Hello everyone, I am selling my 8 Key Antique flute, by Bernard Lee of London. For more information, please follow the link below. 🙂
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Rare-Antique-Vintage-Old-Wooden-Irish-8-Key-Cocus-Flute-Bernard-Lee-London/153556563475?hash=item23c0af3613:g:SxQAAOSwMvxdIgMm
Wow - that’s a beauty. No serial number or indication of date other than the 25 year range?
Pity about the crack in the head .. although it looks well repaired. If that’s a tidy in-tune A440 player will make somebody very happy.
A very attractive instrument indeed. I have had the opportunity to play this flute, and it is a truly wonderful player. The repairs are all sound and very discrete. Bernard Lee flutes are very rare and seldom appear on the market.
Most of the flutes made during this period were not serialized, so we rely heavily on records showing the maker’s occupancy at any particular address. According to Fred Rose ( flute and whistle maker in Lancashire ) " B. Lee, 17 Old Bond Street, London, between 1839 - 1841. Bernard Lee reputedly learned his craft at Rudall and Rose, before setting up his own business. He only made flutes under his own name for three years, so it is a pretty rare instrument, and much along the lines as a Rudall in design and quality. A very nice flute indeed. … " As we can see Fred is talking about a 2 year period between 1839 - 41 at 17, Old Bond Street. This particular flute is from another address ( 23, Denmark Street, Soho. ) If Bernard Lee was only manufacturing flutes under his own name for 3 years as Fred suggests, this would put the date of this one at either 1838 or 1842. This is a fine playing flute ideally suited for I.T.M.
It should also be noted that Robert Bigio has Bernard Lee down as a performer, composer and musical instrument tutor ( Flute, Violin and Tenor ) in his book " Readings in the History of the Flute." Sometimes these famous Composer’s and Tutors of the day would have other manufacturer’s make flutes for them bearing their name as a promotion, such as the George Rudall stamped flutes made by John Willis. Either way, the flute itself has stylistic attributes, which may well suggest that it was made by a former Rudall & Rose worker.
An Australian player, Malcolm Tattersal, has a flute marked B. Lee and did some sniffing around some time back….
http://members.iinet.net.au/~mtattersall/Articles/Lee_flute.htm
http://members.iinet.net.au/~mtattersall/Articles/Lee_flute_pt_2.htm
This flute is now sold - thanks to all who have shown interest. 🙂