Eric Dolphy's flute – on eBay! (update II)

Regarding the auction:

– On the plus side –
Right flute make (Powell), Y-Arm key style, B foot:

“the list of instruments Eric had insured includes a Selmer alto, a Buffet soprano clarinet, a Selmer bass clarinet, a Buffet bass clarinet, a Powell flute, the Wurlitzer, and a piccolo. The most valuable of these was the flute, worth $600!”

http://adale.org/Discographies/EDIntro.html

Y-Arm keys, missing crown
http://fluteplayer.net/dolphy.jpg

(close up of Y-Arm key on footjoint in above photo)
http://fluteplayer.net/dolphy_y-arm.jpg

http://adale.org/Discographies/EricFluteVARA.jpg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwelF_sHoL4&mode=related&search=

– On the minus side –
Flute does appear to have gone to Coltrane:

“Dolphy’s mother, who claimed she was haunted by the memory of Dolphy practicing in her garage, gave his instruments to Coltrane. Coltrane subsequently played the flute and bass clarinet on several albums before his death in 1967.”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Dolphy#Last_Year

Guernsey auction vs. sellers story:

“Dolphy’s alto, bass clarinet and flute were sold but I cant remember the price.”

http://www.saxquest.com/forumThreadView.asp?ForumUID=7&ThreadUID=10320

Question: Serial and lot # of the flute in the Guernsey auction (download pdf of prices realized) .
http://www.guernseys.com/Auctions/Jazz/Catalogue.html

I plan to call both Powell and Guernsey tomorrow.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply