I am curious about "CONRAD MOLLENHAUER - FULDA. serial # 60060" that has a hard rubber lip plate.

It is in Ebay, http://search-desc.ebay.es/headjoint_W0QQfromZR41QQftsZ2

What is the idea of having a hard rubber piece?

I beleive that is what is called Bakelite. I have seen these on older flutes, but I am unsure why they did this. I had a high wave lip plate one before from off of a very old flute. That particular one played horribly.

You are right. The material is bakelite, only they call it "hard rubber" in the English translation (from Spanish) and I adopted the term. Too quick, I am afraid.

Bakelite was trendy in the forties and many things were made of this plastic. I remember telephone and other -fragile- items like clock cases at home when I was child.
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Wikipedia says about it:
Bakelite is a brand named material based on the thermosetting phenol formaldehyde resin polyoxybenzylmethylenglycolanhydride, (WOW!) developed in 1907–1909 by Dr. Leo Baekeland. Formed by the reaction under heat and pressure of phenol and formaldehyde, generally with a wood flour filler, it was the first plastic made from synthetic components. It was used for its nonconductive and heat-resistant properties in radio and telephone casings and electrical insulators, and was also used in diverse products such as kitchenware, jewelry, pipe stems, and toys.
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But, being trendy or novel could be enough reason for using it on a metal flute? I also remember recorders made of bakelite, but a flute...

Interesting instrument.
Mollenhauer is a fairly well doing early music instrument shop for about 60 years. (Recorders, Baroque flute, early oboes and such) Yet this appears to be a Boehm system fute with a high wave lip plate from before 1965 (before those fancy lip plates became widely known.

Another DIFFERENT Mollenhauer flute in English:
http://cgi.ebay.com/CONRAD-MOLLENHAUER-Silver-FLUTE-Expertly-Refurbished_W0QQitemZ250055022642QQihZ015QQcategoryZ119031QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
ALso photos:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/splendidenvy/page12/
beginning at IMG_0914

Thank you for all the clarifications.

I also remember Ebonite, I used it when I was student at the technical school. When being processed (cut, filed, drilled), it did smell (and I suppose, tasted) awfully.

The reasons listed by Micron are most convincing. But do you think this instrument has a Bakelite or a hard rubber lip plate?

And still, what is a "high wave lip plate"? (I apologize for my ignorance...)



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The (sad) history of Mollenhauer house, included in the link provided by Bilbo is also very interesting and merits reading, (IMO) for those interested in the evolution of our instrument. Thanks for it.

Another reason for using these synthetic materials is the never-ending search for materials that resemble in acoustic and in manufacturing process the various characteristics of certain woods. ~most likely why they would name something like hard rubber, "Ebonite" besides the obvious reasons to improve sales.


"And still, what is a "high wave lip plate"? (I apologize for my ignorance...)"

no problem, it's a shape to the embouchure /lip plate which in turn either modifies the shape of the lips and mouth opening to control the airstream and consequently the sound in a different way. My belief is that some of the gimmicks used at the mouthpiece end may improve one aspect of the tone like projection or volume BUT they may make other aspects fall by the wayside like flexibility of dynamics and tone quality variables.

It's what's known as a "reform" lip plate. They were popular a while back, in particular with doublers, as they are supposed to be very easy blowing, although with little possibility of changing the colour of the sound. I'm not sure what the tone was like. They don't make them anymore as far as I know. Probably because so many modern headjoints are easy blowing.
I nearly bought one once at a jumble sale for 80 Euros, but wandered of to think about it and forgot to go back for it. A real shame, because it was a Phillip Hammig. I'd only been playing a couple of months at the time, so I didn't have a clue.

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I'm kind of tempted by this one, but it's probably not a wise investment to buy a second flute before buying a first flute, and I don't think this would really work as a primary instrument.

I'd be real leery about buying that flute because the scale may be a bit old fashion, the tone as well and then there's the possibility that this bakelite/ebonite can turn brittle with age.
With an Ebonite lip plate attached to a metal hj tube, I would think that the seal between the tow could be an issue too.

You're right of course. That's also pretty much why I didn't get that other flute, it's not really reliable enough as a main instrument, more as a collectors item to play on occasion. Interesting piece though with the hand rest and everything.

Incidentally, Bakelite keeps pretty well though, much better than many modern plastics, that's why it's VERY collectable. (A have quite a few pieces myself, including things like a phone, light switches, cigar case, etc)

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I mean "I have quite a few" etc. I'm a bit braindead today...