stamped ‘(crown) / RUDALL / CARTE & CO. / 23 BERNERS STREET / OXFORD STREET / LONDON / 1789 / 1867 PATENT’

1998.60.191 Castle 291 (presented Alexander)

Rudall Carte’s 1867 patent was an elaborate combination of the simple system and the Boehm system. With its mechanical complexity it has many fingering possibilities otherwise unavailable.

The brilliant inventor and flute player Theobald Boehm (1794 - 1881) completely redesigned the flute towards the middle of the 19th century. Players of the earlier simple system flute wished to retain the fingering with which they were familiar, while taking advantage of Boehm’s better principles and design. Many compromises were made, and this example uses the tapered head joint and cylindrical body of the Boehm flute, together with the smaller holes and simpler keywork of the earlier flute.