This blog is dedicated to the sublime instruments called nose flutes and which produce the most divine sound ever. We have chosen to discard all the native models from S. Pacific and Asia, for they need fingering to be played. We'll concentrate on "buccal cavity driven" nose flutes : the well patented and trademarked metal or plastic ones, plus, by a condemnable indulgence, some wooden craft or home-made productions.

Jun 30, 2012

Alpaca neusfluit by Piet Visser

As stated in Maikel Mei's 3-parts great article about Piet Visser's whistles, the collector is a retired goldsmith and still continues to practice his art. After Mr. Mei's visit — and I suppose a gentle suggestion by him – Mr. Visser made a nose flute in Alpaca.


The nose flute on progress

Alpaca is an alloy of copper, nickel and occasionally other metals. It is often called alpaca silver, nickel silver, German silver, new silver or Paktong. « Because of its visual similarity to sterling silver, Alpaca silver is frequently used in jewelery as a less expensive alternative to true silver »


The neusfluit completed and shiny!

It took over 20 hours to Piet Visser to make the flute, plus 5 more for the chain, in alpaca too. The shape is obviously coming from Swan-logo, which airway cover Mr. Visser ornated with a four-leaf clover. A beautiful neusfluit!

« Piet Visser said that he doesn't really have the right tools: as a goldsmith he was used to make smaller stuff and the metal he used, 8/10 alpaca was slightly too thick for him to burn and bend. He would try 7/10 or even 6/10.

He made a shamrock, or a lucky clover, with 4 leaves on the spot where the swan logo sits, because he always liked the silver hangers of a lucky clover that people used to wear around their necks.
» [from Maikel Mei]

3 comments:

  1. What a beautiful object! I wonder if it is better in sound and playability than the plastic Schwan? It probably is.

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  2. Certainly, miss Diva, since it is made with much better standards! Plus the resonance of the metal ...

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  3. Piet Visser told me that it actually sounds very much like my silver swan that I played him (sadly, no recording...;-)) If only Mr Visser would consider making more!!!! I know at least 3 people who would love to have one of those beauties!!

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