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Boston Flutes

Flutes by Verne Q. Powell




  • Verne Q. Powell #2554 (1965), hand-made, soldered tone-holes best model “pre Wasser” flute. We have two vintage Powells now ready to sell, both "second generation", both with similar specs. And I'm not certain which of the two I prefer. This one was created with the standard .014 inch silver tube, which means it has a bit less resistance than the other I've posted. Not certain....think this one would be my second choice. But it's a very good player and I might change my mind before the sun sets tonight! This wonderful flute weighs a mere 430 grams, arguably "more accessible" than a heavy-wall Powell. It's 440 pitch. Not 442. If you're an amateur adult who likes to play with small ensembles and enjoys tooting Bach on week-ends, it's perfect. If you're playing in a pro orchestra that tunes to 442 or higher, this one's definitely not for you. "Powell traditional scale", too. The one Verne used on flutes he built. Not "modern Powell", not "Cooper scale", not "short scale" or anything else. The low D is a bit below pitch, so you've got to push to make it play with proper intonation. Now about technical stuff.... The solid silver tube measures .014 inches (body and head). The flute was constructed with in-line G, and soldered tone-holes. With head section in solid silver with 14K gold lip and riser. A : 440, traditional Powell scale.



  • Verne Powell sold his small flute workshop in 1961 to a quartet of his long-time workers: Ed Almeida, Ed Machon, Richard Jerome and Elmer Waterhouse. The four partners retained ownership until 1982, when the company was acquired by Rob Viola and James Phelan. Until the 1986 purchase by Harvard MBA graduate Steven Wasser, the Powell company was dedicated to building flutes of the very highest quality. Two models were produced: the so-called “commercial” model featured flat pad-cups and extruded tone-holes. The “fully hand-made” models were built on the traditional French means of construction, with tone-holes soldered to the silver tube, with pointed pad cups and extended key-arms. Our instrument is one of the “fully hand-made” vintage Powell with French (open) keys and B foot. The original leather-covered case is very good and the flute plays very well, at 440 pitch.



  • In 1965, Powell built only 114 flutes, half of them “commercials” and half “hand-made”. That means this particular instrument is rare and of the absolute highest quality. In 1965, before Muramatsu, Sankyo and the others were producing pro-quality instruments, virtually ALL the world’s professional and concert artists performed on either a Powell or a Haynes hand-made. Notes about names... Louis Lot, the "Stradivarius of flute makers" sold his workshop in 1876, retired to the countryside. The shop was sold to his most-trusted worker, H. D. Villette. Villette sold to Deboneetbeau in 1882, and so on. Which means that some players / collectors are now referring to Lot workshop owners as "first generation", "second generation", "third generation" and so on. It's our opinion that this nomenclature makes sense. Flutes made by Verne Powell himself are superb, equal to (or better than) the best of the "old French". Today's Powell flutes are of all prices and quality, from basic student models to the finest in modern production. But Powell is now owned by a French conglomerate that includes workshops that produce clarinets, saxophones, tubas and the rest. Which means, in our opinion, that we prefer to refer to flutes made when Verne owned the company as "first generation Powell"; Flutes from the four master-craftsmen who bought the shop, we've named "second generation". Not sure what the call instruments from the Wasser years....perhaps "Wasser generation Powells".



  • Again in our opinion.... "Second generation" Powells exhibit the superb workmanship and acoustical properties that we find in the early instruments from Verne himself. These rare flutes, especially the hand-made models, exhibit workmanship that you normally find only on expensive pieces of jewelry. New Powells, from the Big Conglomerate are fine flutes, but just not the same. Or at least that's our opinion. As we understand it, the price of a new Powell with 14K lip and riser, D# roller, is somewhere just below $16,000. Is ours better than a new flute from Powell? We think so! Do I recommend this one? ABSOLUTELY! Pick it up and it signs wonderfully from the first toot!Flute questions? Write me! Always glad to hear from flute people! $7450







  • Verne Q. Powell #3769 (1972), hand-made pre-Wasser flute, silver head, body and foot, 14K gold lip and riser. Soldered tone-holes, B foot, the keywork showing minimal wear to the hinge-tubes and pad-cups. The solid silver tube measures .018 inches (body and head).

    With all new pads and corks from our shop in Wichita.

    Sounding length is 635 mm (A = 440).

    Embouchure measures 10.3 X 12.1 mm.

    Total weight is 462 grams.

    Offered with original case.

    Between 1927 and 1986, the Powell workshop was dedicated to producing flutes of the highest quality. Two models were built: the so-called commercial instruments, with flat pad-cups and extruded tone-holes. The best instruments, based on the traditional nineteenth-century flutes of the Paris school, were called hand-made, always with soldered tone-holes.

    In the year our flute was constructed, the Powell shop, was owned by four partners, all of whom had trained under Verne Q. In 1972, a total of 124 flutes were produced.

    The tone-quality is full and dark, arguably not for everybody. In our opinion, it is a magnificent instrument. $XXXX










Flutes by William S. Haynes

  • William S. Haynes #27,237 (1958), hand-made, silver head, body and foot, 14K gold lip, a Golden Age flute, crafted when the Haynes family still owned the company. Soldered tone-holes, B foot, very clean engraving, the keywork showing almost no wear to the hinge-tubes or pad-cups. The solid silver tube measures .014 inches (body and head). The flute was constructed with inline G, and soldered tone-holes. With all new pads and corks from our shop in Wichita. Sounding length is 636 mm (A = 440). Embouchure measures 10.3 X 12.2 mm. Total weight is 423 grams. Offered with the original case and new case cover. We are fortunate to have full history of the instrument from the time it was new.

    $5175







  • William S. Haynes flute, #30,291 (1960), hand-made, best model Golden Age crafted when the Haynes family still owned the company. Soldered tone-holes, B foot, clean engraving, the keywork showing minimal wear to the hinge-tubes or pad-cups. With all new pads and corks from our shop in Wichita. The solid silver tube measures .014 inches (body and head). The flute was constructed with inline G, and soldered tone-holes. Sounding length is 636 mm (A = 440). Embouchure measures 10.0 X 12.1 mm. The flute weighs 409 grams. The flute was acquired from the estate of Carolyn Dove Crawford who purchased it in 1961 from original owner, Jerry Felmlee. Mr. Felmlee bought the instrument in late 1960, played it one year, then acquired a new flute from Powell. Mrs. Crawford owned the instrument for nearly six decades, was principal flute in the Wichita Symphony for two seasons, moved to Omaha and performed there with semi-pro and amateur ensembles. This flute is particularly special to us and is not for sale at this time.

    $XXXX







  • William S. Haynes #35,443 (1966), hand-made, silver head, body and foot, a Golden Age flute, crafted when the Haynes family still owned the company. Soldered tone-holes, C foot, clean engraving, the keywork showing almost minimal wear to the hinge-tubes or pad-cups. The solid silver tube measures .014 inches (body and head). The flute was constructed with inline G, and soldered tone-holes. With all new pads and corks from our shop in Wichita. Sounding length is 600 mm (A = 440). Embouchure measures 10.3 X 12.2 mm. Total weight is 393 grams. Offered with sixties Haynes case that looks new.

    $3175




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