The Louis Musical Instrument Company was established by the clarinetist Charles Draper in London in 1923. In 1940 it was bombed out and the IP and rights were sold to Rudall Carte. Oboes made by Louis are very well regarded and one can be seen at the Birmingham convservatory collection. (http://www.conservatoire.bcu.ac.uk/browsehic/oboes#3.9). George Ingram, one of Louis's skilled craftsmen, wanted to continue the tradition of Louis oboes and so after the war he moved to T. W. Haworth and along with Frederick Mooney started making and sellling high quality oboes under Haworth's name. Haworth have a showroom in Chiltern Street in London and continue to make oboes. However, flutes are a different story. Here is a photo of my Louis flute which was another ebay purchase.

 

   
 

It is a Louis Model B flute, but in tiny letters on the screw cap it says "Made in Italy" so although it was stamped by Louis it was not made in Chelsea like their Oboes. The flute does have a couple of peculiarities. It has the most conical head joint I have ever seen and also the most recessed G#key. It was obviously designed for a flautist with a long little finger!
 

   



 

Apart from a little pitting and wear on the underside it is in good condition and it is very playable. The Italians seem to take their flutes as seriously as they do with their Chianti. I took it along to my flute teacher, who also teaches at the RCM in London, and he thought it was a good, solid student instrument but not perhaps quite good enough for a conservatory recital.