Antique Traditional Flute

Originally a 10/12 keyed flute, this antique Nach Mayer flute has been reconditioned for Irish trad music . Playing with a strong voice in every position . All keys operate and sealing well. The flute is in a new purpose made case. Most recently used for Irish trad sessions. Tuning A = 440 Hz with slide extended just 2 mm. Repaired cracks, some scuffs and marks reflect its age. Keys are German silver. The flute is stamped Nach HF Meyer and also has LP ( meaning Low Pitch) C ( meaning key for low C foot which has been removed) . The stamp “Germany ” is just faintly visible. This flute was exported from Germany to America post 1890 legislation requiring imports to America being stamped with the country of manufacture. The engineering on the keys suggest the date of manufacture is early 20th century.
The term “Nach Mayer flute” comes from the instrument making firm of Heinrich Friedrich Meyer (1814–1897) who flourished in Hannover Germany from 1848 until the early 20th century. H F Mayer designed and patented a design of wooden flute which became standard across the western world. This flute is not made by H F Mayer but is named after him. A "Nach Meyer" flute is a historical type of wooden, "simple system" transverse flute, originally manufactured in Germany in the late 19th century. In the German language , the word nach translates to "after" or "in the style of," meaning these instruments were copies or adaptations based on the highly successful designs of the German flute maker Heinrich Friedrich Meyer (H.F. Meyer) . When Theobald Boehm produced the modern metal flute in 1847 wooden flutes started a slow decline. By 1920 thousands of wooden flutes were removed from orchestras and bands across Europe and America, but these flutes became available to Irish musicians who favoured the flutes because the finger positions were similar to the tin whistle. Musicians returning to Ireland from USA and UK cities introduced the Nach Mayer flute to Irish trad music. A sound sample is available on Youtube. https://studio.youtube.com/video/DPmissxLiAg/edit