Someone is selling Eric Dolphy’s Powell on eBay. Opening bid is $6,990.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160136766529
Q: Hello. Do you know any background on the flute? Who owned it after Dolphy died, who is auctioning it? Anything? Also, does the flute or case have any markings of Dolphy, his name, etc. Thank you Jul-13-07
A: Hi. The flute or case have no markings relating to Dolphy. I am auctioning this flute for my friend and pupil who is now in her 80s and no longer plays. She bought the flute about 20 years ago from someone in the Pacific Northwest (Washington or Oregon) who sold it to her as Eric Dolphy’s flute. Contact Christina Giuliano at the Powell Flute shop at cg@powellflutes.com and ask about flute serial number 2100 which was completed on 7/15/1960. They will confirm that the original owner was Eric Dolphy; his name appears in the order book which Powell calls “the Bible”. Feel free to contact me again if you have further questions. — Stenbro
I did a serial number search on Powell’s website for 2100 (http://www.powellflutes.com/mtroll/bible.asp):
Serial Number: 2100
Completion Date: 7/15/1960
Specs: Sterling silver, drawn tone holes, .018 tubing, Traditional Powell Scale, A-440, French cups, B foot joint, in-line G, gold embouchure
Model: Handmade Commercial Metal Flute
I wonder if this is the flute Eric used on “You Don’t Know What Love Is” (on his ‘Last Date‘ recording)? I spent countless hours in my late teens and early twenties listening and transcribing that solo – probably THE jazz flute solo if ever there was one.
It’ll be interesting to see if/what the flute sells for.
The flute is now now professionally completely restored to Dolphy’s “You don’t know what love is”. It’s last sale is to the inventor of rge Camera-Phone and excellent Jazz flutist and owner of flute.com . Rumor is that it sold last for $89,000 .