Asa Hopkins (1779–1838) was a prominent 19th-century clockmaker and early American woodwind maker based in Litchfield, Connecticut. Operating around 1810–1830, his factory in the Northfield section used water power to produce high-quality boxwood, ivory, and silver flutes.
This flute is playable however the brass ring at the center of the flute is too long which makes tuning a tad wonky where the right hand is concerned. Could be filed down to improve intonation. Constructed in the 1830’s in Connecticut by Asa Hopkins from boxwood with a brass key and bone or ivory rings. The brass ring on the central tenon is the result of an early repair that at one time immobilized the broken tenon but was used by me to reconstruct the tenon socket using wood veneer and an epoxy putty.
All parts are marked “Hopkins Litchfield Conn.” except the Head which has several illegible markings (see photo). The tenons have been wrapped and waxed and in addition to the tenon socket rebuild I also resulted a missing chunk of the ivory ring at the foot and resealed the original 2nd joint crack.
Plays a=440 ish and is slightly warped but not noticeably.
This is a chance to own a beautiful part of American history that to this day, after 200 years of being played and passed along from player to player, can still be played and produce the sound that was heard by its listeners when America was no more than 50 years old. It could’ve been played by someone who could’ve fought in the Revolutionary war, it saw the north and the south divided and reconciled, played from a first edition of works by Beethoven Schubert or Mendelssohn, It’s was around for the Spanish flu pandemic, could’ve rode in the first automobile, been at the first airplane flight, it’s been around for the nuclear bomb,the holocaust, the first trip to the moon, Y2K, Covid and now you can be the next caretaker of it.