Rare boxwood flute from the Paris workshop of Frederic Eleanor Godfroy, all original.
According to the “New Langwill” and based on the maker’s stamp, the flute was made between 1827 and 1831.
Total length, end of foot to top of crown : 623 mm.
Sounding length, head pushed in, all the way : 543 mm. An additional 16 mm is possible by pulling the brass-line barrel section.
Embouchure is original, 8.5 X 10.3 mm.
Head and barrel, length is 232 mm.
Top joint, end of tenon to end of tenon is 218 mm.
Lower joint, top of socket to end of tenon is 143 mm.
One brass key, appears to be original.
Leather bag is probably original and in good condition.  Please note “1836” written on the flap.
No cracks or damage to the head.  Horn mounts are original.
Tuning barrel (brass slide) shows multiple repairs.  Note the pin-repairs made many years ago.   Top and bottom are original horn, but the lower mount has a carbon-filament wrap.  Ancient cracks to the barrel have been filled and do not leak.  The brass slide (both sections) is in good condition and the joints do not leak.
Matching sap-marks to the top joint and the head that are not cracks.
No cracks to the top or lower joints.
Foot has an ancient crack, filled and not leaking.
All joints stamped “Godfroy / Aine’ “ in oval circle, five-pointed star.
Horn mounts to foot and top joint are original and without damage.
The instrument plays well at 438, with the head pushed fully in.   With the barrel pulled 10 mm, the flute plays at 430.
The instrument is in original condition, has not been altered or cut shorter.
If the barrel were to have had not cracks or repairs, we’d give it a “9.9 out of 10.0” rating.  The only way to put it in better condition would be to use the existing brass tuning slide and fit the original brass to a new boxwood barrel.
But, as Richard Nixon once said, “We could do it, but it wouldn’t be right…”
Good maker, rather rare instrument that plays well, given the normal intonation issues.   Not a beauty queen, but at a reasonable price.
 
The flute is part of a small collection of French instruments that I've acquired  over the years, which means I may offer to sell a few more in the upcoming months.  
Flute questions? Write me! Always glad to hear from flute people!
Please keep in mind that all sales through Reverb means they (not us) collect your local sales tax on the purchase.
 
*** In January of 2023 our small workshop in Wichita celebrated seventy years in business.
Over the decades, we’ve repaired and restored more than two hundred vintage French flutes from Louis Lot, Bonneville, Claude Rive and Buffet-Crampon plus hundreds of professional-quality flutes from Haynes and Powell. Today we have ten employees including five of the finest repair technicians in the country. We’re happy to report, a sterling reputation for top-quality restoration and ethical transactions. We are not amateurs, nor are we a “back bedroom” operation. We would be pleased to furnish you with references attesting to the above.
 
*** BEFORE WE SEND ANYTHING TO YOU…
The instrument is carefully inspected by us to make certain it’s spotlessly clean. We disinfect the exterior of the instrument, spray the exterior of the case as well. We do not send anything to you without it’s being checked and then checked again.
 
*** A FEW WORDS ABOUT OUR SENDING “ON APPROVAL”…
We’ve had the same policy for half a century, are always happy to send almost anything for a short trial period. Five days is, we believe, sufficient for a trained musician to decide if the item sent them is a good match.
A small percentage of instrument we send out are returned to us. Sometimes it’s a money issue, more often it’s “…you might consider taking lessons.” But as we always say, “If you don’t buy, we’ll still be friends.”
We’ve had recent questions, though, about how we clean up returned approvals. You should know…
With recorders, clarinets, flutes, and oboes, we remove all the keywork, then give the bodies a quick bath. Soap and water, but not long enough to harm the finish. Keys are lightly sprayed with a disinfectant and pads are lightly swabbed with the same. Then, back in the case after a spray to the exterior and carrying handles of the case.
 
Not sure what the other shops are doing about this issue (I’ve asked and have had no replies), but we think our clean-up work is exactly what’s required to keep everybody safe.***
 
EDR