DCM 1537: Firth, Son & Co. Flute in C

The end cap is wooden covered with nickel silver, probably from the late 19th century, from a German or East European-made flute (Meyer, etc.).
Instrument type: Flute in C
Medium: Cocus(?), nickel silver cap cover, key, and ferrules.; 59 cm.
Key Holes System: 1 key, round flat flap, modern style cup, pin in block.
Mark Maximum: FIRTH, SON & Cº / NEW YORK
Mark Additional: Mark on head, lower, foot.
Condition: Head joint cracked at socket. Upper body joint fitted with nickel silver sheet metal ferrules or band, at upper shoulder, purpose not clear. Foot joint, one lug of the key mount apparently cracked away completely and was reattached.
Provenance: Source not known.

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.