Place of business: Unknown.
Dates of Fife: 1888
This fife is marked: J. White 1888 W McQ
Other examples of walking stick fifes/flutes can be found in the Dayton Miller Flute Collection, and well as other museum and private collections.
Features:
Length of Instrument-the fife is 14 1/2 inches, between nickel silver “ferrules”. Full length of walking stick, 35 inches.
Wood-the instrument is made of, what looks to be, Rosewood.
Key of instrument-C.
Finger holes-The finger holes are not of the same size, they are more like a woodwind maker of the era would have used.
The spacing on the holes is as follows:
1-2=.627
2-3=.635
3-4=1.209
4-5=.511
5-6=.772
There is a 7th hole that is drilled off center of the rest. Works well with the pinky of the right hand.
Ferrules- Ferrules are made of nickel silver. The bottom seems to be seam stock, the top does not.