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Comments From Site Visitors
I wonder if anyone there can tell me about a flute
I recently acquired. It is a Haynes-Schwelm flute. I am stymied
by the lack of data on this make and model. Does the Guild refurbish
flutes of this class?
M. Calarco
Dear Flutist,
A little background is necessary to appreciate the place of
John Schwelm in the history of American flute making and where
this ‘mark’ originates. John G. Schwelm was a flute
maker employed at the Wm. S. Haynes Company in Boston, MA. He
worked there for several years but also had other working relations
with other flute companies. After his first 5-year period at
Haynes (1904-1909) he was employed for a few years with P.H.
Marcil and after 1913 he joined into a business partnership
as Christensen & Schwelm.
For the sake of reference Nils Christensen, was another Boston
flute maker during 1913-1934. Christensen, a former senior employee
of the Wm. S. Haynes Co. for 12 years (1900-1912) had earlier
worked for Harry Bettoney(later a partner in Cundy-Bettoney
was flutist and clarinetist who had immigrated to the USA in
1893). likely had an influential connection with the younger
flute maker John Schwelm. Their ambitious, yet failed partnership
was somewhat short-lived and Schwelm soon returned to the Haynes
Company for another 5 years (1915-1920) as Nils Christensen
established his company under independent ownership as Christensen
& Co by 1916.
After John Schwelm left the employ of Wm. S. Haynes for the
second time, he entered into a precarious partnership with a
son of William S. Haynes in1921-1923. This partnership was with
William Winthrop Haynes not William Sherman Haynes (his Father
and the founder of the Wm. S. Haynes Company). W.W. Haynes had
worked for his Father, Wm. S. Haynes during the years 1909-1913
only to be discharged in 1913. After considerable legal perseverance
his name was changed to William S. Haynes Jr., no doubt creating
confusion and ill-will, but in 1921 his company name was changed
to the Haynes Schwelm Co. by court order. Thus, we see a limited
number of flutes with this ‘mark’.
After association with such entanglements, Mr. Schwelm did not
return as a flute maker with either Wm. S. Haynes Co. nor remain
with the estranged son W.W. Haynes for any extended time. After
1923 he freelanced his talents with various flute makers and
later began devoted work with Verne Q. Powell.
John Schwelm had a consistent reputation as a talented flute
maker that obviously survived the threat of significant and
failed partnerships. He was respected by many of his contemporaries
in the trade. This is obvious, as he had also earned the esteem
of Verne Powell being one of the original Powell employees.
After beginning work with Verne Powell in 1936 John Schwelm
remained with the Powell Flute Company as foreman, until his
death in 1955.
Editor,
Catherine Thompson
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I enjoyed your interview with Mr. Gillam. Now I understand why
every Powell flute I’ve ever played on, or heard (at least,
those made when Powell was still in the shop…and for a long
time after) sound so good. There’s no substitute for perfection.
To judge by his flutes, Louis Lot must have had the same obsession,
and clearly Powell understood how important it was to get every
detail exactly right.
-Charles Andrews
Los Angeles
Thank you for your interview last week, for taking the time to find
out more about us and put it in print for others to see and enjoy.
We look forward to seeing the article soon and will be checking
your wonderful site frequently!
All the best with your new endeavors
- Jon Landell Jr. – flute maker
- Jon Landell Sr. – flute maker
I saw your web site on my web service. Thanks for listing our event.
We would love it if you would continue to list us with our event
dates. I’m glad to know about your site.
Many thanks,
L. Kibler
Asheville Flute Vacation
www.ashevilleflute.com
I applaud your new venture.
Alton McCanless, Flute maker
Great website! A great beginning…it’s about time the
US flute industry took tentative steps in this direction…and
it would seem you were the first and ONLY one to do it!
Please accept my best wishes for your work, and pass on my greetings
to Mr. Rabinov.
Sincerely,
Alexander Eppler, Flute maker
While searching an article by Susan Berdahl on the web, I was delighted
to come across your web site with its articulate “about us”
statement and wanted to learn more... and would love to see more
written about the rich interconnections, both business and personal,
among (especially Boston) flute makers. Not from the gossipy point
of view, that one hears at flute conventions or when commercial
interests are at stake, but from the point of view of the educated
musician or cultural historian…
Best Wishes,
Sarah Merrow
Cambridge, MA
The site is fabulous! It is totally professional and you have thought
of everything. Lots of good luck with your new venture; I sincerely
hope you enjoy great success. I am going to immediately put a student
in touch who is looking for an instrument. I am emailing your site
address NOW.
Denise
Long Island, NY
“The site is fabulous!”
P.Davis,
Glendale, CA
Congratulations
-Simon Santiago, Nagahara Flutes
The site looks great
-John Lunn, Flute maker
Send an email or ask a question- we want to hear from you!
Editor@americanfluteguild.com
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