Madera Winds Professional Piccolo - $2,800 - (Sahuarita, AZ)
This wonderful musical instrument is number 7 of only 10 made by William F. Balentine, Doctor of Musical Arts. I worked for Roy Seaman for ten years and finished over 2,800 piccolos during that period. The wood is Sonoran Desert Ironwood that when aged properly rarely cracks. The trees grow very slowly in the area predominantly to the Northwest of Tucson, Arizona. For years the trees can withstand dry conditions until the summer rains sweep in carrying much needed showers to the desert. Afterward, the trees soak-up silicates and nutrients quickly from the sandy soil which harden the wood. The Ironwood trees then bloom with beautiful lavender flowers. The wood used for this piccolo was legally harvested at least forty years ago. This wood was purchased by the previous owner of a factory which I acquired from the tool maker that worked for Mr. Seaman. I was making wooden piccolo bodies and heads for eight different companies! The keys are Sterling Silver and were silver plated at Anderson Silver Plating in Elkhart, Indiana to secure consistency of color. The piccolo comes with two heads. One with a square style embouchure hole with a silver ring. Plus, one with an oval style embouchure hole with a brass alloy ring that reduces tarnishing. Two piccolos in one for versatility! All the spring wires are silver plated phosphor bronze. The tail ring is Sterling Silver. The inlays on the crowns are true turquoise purchased from a top-notch gem and mineral store in Tucson! The pads were made in Tucson using original tools from the Seaman factory. All the pivot screws, rib screws, rods and pivot rods were made at Laubscher in Tauffelen, Germany. Only four currently remaining for sale!
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From ebay.com - 1 month ago