- Completed In Boston on April 13, 1928
- French model
- Silver, 0.013″ tubing
- Drawn tone holes
- Open hole
- Pointed keys
- Inline G
- C-foot
- Embouchure: 10.40 mm x 12.12 mm
- Embouchure height: 0.186″
- Weight: 377 g
- Headjoint sounding length: 155 mm
- Sounding length: 603 mm
- Traditional scale
- A=440 Hz
DRAWN TONE HOLES – AN AMERICAN INVENTION
Drawn tone holes were invented by George Haynes (brother of William S. Haynes) in 1898 and put into production by Wm. S. Haynes Co. in 1913. Wm. Haynes considered the drawn holes a major improvement as there was no longer any risk of leaking tone holes from deteriorating solder. He also felt that the tubes would vibrate better when the tone holes were integral to the flute.
Wm. S. Haynes Co. started making a “Barrere model” commercial, open hole flute by 1918, possibly earlier. They experimented with a pointed-arm French model flute as early as 1925 but did not put this model into production until after Verne Powell left the company in 1926.
Although George Haynes was working in a different division of the Haynes corporation, Wm Haynes requested that he temporarily fill in Powell’s absence to assist with the production of their professional-quality French flutes (starting in the late 9000s serial numbers). These flutes featured drawn tone holes, extremely thin walls (0.010″), and pointed keys. However, drawing holes from such thin metal was difficult; many flutes had small faults that needed to be carefully repaired by hand. They soon changed to 0.013″ wall tubing, as found on 10,210, but the process remained difficult. Within several months after this flute was made, the Haynes company returned to soldered tone holes, a technique they used before 1913. From then on, soldered tone holes and 0.013″ wall thickness became standard for their professional-quality flutes. But George Haynes’ creative craftsmanship during his time at Wm S Haynes Co. can be seen (and heard) in 10210.
The tonal quality of 10210 is clean, creamy, and colorful. The low register is much more flexible than the Hayes produced in the 1940s and onwards. The flute is fluid throughout all registers and can easily handle the solo from Bizet’s L’Arlesienne Suite #2. It has a similar tonal elegance to the early Powell flutes of the early 1930s.
The flute also plays well at A=440 Hz with the headjoint pulled out to a comfortable 1/4″. The scale is very stable in all registers. It’s very even when moving from the right hand to the left hand. Second and third octave C’s and C#’s are only mildly sharp. No drastic adjustments are required to play them in tune.
The flute comes in a Haynes case, though it is not original to the flute. It is likely from the 1950s.
