POWELL Custom Handmade Flute | Silver

VERNE Q. POWELL

Our history is very much tied to our namesake, Verne Q. Powell. A jeweller by trade, Powell fashioned himself a flute in 1910 from whatever Silver he could get his hands on, including Silver Dollars, watch casings, and spoons. This incredible feat of metal working landed him a job at the Wm. S. Haynes Company. He worked there until 1926, leaving to create his own company. His goal was to be able to produce the world’s finest French flutes. Creating his own company gave him the freedom to devote himself to detail and artistry.

The instruments were immediately recognised as the very best a flutist could play and endorsements flowed in from flutists around the globe. In 1928, he completed his first all 14K Gold flute; soon piccolos and alto flutes were added. By 1930 the brand had representation in the Boston, Detroit, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Baltimore, and New York Orchestras. There were flutes which had a life of their own; #365 the “World’s Fair” Platinum flute of William Kincaid, #900 the only flute ever made entirely of 14K White Gold, #1142 the “Signature” Flute.

Over the decades, innovation became a hallmark of the Powell company. The first company to commercially make the Cooper Scale, the first company to mix Silver and Gold with the Aurumite Flute, the first to make 19.5K Rose Gold. In 2007 Powell patented a new method for extruding tone holes which is still being used today. The only handmade flute to be played in Space, NASA Astronaut Cady Coleman brought her Powell flute on the International Space Station in 2011.

2017 marks the 90th Anniversary of this characteristically American flute making company. Started in 1927 by Verne Q. Powell himself, the past 90 years have been marked by innovation, modernisation, and a dedication to artistry.

POWELL CUSTOM HANDMADE SILVER

Clean, sophisticated, and classic, our Sterling Silver flute has the perfect balance of a true, ringing sound with projection and colour. From the ethereal thin-wall flute to the earthy heavy-wall flute, Sterling Silver has an immediacy that allows players to freely express ideas and gestures.

The brilliance of Sterling Silver gives lightness and freedom. Available with drawn or soldered tone holes, all our Sterling Silver Custom Flutes have a pinless mechanism with the Modern Powell Scale.