S&M Artist silver flute.......

[jslade]

I recently came across a Solid silver flute....... S&M Artist is the name, serial # 15xxx.......can't seem to find any info on this obscure manufacturer.......has anyone out there, by chance, ever heard about these flutes? There's been, at least, 15,000 + flutes made by this manufacturer.......by the way, an excellent sounding critter...

Any info you might have would be highly appreciated.

Thanks,
Jackson

[pied_piper]

"S&M Artist" - Now that sounds a bit kinky...

Seriously though, I could not find any info about that brand either. It's very possible that this is what is known as a stencil brand. In the past, music stores have been known to buy a bulk lot of instruments from a manufacturer and have their store name engraved instead of the manufacturer's name. Nowadays, some of the Chinese manufacturers will do the same thing if you buy as few as 20 or so instruments.

Also, the serial number is not terribly meaningful anymore. There is nothing to stop any manufacturer from making 20 "Pied Piper" flutes and numbering them from 5601478-5601498. A serial # of 15xxx is no guarantee that 15000+ flutes were made with that name. Most manufacturers don't start numbering at "1". In fact, I've never seen any major brand instrument with a serial # less than 3-digits and those are not common.

[jslade]

Thanks....for the in-put. I will say one thing, it's definitely not Chinese! The case looks like '40's. It's got a rich deep tone, excellent action, adjustable keywork.......very comfortable lip plate and has weight to it, good quality silver.

I feel like I may have found buried treasure.......

[pied_piper]

I'm also a member of a repair tech forum. If you post some pictures or send them to me via a PM, I'll check to see if anyone knows anything more about that brand.