Images from The Graese Gallery Courting Flute, Plains Indians, Northern Plains Region, 19th/early 20th century Click on images below to see larger images NMM 4050.  Courting flute, Plains Indians, Northern Plains Region, 19th/early 20th century. End-blown, external duct flute with duck’s head effigy. Branch split, hollowed and assembled using five wire rings and resin to fill gap. Copper chamfer allows limited amount of air to pass from upper to lower air holes. Bullet casing hammered and fit into end of flute as mouthpiece. Brass tack duck eyes. Arne B. Larson Collection, 1979. Duck Head Effigy Saddle Hand-carved, stylized horseback saddle; channel cut into backside of saddle to direct sound; flattened area carved out of flute body to enable saddle to sit securely with little to no air leakage. Mouthpiece Text stamped on visible end of bullet casing:  WRA.CO / 25-20 W.C.   Click arrow to continue Graese Gallery Tour Go to Graese Gallery Tour Index Go to Virtual Gallery Tour Index Go to Checklist of Musical Instruments of the Indigenous Peoples of North America National Music Museum The University of South Dakota 414 East Clark Street Vermillion, SD   57069 ©National Music Museum, 2007-2016 Most recent update:   March 10, 2016 The University of South Dakota Return to Top of Page