Rare Artley 82-0-B Professional Silver Flute Very Late Wilkins Style
Extremely rare Artley Model 82-0-B Wilkins Professional Flute. This was the top of the line pro-level flute produced by Artley in 1983-84 before they closed their doors and were bought out by Armstrong. The flute is a hybrid of Wilkins design and newer elements of Armstrong heritage design. A very small number of these instruments were produced before Artley closed and they rarely come available for sale. Like the original Wilkins and thee later 37/38-0s, the flute has a solid silver head, body, and foot. Open hole, inline G, B foot. It also has the Wilkins Art-deco banding and Wilkins stylized Artley stamp on the barrel, as well as the Wilkins scale. The keywork and lipplate are larger and more modernized, it has white gold springs, and the foot has a gizmo key. The sterling stamps on the head and foot are the modern Armstrong script while they head retains the Wilkins era silver stamp. The flute is in excellent, original condition overall. Extremely clean – cosmetically a 9.5 out of 10. Only some light surface wear and a couple very tiny (removable) dings from normal use of a 40yr old flute. The flute plays beautifully from top to bottom. Fat, huge sound in the low register, crystal clear upper register, very free blowing, but still controlled. The pads and bumpers appear to be the originals from manufacture – they are currently sealing and working very well, but are old. The flute seems to have been well cared for and only lightly used during its lifetime. The flute comes in the original Artley hardshell French case with Artley logo. The case Is in excellent condition and very clean. This is such a cool, hard to find flute! I’ve been a bit of an Artley collector over the years (strange niche hobby, I know) and this is only the second 82-0-B I’ve come across in 20+ years. I hate to part with it, but I really really need to downsize and this has just been sitting untouched since I bought it. It needs a better home. This would be perfect for a serious student or collector. Would also make a great doublers horn or teaching/backup for a pro. I’m a pro musician/band director downsizing my stash of music stuff. Please check out my other listings and help me clean out my office!