FLUTE USED ON "THE FOOL ON THE HILL" AUCTIONED FOR £23,000

A fine solid silver flute by Albert Cooper stamped A.K. Cooper, London 107, original case no. 107 listed in an invoice £146.14.8p notably used on the recording of The Beatles’ track “The Fool on the Hill,” has fetched £23,000 at a recent auction held at Gardiner Houlgate in Wiltshire.

The instrument was once the primary tool of trade for Cornish session musician Jack Ellory. Throughout his prolific career, Ellory performed on recordings for composers Henry Mancini, John Barry, and Ron Goodwin, as well as producer George Martin, alongside iconic film soundtracks including the James Bond series, the Pink Panther films, and the musical Oliver!.

In 1967, at George Martin’s request, Ellory performed the distinctive flute part on The Fool on the Hill by The Beatles, written by Paul McCartney for Magical Mystery Tour.

Reflecting on his father’s legacy, Brian Ellory—who inherited the 1959 instrument from his mother in 2016—shared that his family remains deeply proud of Jack’s accomplishments. Brian, who grew up as his father transitioned from a small Cornish village to a successful career as a session musician in London, recalled his teenage years during his father’s time working with The Beatles. With a touch of nostalgia, he admitted: “If he had asked me to go to one of them, I would have been thrilled, but I was never invited.”

Ultimately, the decision to part with the heirloom was a difficult one. After inheriting the flute, Brian took lessons and had the instrument restored; however, realizing he lacked his father’s level of proficiency, he opted to auction the piece rather than pass it down to his own children.

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