Selmer London Goldseal Flute

Hi all,

I've just a acquired a flute with the above name inscribed on it with the serial number 4590. It has a very 60's case. I would be extremely grateful if anyone could tell me more about it. I can't seem to find anything much on Google search (what I do find is that they are the crappiest flutes on earth! Maybe that's true??) Are they good or Chinese rubbish? I've also got a piccolo of the same description with serial no. 6485.

When they arrived they were in a pretty dire state probably having been in a cupboard for more than 30 years! So I've cleaned them up and they look pretty good, just need a little service now. Not being a flautist myself I can't give them a good testing so I'll take them to my local music shop when I get time. All bar the G key, the flute seems to respond well.

Any wisdom appreciated!

Thanks in advance.

Selmer London operated for a bit c1960. I understand they had no connection with either Henri Selmer in France or Selmer in US. They didn't make any instruments but bought in from other makers mainly France I believe. I've never seen a flute from them but the clarinets varied in quality depending where they bought them from. This was before the Chinese came into the market.

They're lower end student flutes, nothing special, worth about $50-100. Almost bought one once but it wasn't anything special so I passed it up (was $120 asking price on it at the time).

In a podcast interview, Sir James Galway and Jethro Tull frontman Ian Anderson revealed that they both, at one time, had owned Selmer (London) Gold Seals. At the memory, both laughed heartily with Galway adding, "(it was) a complete total wreck of a flute." So, while it may have some fun curiosity value as a brand of flute once played by these two musical giants, the Gold Seal would be a pretty poor musical investment.

As another correspondent noted, Selmer Gold Seals have nothing to do with Selmer Paris or Selmer USA instruments. I own a coin silver, in-line G, open hole, C-foot Selmer USA flute ca. 1942. While the name may be maligned, this flute is, in fact, a pretty darned good instrument. The mechanism may not be as silky as that on a hand made flute, but it is not bad by any means and the tone is surprisingly similar to my Haynes commercial model from the same era. My well respected flute tech says it's on a par with an Armstrong Heritage from the Jack Moore days. Not bad!

I did a search.. oddly not a lot comes up on the Selmer London Goldseal Flute - from what I did see seem rare.