- Circa 1910.
- Seamed silver tubing.
- Soldered toneholes
- Pointed keys
- Inline G
- B-foot
- Left-hand lever for low B.
- Foot tenon extension.
- Engraved Lois Lot lip plate.
- Traditional scale
- A=440 Hz
It’s too bad that not many people are aware of Luigi Vanotti. He was a very fine Italian flute maker from the early 20th century. His flutes are noted for having a very rich, creamy sound and excellent response, and #1634 is a superb example of his craftsmanship. It was first owned by Nicola Laucella (1882-1952), who played principal flute with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, and Metropolitan Opera. The flute responds quickly and transitions between registers seemingly effortlessly. Its tone is clean, smooth, and colorful, which is maintained throughout the entire range of the flute. Overall, it’s a befitting flute for a principal flutist and would rival any Louis Lot flute of the same era.
Other than the first owner of this flute, we don’t know its full history, but it definitely has changed ownership a few times over the years, given the condition it was in when we first encountered this flute in the 1990s. The flute had a rebuilt barrel and an altered lip plate and seriously needed an overhaul. Gary Lewis restored the flute, replaced the lip plate with a Louis Lot (from #6154, made in 1896), and engraved the Vanotti logo on the rebuilt barrel. The current owner installed new pads in 2022.
Price: XXX
Sold as is. Sales tax applies to purchases within California. For inquiries on purchasing, please contact Gary Lewis.
