Louis
Lot s/n 2388
An Early Silver Villette
Louis Lot silver Flute serial
#2388, made in early 1878. Solid silver, seamed tube, handmade French model,
soldered tone holes, open hole except for a single plateau cup on G to enable
the G/A shake, pointed arms, no adjustment screws, inline G, E donut, Bb shake,
C-foot, .014” tubing, gold springs, felt pads, traditional scale.
This flute was made soon
after Villette took over the ownership of the Louis Lot Company. Some of his
modification to the first generation flutes have not yet been implemented, such
as adjusting screws, engraving instead of rolled stamps on the body, thicker
body tubing, etc. For more information, please read the article “On Villette And Other
Musings”.
The mechanism of our flute
has been rebuilt using modern mainline key cups, posts and without adjustment
screws. The remaining key cups are original, as is the square three-piece back
connector, which predates the highly recognizable Villette clutch found on
flutes built only a few months later.
Other modifications to this
flute include a replaced lip plate, shortening of the upper section of the
headjoint, and a grafted tenon. The body tube and barrel are original, with
visible seams in the correct places, as are the rings. The maker’s lozenge is
barely visible on one of the rings. Although the seam is not visible on the
footjoint, its ring bears the boar’s-head silver hallmark. All of these
modifications had been made before the flute was purchased by its last owner many
years ago. The instrument was brokered on the recommendation of John Wummer.
Louis Lot #2388 is in very
good playing condition, with some tarnish consistent with its age. It possesses
the unmistakable sound and feel of a French flute, due in large part to the
integrity of its original thin tube. The tone is exceptionally sweet, with an
ease of articulation and just the right amount of resistance. The instrument
vibrates beautifully under the fingers, responding with a remarkable range of
nuances and shades of color—qualities that are often lacking in modern flutes.
While the flute is not
entirely original, the modifications appear to have been undertaken with great
care and sound judgment, preserving the character and integrity of the
instrument. The quality of the work suggests the hand of a seasoned flute
maker. It comes in a French case in well-used condition.
MARK: L.L./LOUIS LOT/PARIS/2388/BREVETÉ
The embouchure hole measures 10.5 x 12.2 mm.
Sounding length is 600 mm.
Headjoint length is 8-3/4”.
The flute weighs 379 grams.
Please see detailed photos below.
Price is $5,000 USD, $100 shipping to USA.
Home /
For more information please email Alan Weiss at alan@vintagefluteshop.com