W. A. Pond (4-key)

Description: This flute is made from beautiful red cocuswood and has block-mounted, sliver keys and nickel silver rings. Its head is unlined and it has no tuning slide. The flute has 4 keys – Bb, G#, short F, and Eb. The key cups are flat and cylindrical in shape and house conventional pads. 

Makers marks: The head is marked “W. A. POND & Co / N. YORK” . The left hand section of the body is marked “W. A. POND & Co  / 547 BROADWAY / N. YORK ”. The right hand body and foot sections are both marked “W. A. POND & Co / N. YORK”.

 History:    William A. Pond was the son of Sylvanus Pond, who worked with Firth and Hall in the company “Firth, Hall and Pond”. William eventually succeeded his father in the company “Firth & Pond”, and later established “W. A. Pond & Co” in New York in 1863. The company was eventually bought by Carl Fischer in 1946. 

Tuning: This flute plays well at A=440 hz with the head pulled out about 7 mm at 70 degrees F. 

Specifications: C# – D# 263 mm. L2 tone hole 7.2 mm. R2 tone hole 7.2 mm.

Condition: The flute is in excellent playing condition, but pulling the head out by 7mm in order to bring it into tune with itself at A=440 hz introduces a large cavity in the bore that begins to affect the flute’s voice. This flute is a great candidate for a tuning slide.

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