Cahusac Family

Place of business: London, England.

Dates of business: 1738-1816.*

*Note: Per Langwill, (The Cahusac Family comprised of Thomas Sr. and his sons, Thomas Jr., William and Maurice. The mark “Cahusac London” appears to have been common to all members of the family, thus rendering precise attributions impossible.”)

According to a trade card printed about 1780, Cahusac advertised himself as a "Flute and Musical Instrument Maker . . . who has the Honour to work for the Royal Family, and the best Masters; makes and Sells all Sorts of Musical Instruments, viz. German Flutes, in Ivory, Ebony, Cocoa, or Box Wood, tipt [sic] with Gold, Silver, Ivory, or Plain, in the neatest Manner; Voxhumains, Clarinets; Fifes for the Army; Pipes and Tabors; Bird-Flutes and Flagelets [sic]; Bagpipes; French Horns; Trumpets . . . Mouth-pieces for French Horns . . . Bassoon and Hautboy Reeds; Reed Cases." (National Music Museum)

This fife is marked: Cahusac/London. Using the mid-point of manufacture, (I use the mid-point when an instrument cannot be dated by style, serial number, address, etc…) circa 1777.

This is a good example of a fife from the time of the American Revolution.

Other examples of Cahusac fifes can be found in the Metropolitan Museum of Fine Arts, New York, and well as other museum and private collections.

Features:
Length of Instrument-the fife is 15 3/4 inch.

Wood-the instrument is made of Boxwood.

Key of instrument-C, low pitched.

Finger holes-The finger holes are not of the same size, they are more like a woodwind maker of the era would have used on a flute/piccolo.

The spacing on the holes is as follows:
1-2=.656
2-3=.596
3-4=.768
4-5=.576
5-6=.588

This shows that the hole pattern is not even, and there is a very large space between the 3rd and 4th holes, and a small space between the 4th and 5th.

Swell-the swell comes at the embouchure hole.

Ferrules- Ferrules are made of brass, scored with the following: Top ferrule has 2+1+2
scoring. Bottom ferrule is 2+1+2 scoring. Both are made out of brass seam stock
Also, both ferrules DO NOT have punch marks. The ferrules are a tight fit and
use paper under them to secure. Top ferrule is .969 in length; bottom .957.