DCM 1534: George Astor Flute in C

The scribed lines along with stamped numbers 5 and 6 on the tuning slide indicate that this instrument may have had at least 3 corps de rechange, possibly 4, 5, and 6, the shorter, higher pitched sizes of six that may have been available at the time.
Instrument type: Flute in C
Medium: Boxwood, ivory cap, cork-setting mechanism, embouchure bushing (may not be original) and ferrules, silver keys, brass-lined head.; 67.3 cm. (without cap)
Key Holes System: 6 keys, pewter plugs over metal-lined holes, foot to C. Pin in brass-lined block.
Mark Maximum: 6 / G-ASTOR & Cº / 79 / CORNHILL / LONDON / (unicorn head) / PATENT
Mark Additional: Mark on head, barrel. Foot: [same, without 6]. Upper, lower: G-ASTOR / LONDON / (unicorn head)
Condition: Head joint, both sections, severely cracked. The upper section has a crack repair including 6 threaded brass cross pins which have not only failed, but the upper 3 pins have introduced a second crack. A third crack starts at the upper end and ends at the edge of the ivory embouchure bushing. The head joint upper section ferrule is missing and has been replaced by another very large donut-shaped ivory ferrule from another object, possibly a furniture object. Barrel ferrule missing. Upper body joint full length crack on one side, plus 2 other nearly full length cracks. The larger crack has a repair attempt using 6 threaded cross pins and one of the other cracks has 2 such pins. Lower body joint missing part of the F key block. Foot joint has 2 cracks, one of which has an attempted repair involving 4 threaded cross pins. E-flat key missing pewter plug rivet and the low C key bottom portion is broken off at the pin line.
Provenance: George Fenno McDonaugh, New York, Nov. 1931.

The Dayton C. Miller collection in the Library of Congress, contains nearly 1,700 flutes and other wind instruments, statuary, iconography, books, music, trade catalogs, tutors, patents, and other materials mostly related to the flute. It includes both Western and non-Western examples of flutes from around the world, with at least 460 European and American instrument makers represented. Items in the collection date from the 16th to the 20th century.