In Boston, the Great Flute War Takes a New Turn
By KIRSTEN O. LUNDBERG
Kirsten O. Lundberg writes on business from Boston
Published: June 07, 1987
Here is a portion of this article which is a great historical insight into the Boston flute companies.
Since the 1920’s, the world’s premier flutists have come to Boston for the handmade gold, silver and platinum flutes produced to special order by Haynes and a second company, Verne Q. Powell Flutes Inc., spun off from Haynes in 1927. A third concern, Brannen Brothers-Flutemakers, Inc., joined these exclusive ranks after Bickford and Robert Brannen left Powell in 1977.
Until 1980 or so, this triumvirate dominated a cozy world. At their peak, the trio turned out about 1,000 instruments a year – far below customer demand. With waiting lists of up to seven years.
All three concerns recognized the need for less expensive products to meet the in coming Japanese competition head-on. Haynes began production of the $2,500 Regular French Model, to supplement its $4,100 Handmade French Model, and Mr. Deveau says the cheaper flute accounts for fully 50 percent of his sales. Mr. Brannen founded a separate company to produce the Osten-Brannen flute for $3,000. Powell introduced the Conservatory flute. All emphasize that the cheaper flutes are still handmade, but their manufacture differs slightly from the higher-priced models.
FLUTE making came to Boston in the late 19th century when William S. Haynes, a 23-year-old silversmith apprentice in the Rhode Island jewelry industry, opened a shop with his flutist brother, George, in an era of decline for European flute makers. Their first flute, of grenadila wood with pewter keys, was beautiful to behold but badly out of tune. Later efforts were more successful and today there are nearly 50,000 Haynes flutes in circulation.
Mr. Haynes hired Verne Q. Powell, a Kansas jeweler and engraver, in 1913 on the strength of a silver flute that Mr. Powell fashioned out of seven teaspoons, three watchcases and some plugged silver half dollars. (The middle initial Q. stands for nothing. As an engraver, Mr. Powell liked the look of it and incorporated it into his name.) Mr. Powell quit 13 years later over a patent dispute and founded his own company; in 1977 general manager Bickford Brannen and his brother left Powell to go out on their own.
Haynes is the company that continues to trade largely on tradition, not innovation. The silver-haired Mr. Deveau was a 16-year-old high-school student from East Boston when he was hired by the Haynes company to sweep floors. He rose through the ranks, learning all aspects of flute making – he was recently at work restoring a 1926 piccolo – and bought Haynes in 1976.
Mr. Deveau sees little need to change the way the Haynes flute is made. ”I don’t need a yacht,” he said mildly, when asked about profits. ”I just want to say I make the finest flute in the world.”