Walking-stick Flute

This instrument is associated with the horse coach that travelled between Stroud and London. This is a side-blown flute made of boxwood in the shape of a walking-stick, in four sections (long cap, head, middle and foot joint), and with a configuration for one key, now missing. The two extra holes bored at the distal end of the stick (foot joint) act as the open end of the tube. The heel cap for the foot joint (probably made of metal) is missing. The head-joint cap is made of silver, and it has two oval, silver eyelets for a wrist cord/ribbon. The embouchure hole is circular.