Rudall, Carte & Co. "Guard's Model" Piccolo, Ca. 1904 – Completely Overhauled

Description

Incredible time-capsule “Guards Model” piccolo from the famed Rudall, Carte & Co. of London in cocuswood with silver mechanism and fully-lined headjoint. This piccolo is pitched at A440-442, features a closed G#, and comes with the original case bearing the initials “F.B.W.” in the silver cartouche of the lid.
Despite being assembled in a one-piece case its entire life, this piccolo has absolutely no cracks. The cocuswood is in remarkable condition, with a slightly lighter-toned headjoint compared to the body.
The instrument had a complete overhaul to felt pads last summer, and is in playing condition.
The silver-lined headjoint features a very fine, oval embouchure that requires precise placement of your airstream to find the “sweet-spot” – but once you do, this little one sings.
The Guard’s Model was one of the final attempts at a system that blended the “old” (Carte 1867) with the “new” (Boehm) to help ease the shift between the fingering systems.
Modern players will be glad to know that this system features a mostly Boehm system left hand, with the thumb key and lack of trill keys being the exceptions – the “teardrop” thumb keys are the reverse of Boehm: B natural on the left, Bb on the right.
I find it to be a very fun system to learn your way around as a modern flutist, and a lovely instrument to do it on.