Johannes II (1664-1722) son of the turner Johannes I (1627-1707),
founded the workshop in Butzbach (Hessen 25km northeast of Frankfurt) which was continued by his son Heinrich (1703-1778).

The instrument at hand is from a private collection and can probably be accredited to Johannes II. It is signed "I. SCHERER" and is made from boxwood with ivory mounts and in a = 410 Hz.

The first four-joint transverse flutes do not appear in France before 1715.

Johannes is thereby supposedly the first maker to produce four-jointed flutes.
However, three-joint flutes were not made by him.

Both other stamps most probably can be accredited to Georg Heinrich (1703-1778).
Therefore both father and son were makers of instruments to the Baron of Hessenâ (lion!).
Furthermore, Georg Heinrich seems to have supplied the French court with instruments (Fleur-de-lis). In favour of this is the fact that Scherer built the so called Flutes amourâ (a third lower than normal).
It is also well known that Frederick II of Prussia owned a flute made of ivory made by Scherer.
This instrument can still be admired in the Musikinstrumenten Museum in Berlin.