Austopfon!

Well, after having published those two posts (here and there) about the Austopfon, and ordered pictures of the sample conserved at Belgian MIM museum in Brussels, I finally found a real one! And in a rather good shape!

I have nothing to add to my previous conclusions. The stamping Ö.P.a definitely stands for Österreichisches Patent angemeldet (Austian Patent pending), meaning that the Austopfon dates of in between 1919 and 1922 (after Austria did "exist" and before the publication of Mahillon's book). That said, I just have to notice that the intake hole has a shape rather similar to the Schwan. Did Weidlich un Lohse took an Austopfon as a model?

Aniada A Noar

Aniada A Noar (literally "Each one a fool" in Styrian) is a folk music band born in Styria, a South-East state of Austria. The group was formed in 1981, and is composed of high talented musicians, playing violin, guitar, accordion, bagpipes, jew's harp and several other instruments, among which the nose flute plays an interesting role. Aniada A Noar has published 16 CDs and tours in many countries.

The band is now composed of
- Wolfgang Moitz: flutes, bagpipes, accordion, Jew's harp, nose flute, Piffero. He sings and composes.
- Rupert Pfundner: violin, mandolin, jaw harp, musical saw, bagpipes, nose flute, Piffero, singing
- Andreas Safer: accordion, guitar, mandolin, harmonica, nose flute, vocals. He composes and writes.

As you can see it, all three of them play the nose flute...

Photo: Johannes Gellner


For sure, being from Styria too, the Aniada A Noar members play the wooden Nasenflöten made by Heinrich Handler:

Photo: Marliese Mendel


I don't know when they began to play nose flute on stage or in recordings, but it is at least in 2003, since the instrument features explicitly on (at least) 4 CDs by Aniada A Noar.


2003: Tanzl
2007: Polka Potente
2012: Gott und die Welt
2013: Khult



Anyway, in the 2 first records mentioned above, the nose flute is almost not distinguishable, because mixed with too many instruments and flutes. But the 2 songs featuring Nasenflöten in Gott und die Welt and Khult are really pushed on foreground.

The nose flute on Stolperer (from the CD Gott und die Welt) is a bit weird because played in a very folkloric way. You can listen to it here: Stolperer

And here is a video showing Romanze, the only song in Khult played with nose flutes. But no less than 3 of them! Enjoy:



There are also 2 other versions of this song that you can watch here and here.

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To read more and/or buy Aniada A Noar CDs and books: www.aniada.at

Austopfon / Néo-Flûte, a Real Mystery! - PART II

Sequel of the post Austopfon / Néo-Flûte, a Real Mystery! - PART I




So, we order some photos. Indeed, this article is the most expensive of all of the posts of this blog, since I ordered specific photographs, with detailed requests for the background, the angle of view, etc. It could have certainly been cheaper to buy a real Austopfon :) But all was kindly made according to my requests.

The first interesting picture is obviously the one of the back of the nose flute, showing the stampings:



Well, there is absolutely no doubt about the brand name: AUSTOPFON. How was this name formed? Was it made from AU (Austria?), STOP and FON (for Phone, "voice" in Greek)? or AUST and OP (?) and FON? My guess (only an hypothesis) is that it has to be cut like this : AUST (Austria) TOPF (pot, cup) FON (Phon) (kind of "Austrian sounding vessel").

Then, the mysterious stamping Ö.P.O... Generally, the D.R.G.M. (Deutsches Reichsgebrauchsmuster) acronym in use from around 1900 and until 1945, was followed by the number of the patent. Sometimes, also by Gesetzlich Geschützt ( or Ges. Gesch.) meaning "legally protected". But for sure, some items were stamped only with D.R.G.M., with no more precision. But I found absolutely no other appearance of the mysterious Ö.P.O.



In fact, I looked very closely (magnifying the photo) and discovered that the transcription Ö.P.O. (mentioned in the MIM description) is wrong (as was the transcription "Nazenfloot"). Indeed, when you stare at the supposed final "O", you can notice that it is much smaller than the letters Ö and P, and that is very bizarre. More, still looking precisely, you can guess two small excrescence on the right of the letter. My guess is this stamping is not Ö.P.O. but Ö.P.a.!

Would "Ö" stand for Österreich (Austria)? It look like (the initial capital "Ö." generally stands for Austria in German) and in that case, the stamping would certainly be the acronym for Österreichisches Patent angemeldet (Austrian Patent pending), and would explain also why there is no number following "D.R.G.M." More, the initial letter of the word "angemeldet" was (and still is) oftenly stamped in small letter.



The acronym could also have stand for Österreichisches Patentamt (Austrian Patent Office), as it is used nowadays :



« Houston, we have a problem here! » It is more than likely that the Austopfon was Austrian, but (as already explained in the first part), Austria didn't exist as such before 1918. It was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. That is only at the very end of 1918 (November) that Austria became the Republic of German-Austria. So, the Austopfon would date of at least 1919. But Mahillon's catalog states of a German origin, and a date before 1913... but let's go further.

Another great picture shows the Austopfon... with its box!



A beautiful cardboard box, with openwork angle irons, and a great drawing on the top. This gentleman with a great moustache has definitely a huge hand, but the drawing is very neat. However, what's funny is the brand name on the box : Néo-Flute, followed by Breveté ("patented" in French). Indeed, inside the lid, there is a user manual that has been stuck, and it is written in French!



It says:

The NEO-FLUTE (Patented)
is the last creation in the musical instruments world.
The novelty consists in that the instrument is played with the nose.
Any person, without any learning, is able to play any song.
The Neo-Flute produces exactly the same sound than the concert flutes.

INSTRUCTIONS
Place the instrument on the nose, whilst applying the superior lip on the small ledge which protrude, and gently blow through the nostrils, keeping the mouth slightly open. With a piano accompaniment or in two or three Neo-Flutes sessions, the effect is magical.

Price: 0.50.


Why the heck is the box printed in French? The probable answer is that the Austopfon has been "rebranded" in order to fit a French speaking market. It is a pity that the price was not followed by the currency unit. Was that 0.50 Belgian Franc, French Franc or Goldmark, Reichmark (the German currency which became the official unit from 1914 to 1918 in Belgium).

However, in 1923, in France, the nickeled version of the Oclariflute was sold 3.60 FF- and in 1924-29 the German Gebrüder Schuster catalog was selling a tin ("Weissblech") Nasenflöte for 2 RM-, and we know that those prices had not evolved a lot. So, even earlier (the Austopfon is necessarily anterior to 1922 since it appears in the Mahillon's catalog), the price of 0.50 is not realistic for a nickeled nose flute, whether the currency was French or German.

100 BF- of 1914 equal ±478 euros of 2005
100 BF- of 1920 equal ±105 euros of 2005
100 BF- of 1930 equal ±55 euros of 2005
(source: harscamp.be)

100 FF- of 1914 equal ±297 euros of 2005
100 FF- of 1920 equal ±83 euros of 2005
100 FF- of 1930 equal ±50 euros of 2005
(source: INSEE.fr)

So, even taking in account the ratio BF- to FF-, it is not consistent that a rather similar item was sold 7 times cheaper in Belgium than it was in France. So, was it labeled in German currency? In that case, datation would not be neither before 1913, nor after 1918! Tricky, tricky, tricky... This price stays another mystery.


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Dating

We know that the very first nose flute in Europe dates from 1912, the Wünderflöte. In his Questions of Phonetic Theory, written in 1916, William Perrett mentioned a Humanatone imitation, « in an inferior quality, and sold as the Wunderflöte. » Perrett quotes Dr. Albert Musehold who wrote his Akustik work in 1912 (see this post).
Indeed, we found Mr. Joseph Goldstein, who filed the patent for a Nasenflöte in 1912 (see this post and also this one for the full story). But it was the Wunderflöte, and not the Austopfon.
So, a nose flute was existing in 1912 in Germany. And that is probably what Victor-Charles Mahillon was aware of when he redacted his catalog. Most of the MIM instruments were acquired by donations, collected by Mahillon. What did he do between 1913 (date of the end of the listing according to Mr. Ernest Closson) and 1922 (date of the book publication)? Storing the new donations in a warehouse without opening the boxes, for a future volume VI ? Is it really impossible to think that other donations elements (the Austopfon is part of one of them), regarded as interesting, might have been lately included in the book during those 9 years? I cannot answer, I don't know the facts. I just ask.

Please, note also that there was another nose flute in Belgium, patented in 1912 by François Vandervaeren (Brussels): the Vociphone. We already exposed this instrument and its patent (check here), but not the instrument with its box. And if you look at the picture below, you can notice that the box looks very similar (same openwork angle irons) and, above all, that the Vociphone itself looks identical to the Austopfon: same nose opening, same flaps, same flap extent folded on the back... But the design of the patent is totally different (check here). What does it mean? Well, our Austrian friends might have copied an early shape/patent and and filed it in their own (new) patent office (as many did, stealing patents that were not internationally registered), or the instrument was filed for Austria by its legitimate owner...(another mystery!) Whatever the explanation, the nose flute Mr. Mahillon had in his hands was not the 1912 Belgian nose flute, but (what we think to be) a post-1918 Austrian one.




Origin

The box is printed in French, meaning that this very Austopfon was not originally bought in Germany (or Austria), but very likely in Belgium (or France). Then, it was donated to the MIM by its owner. How could Mr. Mahillon know (or suppose) it was German since there is no sign of "Germanity" on it, besides the stampings? And the stampings lead us to Austria, not Germany. But in the case Mahillon knew about "the German Nasenflöte dating of 1912", might he have chosen this origin, fitting with the D.R.G.M. stamping (but not the Ö.P.a. one...).

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That's why the Austopfon stays a real mystery. My opinion is that it is Austrian and dates of after 1918. It might also habe been the inspiration for the Nasenflöten that were manufactured some miles North, in Brunndöbra and Klingenthal (Germany) in the 1920-25s, and which became the standard German tin nose flutes, sold in any musical instruments catalogs. Note also that we know, by Mr. Heinrich Handler (nose flute maker in Weiz, Austria) that there were already nose flutes in Austria in the 1920s.

But as usual, no evidences, no (definitive) conclusions.

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Big thanks to Christian Steinbrecher for his kind help about Austrian knowledge.

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Austopfon / Néo-Flûte, a Real Mystery! - PART I

The Musical Instruments Museum (MIM), in Brussels (Belgium), is one of the most important in the world. Its collection gathers more than 8,000 instruments, from all over the world. Its first curator, Victor-Charles Mahillon (Son of the brass instruments maker Charles Mahillon), was at the origin of the huge expansion of the collection. But Mahillon was also the author of the MIM impressive 5 volumes catalog (1880-1922), which served as the basis for the organological Hornbostel-Sachs classification still used today.

The MIM possesses a nose flute, which photo can be seen on Europeana, and accompanied with these comments:

Inventory number 3198
NAZENFLOOT D.R.G.M. Ö.P.O. AUSTOPFON
Germany

A date is provided on the devoted MIM page: before 1913

The picture is medium-small, but large enough to check that the transcription of the stampings is wrong, specifying the noun NAZENFLOOT instead of NASENFLÖTE, which can be read by reversing the picture text (Nazenfloot is *not* a Flemish word for the nose flute).



Redressed image from the picture above:


The stamping D.R.G.M. stands for Deutsches Reichsgebrauchsmuster, meaning that the nose flute was patented either in Germany, or in Austria. It is followed by the acronym Ö.P.O. which could have stood for Österreichisches Patentamt [something] (Austrian Patent Office [smtg]), and thus, would have lead us to an Austrian origin... But the meaning of "Ö.P.O." stays unknown.

Besides that, the brand Austopfon, not fully readable on the picture, was sounding bizarre as to the Nosy Diva (German lady) as to Christian Steinbrecher, musical patents and instruments connoisseur from Austria. Both suggested Austophon, with a "h" instead of the "f", for a more natural Germanic word sounding and morphology. Mr. Steinbrecher even added that if the nose flute was from Austrian origin, it would logically have been from after 1918, since Austria was not existing as such before. In that case, the name would have been built from Austo- (Austria) and -phon ("voice" in ancient Greek).

For sure, I didn't find the patent for this instrument, nor any mention of an Austopfon or Austophon. And since there was at least one mistake in the notice (the funky Nazenfloot), I wrote to the MIM. I received a quick and kind answer from Mr. Wim Bosmans, Curator of the European folk instruments Dept., who ascertained the mistake on Europeana (not Nazenfloot, but Nasenflöte in the stampings), but also confirmed the brand AUSTOPFON, the origin (Germany) and the date ("before 1913"). Mr. Bosmans also added that the instrument was commented in the 5th volume of the Mahillon's catalog, published in 1922, but which listing stopped in 1913, as stated by Mr. Ernest Closson, Mahillon's successor.

I found the 1922 fifth volume of Mahillon's catalog at a reasonable price, and indeed, the article #3198 deals with the Nasenflöte numbered 3198 in the MIM collection. No doubt about which nose flute Mahillon had in hand while writing the notice, but the text doesn't seem to be specific about the Austopfon, as it even doesn't mention the name.




V.-C. Mahillon's french notice says:

Germany. 3198. Nasenflöte (= nasal flute).

Tin device which superior part is set in order to be able to cover the whole nose. The breath projected by the nasal cavities is lead to an ad hoc aperture; it goes along a kind of airway and gets broken against the inferior edge of a rectangular aperture. The superior edge of this latter, folded and bulging, hosts the lip of the player, whilst the portion of the device below this aperture covers the chin. The player's mouth stays open.

Therefore, the air motion shows a certain analogy with the one produced by the bevel fipple flute; the buccal cavity acting as the vessel of the ocarina, the sound acuity results of the air pressure and of the different opening degrees of the cavity: the sound is all the sharper that the mouth is more open. The range of the nose flute spread in average over two octaves and a half, starting from A 58. It is obvious that it is on the player's ear and his skill that depends accuracy, any intermediate note between the two extreme being possible.

So, the instrument is well described, in the shape, usage and acoustic behaviour. We also learn that the Austopfon has a lip rest.
As a first organological classification, it is also interesting to check where Mahillon sorted the nose flute: Appareils Divers ("Miscellanous Devices"), meaning not in the flutes section, but neither with the whistles.




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The shape of the Austopfon is peculiar: on one hand, it is "very German", because of the rectangular side flaps without rivets, soldered after a small extension of them had been inserted in a little slot and folded on the back. This feature is visible on any of the tin German models (1st version Wunderflöte excepted, which flaps are quarter round):



But on the other hand, the plane part on the top of the airway is longer that the other German models. More, the mouth shield is larger. In fact, on the airway and mouth shield points (but only these), the Austopfon looks very similar to a 1925s Humanatone!




Well, I ordered pictures from the MIM...

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>>>> Access PART II...

User manuals - Part 1: Europe

Here is a series of nose flute user manuals, published either by the manufacturers/craftsmen, or by resellers. Just to have them gathered altogether. For sure, the collection is far from being complete.


Belgium

The Vociphone (François Vandervaeren) - 1912:

Enjoy the threatening Nota Bene: « Any person that would not conform to the user manual will get no sound of it. »


Switzerland

Die Schweizer Nasenflöte (Karl Wigert) - 2011:

Note that the text has been totally copied from the Handler's user manual. Even the name SchWeizer, with a capital W inside, is a reference to the Weizer Nasenflöte... (see below)


Austria

Die Weizer Nasenflöte (Heinrich Handler) - 2000:




France

Le Nasiphone/Mellibrou (René Mellier) - 2000:



La Flûte à nez (jean-Philippe Minchin) - 2000:




Germany

Nasenflöte (Max Zycha) - 1995:



Nasenflöte (Rainer Schwarze) - 2004:

Schwan Nasenflöte - From german resellers:

Bocarina - Branded by Corvus:




>>To be continued!

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Cherry Pit Combo orchestra!

An Austrian Nasenflötenorchestra, KirschKernKombo. An acoustic bass, plus a trio of noseflutists, for a very sweet sound. Don't worry about your computer, the sound appears only at 0'32". And here, their website: kirschkernkombo.at and their Facebook page.

Review : Heinrich Handler's nose flutes

Mr Handler is an Austrian man in his eighties, who produces Nasenflöten very near the perfection. In the 1980's, he rediscovered the 1930's Styrian nose flute, studied archives and photos, began to test and improve them, and then created his own models.

I received 2 flutes bought at Steirisches-Volksliedwerk, the "large" and the "small" models.

Both flutes were protected in very nice little pouches, made by Mrs Handler, and accompanied with a notice beginning by a little poem. Everything looks like having been made with the heart, a lot of care, and a precise craftsmanship.

The large model is rather built on the same technical specifications than the small one : same air duct length (2.2 cm), same very thin mouth hole (1.8 cm x 0.3 cm), and an air entrance quite similar, but a bit narrower on the small flute.
Only the mouth cap is longer on the large model, where the air duct cover is made in 3 parts, two of them following the sides all the flute long.

The large model :

The small model :

All Handler's Nose flutes are hand-free models, with a long horizontal drilling through the air duct cover, with gently tapered ending holes, allowing to pass a leather or elastic cord.

Handler's flutes are made of fruit tree wood, but also in maple or yew. Some are two colored wood mixed.

They wear the Heinrich Handler's monogram : a capital H between two points.

The precision of the work (sharp and neat labium) allied to sharp technical specifications (very narrow mouth hole) and quality woods, lead to high quality nose flutes, with a great rich wood sound, precise in response and very handy and confortable to play.

Here is a sound sample (thanks to the Nosy Diva Miss Birdy K.) :



You can purchase nose flutes by Heinrich Handler either :
- online, at Steirisches-Volksliedwerk

- or directly at :
Mr Heinrich Handler
Werksweg 58
A-8160 Weiz
Austria
Tel : +43 3172 3743

Here you can also download a PDF magazine with a text about the Styrian nose flutes and Mr. Handler (Page 32+)

And here a video in which Mr and Mrs Handler play their nose flutes.