern in design. If I am not mistaken, though (and I'm pretty sure I am not), the RH side key is for C-B, not B-Bb as on most modern flutes. I hear that this can be modified pretty easily.

The headjoint is definitely a standard Boehm "parabolic" design, with a contraction near the embouchure hole. The body is cylindrical. Boehm did make a few flutes with some variant of his key system based on the old flute design with a cylindrical head and reverse-conical body, but those were all with ring keys AFAIK, and none were made after the 1840s.

The heajoint is metal-lined, so that crack through the head is not necessarily fatal, or even a major issue for playability. You can have it pinned and/or filled, and for god's sake get rid of that ugly screw! What the hell is that?

I suggest also unscrewing the crutch plate, as it just gets in the way. You can fill the four small screw holes or just leave them.

Finally, you need a head cork assembly. You could simply buy a replacement for a metal flute, and replace the metal crown with a wooden one. These are fairly simple to fabricate, with a metal sleeve with the correct thread pitch to fit it to the threaded rod of the inner assembly. You could even leave the metal crown, it would still look better than what you have now, and it will at least be easily adjustable.

But as I say, this looks like a very well-made flute, and it probably plays quite well.

Toby
 
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Upon very close inspection of the flute in question I have determined that the company stamp in this instrment is indeed F. DELARUE not E. DELARUE as originaly stated.

As far as any kind of repair, that is out of the question for me at this time. I simply can't afford the investment on the chance that I MIGHT sell it. I did that a year ago with a '36 Buffet clarinet and I still have it. If someone is interested in purchasing this flute as is I am willing to entertain any reasonable offer. It was given to me in the condition you see and I was told, by the same repair tech that did the Buffet, that it would cost several hundred $$$ to get into good shape and a fair amount more for mint condition including a custom made wooden head cork assembly that would match perfectly. Once in perfect playing condition he said it could probably fetch a very good price - of course probably no more that someone is willing to pay for it. For someone into instrument repair it could be a great project that could produce quite a gem.

Either way, I know this is not a sales forum and did not intene this post to be such. If the general concensus here is that I stand a good chance of selling it on Ebay or Craigslist as is, I will probably do so. I just think it's a shame to let this sit around here never being cared for or played. I'm a trumpet player with no interest in playing flute. It should at least be in the hands of someone who can appreciate it.

Roland
 
As I said, just send me big pics for the calendar. I'll be happy. And say "hi" to the webmaster at http://www.trumpetmaster.com/ (we've chatted before).

eBay is probably your best bet. I'd think that exposure on CraigsList would be a bit limited. If, as I suggest, the flute is relatively rare, a collector might be more apt to look on eBay, first.

I do.
 
It really is a beautiful looking instrument. I wonder how it plays? That's always the question, isn't it? :cool:

I wish I could give you an answer Gandalfe. Several people have tried to play it but it is in such dire need of a repad that you really can't get much of a sound out of it.

The only one I've ever seen like it was on PBS. I was watching a latino band festival about a year or so ago and the flute player in a Cuban band was playing one that looked identical.

I think Ebay is my next stop for this horn....

As I said, just send me big pics for the calendar. I'll be happy. And say "hi" to the webmaster at http://www.trumpetmaster.com/ (we've chatted before).

Pete, I may have time to take a few over the Thanksgiving holiday. I'll post them on Flicker. Hopefully something you can use.

Also, I do enjoy TM! I don't have much time to spend there but there's alway a lot going on and there are a lot of nice folks there.

Roland
 
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