Artley Wilkins Model Flute

[jmathesonjr]

I have an Artley Wilkins Model Flute. It is an open hole, low B Foot, silver flute without a gismo key.

I have spent some serious time looking on the internet for information about this flute model. I did a search here at this Forum but since I list this model of flute in my signature line, I get all of m threads and any of the posts I have commented on thrown into the search results.

I am curious if any one can tell me some things about the wall thickness of this model, the headjoint, the spring material, and any other relevant information about this model of Flute.

All I know about it is what I have listed above and that it is supposedly a copy of Frederick Wilkins Powell flute that Artley made and named after Wilkins.

I would appreciate any and all information about this model that any one could provide. My flute teacher was curious about the model and I have no answers.

Thank you.

[SopAlto1]

I think that they are based on Powell Commercial model of the 40s - 50's.
Thick wall .18, extruded toneholes, y arms, open hole.

I think the headjoints aren't the greatest, but with an aftermarket HJ, it can be really good.

[jmathesonjr]

The tone holes look soldered to me, but I don't know. There seems to be a small ridge of metal around the base of each tone hole. How does one measure the wall thickness? I have a caliper. Where do I measure to find the wall thickness?

I have also noticed that in comparison to my teachers 481 and 700 series Yamaha the embouchure hole on the lip plate of my Wilkins appears slightly smaller and slightly a different shape. Mine is more of a square shape. It is narrower from side to side and from top to bottom than any on her head jpints. Have these changed on the last 30 - 40 years?

Who owns Artley now? I am directed to Conn-Selmer, but there is no mention of the brand on their site. I am assuming it is a brand long gone.

I would love to find out more information about this flute. It appears to play a little darker than my teacher's flutes. She got a darker sound and I get a darker sound on mine than on hers. She has a Drelinger head joint on her main flute. It was not a good fit on the Artley. It was hard to tell how much that head joint would have changed the sound of mine. I like that darker sound.

It also appears to us that my Artley might be slightly more heavy than her flutes. We could not tell.

I like this model of flute very much. It has some problems that a great Flute Repairman will fix when my personal economy turns around. I think at the very least it needs is new pads and new springs. One key is bent. The pads and springs are fine right now for a high school flute player. I just want it to feel closer to the way I imagine Pahud's flute would feel if I were to pick it up and play it.

Any one have any suggestions for a great flute repairman in the Milwaukee - Chicago area other than Tom Peterson? I wish Rennick Ross had not retired.

Thank you for all your help.

[bruce bailey]

Correct that the heads are not that great and a new one will help a lot. Tone hole are drawn. Artley is made at the Armstrong plant in Elkhart. Sold via Conn.

[jmathesonjr]

Conn-Selmer had zero information on this model of flute. As a matter of fact, they could offer no information on any instrument not currently in production. There is no mention of Artley on the Conn-Selmer web site that I could find other than serial number information.

So far, no one whom I have contacted has any information on this flute model. I also cannot find out anything about the name sake of this flute: Frederick Wilkins.

[SopAlto1]

Its all out there.

Fred Wilkins was a pretty heavy player. Came a little before Julius Baker.

Read about him & his solid gold Haynes:
http://goferjoe.bygones.biz/haynesg.htm

I think they stopped making the Wilkins sometime in the 70s.
Here are some serial number lists:
http://www.xs4all.nl/~cderksen/ConnOModels.html

ARTLEY The Wilkins Model OPEN HOLE FLUTE Artley Wilkins Model: Artley's answer to Haynes and Powell! A short-lived model, this was Artley's attempt to break into the premier level of flute manufacturing. An excellent playing instrument that just never caught on.

Be persistent, its all out there.

[SopAlto1]

from gofoer joe's web site:

"Since I have a Haynes concert flute originally made for Frederick Wilkins, I asked Opperman if he knew him from his New York days or the story behind the Wilkins Model Artley. Yes, George knew "Freddie Wilkins" and said the Artley Wilkins Model was indeed a copy of Freddie's Powell. At the time a flute teacher commented that now his students could pay for an Artley and play a Powell. George said no, but they could "play on Partleys."

[jmathesonjr]

Conn-Selmer has been a disappointment as far as getting information from them. Flute4U and Flute World do not have the information about these models. The National Music Museum is too busy to help.

I have checked Grove Online Dictionary for information on Frederick Wilkins. I struck out there. What I am after is an old catalogue of Artley Flutes. I would have thought there would be something on the net. So far, I can't find it.

I will keep digging.

Thanks for your help, SopAlto1.

[bruce bailey]

Give me the serial number and I can at least give you a date of mfg. I do know that Artley is being phased out of production. For the past decade, it has only been a renamed Armstrong. The production moved to Nogales around 1967 and it became a really poor flute. Does yours say Elkhart on it?

[jmathesonjr]

Mine says Elkhart on it. I have dated it to 1966-1967.

I am interested in finding out the wall thickness on these flutes. I believe it is Silver since it is turning black.

On what I would call the receiver (the area of he flute body that gives the impression of a clarinet barrel), the following information is stamped:

Artley
Elkhart-Ind.
The Wilkins Model
194XXX

A serial number chart I saw placed it around 1966.

Supposedly this is a copy of a Powell. Any ideas what model Powell?

Thank you for your help.

[Benny]

If you want it to REALLY be fixed send it to Paul Rabinov on the west coast

[Dr G]

I did a search here at this Forum but since I list this model of flute in my signature line, I get all of my threads and any of the posts I have commented on thrown into the search results.

There is yet another good reason to not list your gear in your signature line.

Doctor: Does it hurt when you do this?

Patient: Yes.

Doctor: Then don't do that.

Where's my "Duh" card when I need it??? ;)

[SopAlto1]

I played someones at a rehearsal, about 8 months ago. He had a Brannen head on it.

Like I said before, I'm fairly sure it is a copy of the old Powell COMMERCIAL model, which has drawn toneholes & is THICKWALL 0.18 thickness.

Like I posted before this was Artley's attempt to make a high-end flute, like a Haynes or Powell. They didn't catch on in popularity, but are good solid pro flutes. (esp. with an after-market headjoint)

Like Mr. Bailey said, once they moved production to AZ, they started sucking.

I see them on eBay all the time. They seem to go for in the $600-800 range.

What else is left to know? (Its NOT are rare flute, ya' know, its still just an Artley)



Mine says Elkhart on it. I have dated it to 1966-1967.

I am interested in finding out the wall thickness on these flutes. I believe it is Silver since it is turning black.

On what I would call the receiver (the area of he flute body that gives the impression of a clarinet barrel), the following information is stamped:

Artley
Elkhart-Ind.
The Wilkins Model
194XXX

A serial number chart I saw placed it around 1966.

Supposedly this is a copy of a Powell. Any ideas what model Powell?

Thank you for your help.

[jmathesonjr]

My flute teacher and I are starting to look into other head joints and ideas about either repairing this one or stepping up to another. I like the feel of this model. We are unable to determine the wall thickness and other facts about this model. I am very happy with the sound that I get from this model. She is interested in the head joint cut. It appears to be a strange cut. The embouchure hole has a design she is very unfamiliar with which surprises us both. I know this was an attempt to make a better flute which failed. I am curious and want to know more. That is pretty much all there is to this. Basically the more I can find out about this model the more of an informed decision I will make when I get the next flute.

[slausonm]

I have one sitting in my shop for repair right now. Sterling head body and keys with gold springs. A solidly built flute with a so-so head joint. Put a good modern head with it and it will play very nicely. The last one I owned brought me about $700 in like new condition.

[jmathesonjr]

The general consensus so far seems to be:

Flute = Solid
Head Joint = Crap.

What are some suggestions for a reasonably priced head joint? Let's keep it under $1,500.00 for right now. A just for giggles, how does one go about trying a new head joint in the Milwaukee - Chicago area?

Some general guide lines, please, on the head joint: No Wood, Gold Riser, Gold Lip Plate optional, Dark Sound not optional, silver or gold preferable. I know the gold may make the price limit moot. The price is less of an issue than the above criteria.

Silver is not a good option for me. As a diabetic, silver and I do not get along very well.

Thank you for all the help so far. I appreciate it.

[bruce bailey]

The part with the name is called barrel on the flutes too. All sterling silver and drawn tone holes and I would assume a body thickness of .016-.018. The last one I sold was improved by an Emerson silver head with a gold riser.
I can make a solid silver gold riser head for about $950 with an engraved lip but I don't have any gold lips right now.

[jmathesonjr]

I have seen engraved lip plates, but do not understand the idea behind them. Is there a function to them or are they more decorative? I am asking because I just don't understand them.

[SopAlto1]

Some people feel that it gives them a better "grip" on the flute.
They may perspire & cause the lip plate to get a little slippery.

I, of course, haven't really experienced that, but, hey?

[Kritavi]

I think you can use tarnish to achieve the same effect.

[LateNiteSax]

My flutes are a Wilkins Elkhart
B foot and a Yamaha 581H. Wilkins flutes are very nice, and I play mine WITH a good aftermarket HJ I picked out of many for over $1000.00, but you are still going to be way ahead with a a Yamaha 400, or even better a 500-600 series flute with a CY HJ on it. These Yamahas are definitely better, and worth the diff in price.

[martinm5862]

Give me the serial number and I can at least give you a date of mfg. I do know that Artley is being phased out of production. For the past decade, it has only been a renamed Armstrong. The production moved to Nogales around 1967 and it became a really poor flute. Does yours say Elkhart on it?

I had one with a C foot. It didn't say Elkhart. It was a heavy wall flute. .018 thickness. It was said to be a copy of Wilkin's Powell. He played a C foot Powell.

[bruce bailey]

The engraving does provide a bit less slippage and makes scratches less evident. You can get the same effect by placing a postage stamp on there. Head prices vary a lot for replacements. Most makers charge about the same. Example (my heads):
All Sterling silver $300
Sterling silver custom cut and engraved $500
Same with 14K gold riser $950
For the Artley, the best way is to go to a flute fair or convention and try some. Once you have decided, have it fitted. Try a Yamaha EC which should work well on the Artley.

[jmathesonjr]

I spent five years looking for the right Baritone Saxophone and I knew what I wanted. Here? I haven't a clue! All I know is that I want a flute that leans to a darker sound than a bright sound. The rest I will have to investigate. I have only had this flute for about 3 years. It has only been in playing condition for about 2 years. I know enough about flute to know that I need input from some people a great deal more knowledgeable than I. Thank God I have a great teacher.

Thank you for all your help here. I need to go out an try some things.

[jmathesonjr]

I emailed a great many people and got an email from the Professor Emeritus of Music at California State in San Bernardino, Dr. Jerrold Pritchard. He gave me the full story on the Artley Wilkins Model Flute and Frederick Wilkins.

Here is his response:

"The Artley 'Wilkins Model' flute was made in the late 50s to somewhere in the 1960s in Elkhardt, Indiana as a special product line of this mass producer of student line flutes. Artley was probably the best and most popular maker of flutes for school bands in the 1950s and my first instrument was an bottom-of-the-line Artley, which lasted me up to end of high school. (The Wilkins model flute "may" have been designed and built by Jack Moore, who worked in Elkhardt for many years and along with Bick Brannen developed the excellent Heritage flute for Armstrong flutes, which were also intended to rival professional level handmade flutes. Jack went on to be one of our very finest custom flute makers and he made several hundred high sought after top-class flutes and fine head joints under his own name.)

Frederick Wilkins was a very distinguished and well-known free lance flutist in New York City from the 1930s to the 1970s. He taught at Juilliard School of Music as well as other NYC conservatories and was frequently heard on radio and TV, recorded for RCA records and was a member of the orchestra for the Voice of Firestone weekly broadcasts of classical and light classical music.

He made a very important historic recording of Angels and Devils, by Pulitzer Prize winning composer Henry Brandt, which is realy a concerto for flute soloist with an accompaniment of a flute orchestra made up of 11 of the finest flutists and advanced students in NYC at that time. He also worked extensively with the Artley company owned by Donald Artley to develop and promote their instruments and he traveled the country doing flute workshops, demonstrations, concerts, and clinics on their behalf. (You can even hear and purchase a copy of this recording on-line.

Wilkins also influenced the playing and teaching of the flute throughout the US by writing in 1957 a marvelous book called the Flutist's Guide, a spiral bound treatise on playing the flute, which was a godsend to students in rural areas who had no access to specialized professional flute instruction. Innovatively, this guide book contained a 10" LP recording of Wilkins demonstrating various techniques and playing a couple of solo works. I still own a well-worn copy of this book, that was produced and distributed by the Artley company. (It occasionally can be found used at on-line sources.)

I distinctly remember him coming to my undergraduate school, California State University at Sacramento, in the early 1960s as a guest artist to perform a concert and make presentation about Artley's new line of flute, piccolos, alto flutes and and intriguing bass flute, called the Oglivie Model, which was the best inexpensive bass flute produced in the US and still prized and used by some recording studio musicians in LA and Hollywood.

I have owned a few Wilkins model flutes over the years as I thought they were excellent instruments for their price. They were outstanding choices for my high school and college students who could not afford a Haynes or a Powell, the two top professional level flutes at that time. These Wilkins model flutes were pretty well in-tune (though still based on old French low-pitch scale that was really an A=435 scale with head joints cut down to make them play A-440 hertz...but not as well in-tune as the modern Cooper/Bennett scales used by most professional flute makers today.

One of the best students I ever worked with when I was teaching college in Iowa played a Wilkins model throughout her undergraduate program and into her masters degree in flute performance. She also played 2nd flute next to me in a local symphony orchestra and always blended and played in tune.

I thought the mechanism on the Wilkins was light, quick,(though they had a heavy 18mm wall) and seemed to stay in adjustment well in the harsh temperature and humidity changes in Iowa where I was teaching. They also had a special tone quality that was very reminiscent to the Powell flutes with a sweet sound that was easy to color and shade, though not very loud or dark in the low register. The headjoint cut was a bit low in height of the chimney, which makes the low notes easy, but the embouchure hole itself was smaller than most flutes of the time and certainly not like the modern Cooper-style cut, which is more robust and penetrating in sound. (This design of embouchure hole cut really seemed more like the old Louis Lot flutes, the premier flute of the late 1800s and still highly prized by collectors and restorers, which Powell used as his model.for key design and head joint properties. )

In summary: The Artley company attempted to make a limited production flute using some handmade features, such as the cut of the head joint. I believe most were silver plated, though I saw some that had solid silver head joints and bodies."

My Wilkins Model needs some work. I am planning on taking it in to a Repairman who specializes on Flute as soon as I find one with an open time slot in his/her schedule. I am getting better at Flute each week and am now needing my Flute to match what can do and what I need to learn to do. I think this Flute Model will help me get there.

I thank you all for your help and suggestions.

[bruce bailey]

Nice letter....I am taking one in on trade this week and will see how it is. An interesting feature is that the closed hole flutes were inline standard. I don't know if the Wilkins was ever made in offset.

[jmathesonjr]

You could periodically check eBay, but I think I may have seen one on there that was offset. I could be wrong. I really enjoy this flute. I would love to play it when it is in top shape. Sadly, it is not right now. I just have not found that one repairman that I trust enough to take the plunge to have him/her work on it. I am checking around the area and with area musicians to see if there is any consensus on a repairman.

I am also interested to hear Frederick Wilkins. If he was even half as busy as I think he was, I will bet we all have heard him over the years. I saw some dates for him in a library reference to his book. He did not live very long: 1908-1968. I have not seen anything that indicates this is inaccurate, yet I have found nothing that indicates it is.

Thanks again for all the ideas and suggestions.

[Thomas]

http://www.flutefix.com/index.html