- Made in France in 1911
- Silver plated maillechort (unseamed)
- Soldered tone holes
- Open hole
- Pointed keys
- Inline G
- C-foot
- Embouchure: 10.32 mm x 12.34 mm x 4.3 mm (0.170″)
- Weight: 410 g
- Head sounding length: 151.5 mm
- Sounding length: 601 mm
- Traditional scale
- A=440 Hz
Auguste Adrien Bonneville (1819 -1895) began his workshop in 1876. The flutes he produced bore the name Bonneville. In 1885, he retired and handed over the reins to his sons. Before doing so, he changed the company to Bonneville et Fils. This name change lasted until 1888 when the sons changed it back to Bonneville.
This flute, bearing the name Bonneville Fils, is not at all associated with the original Bonneville workshop, despite having a similar name, logo, and font. It was started by Bonneville’s grandson, Auguste Lucien Bonneville (1880-1944). He maintained the workshop from 1908 to 1912. During those years, he made approximately 500 flutes, with serial numbers starting from 1000. With a workload of approximately 100 flutes per year, he would have produced this one in 1911.
This unseamed flute has a mellow and smooth sound compared to his grandfather’s silver-plated seamed flutes. The second and third registers also have a lovely French glow. The low register has the flexibility to go from hollow to dense.
The embouchure cut is also much more oval than the rectangular cut associated with his grandfather.
The scale is typical for this period, and the flute is pitched nicely at A=440 Hz.
The flute was recently overhauled, so the pads are new. The case seems original and appropriate for the era. Overall, this is a well-preserved flute and a good example of the early 20th-century French sound.
Price: $2,900
Sold as is. Sales tax applies to purchases within California. For inquiries on purchasing, please contact Gary Lewis.
