# First commissioned piece



## skiprat (May 31, 2009)

You'd probably have to be an avid sci-fi film buff to recognise this. And if you did then you'd know what part is missing. :wink: I didn't know it even existed till two days ago. 
And just like the original, it can't play:redface: BUT unlike the original it CAN write:biggrin:
I made this at the request of a certain lady that we all know and love in exchange for some of her famous goods. Well, I was kinda running low on stock and had to start using wood, so of course I'm very happy with the trade:biggrin: But then she is the Queen of her trade:biggrin:
The 'original' sold at Christies for an amazing $48 000 !!!!! Mind blowing especially as it was a fake!!!


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## mickr (May 31, 2009)

as usual it's amazing..we've come to expect such different and terrific stuff from you, and guess what, you never klet us down,..thanks for sharing your amazing work


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## ed4copies (May 31, 2009)

And she has TALKED about it for the last two days!!!  "Riding on a cloud" is probably NOT hyperbole.

Unbelievable work Steven -- thanks for using your incredible talent on this one.


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## hewunch (May 31, 2009)

can you fill in the clueless? I love Sci-Fi but have no idea what movie has a recorder in it.


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## Jim15 (May 31, 2009)

Absolutely stunning. Your work is amazing.


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## markgum (May 31, 2009)

awesome work

if I guess can I get one for free :biggrin: 
 if I say Next Generation is that to much of a clue??


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## OKLAHOMAN (May 31, 2009)

*I'm not jealous, no I'm really not, hell no I'm not the least bit,*
*bull sh@# I'm so jealous
& green with envy
it hurts.
*​


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## wdcav1952 (May 31, 2009)

WOW and WOW, Skippy, that is incredible.  

I'm not a Sci Fi buff; to me it reminds me of a joke about a piccolo player.:biggrin:


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## Phunky_2003 (May 31, 2009)

That is sooooo amazing.  Absolutely stunning. Great craftsmanship.

James


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## hewunch (May 31, 2009)

So you don't think Dawn can wrap a silver tassel around it?


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## ed4copies (May 31, 2009)

hewunch said:


> So you don't think Dawn can wrap a silver tassel around it?




FEAR NOT!!  She will have it tassled as soon as it arrives.

THAT will be a priority!!!


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## akbar24601 (May 31, 2009)

Steven, as always, your work is BEYOND COMPARE!!!!! Thank you for continually sharing your craftsmanship with us. We would be fortunate just to be able to conceive these ideas let alone execute them and as flawlessly as you do at that!

Dawn, I shall expect to see you floating by on that cloud today and don't expect that you will come down for quite some time!:tongue:

Keep up the great work Steven. Keep inspiring us all to continually try and work outside of the box!


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## bitshird (May 31, 2009)

Steven I sincerely hope there is no end to your creativity, that is an awesome pen,  your work is beyond impressive.

 But you **** off so many of us that want to make something different that I am probably going to go sit on my porch and pout like a sniveling little baby I'm with Roy, Geez I hope there's a cold beer I need one now!!!!!


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## rwyoung (May 31, 2009)

Is that a copy of the piccalo that Picard played when he "lived" a different life through a transplanted memory?


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## altaciii (May 31, 2009)

Picards flute! I AM SO JEALOUS! dawn, you are one lucky princess!


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## NewLondon88 (May 31, 2009)

skiprat said:


> You'd probably have to be an avid sci-fi film buff to recognise this.



I do and I will pay whatever your price is for another one.
Not kidding.

I'm officially jealous. :tongue:


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## jack barnes (May 31, 2009)

Out standing. Not being a sci-fi buff but wife is, what film was it.

Jack


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## hewunch (May 31, 2009)

Not a film but an episode of Star Trek The Next Generation.


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## DCBluesman (May 31, 2009)

hewunch said:


> Not a film but an episode of Star Trek The Next Generation.


 Two episodes!


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## NewLondon88 (May 31, 2009)

Naah.. it's from an album he recorded with a friend of mine. They
recorded it in 10-Forward while they were out scouting a nebula.


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## BRobbins629 (May 31, 2009)

She's finally out of the closet and it only took a beautiful pen to nudge her out.


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## PR_Princess (May 31, 2009)

altaciii said:


> Picards flute! I AM SO JEALOUS! dawn, you are one lucky princess!



Yes, thank you Alex.. I think so too!:biggrin::redface:

And BTW it is darn accurate Ressikan flute at that! Even down to the oddly spaced holes. It is simply a stunning piece of work. What Steven can do in a day! (Shakes head) Can that man cook or what? Amazing....:worship::worship::worship::worship:  Thank you Steven!!!!

And yes, you guys guessed it. This little tin whistle appeared TV series Star Trek, the Next Generation. In the "Lessons", "A Fist Full of Datas", but  most notably in "Inner Light". Besides being at the focus of an iconic and award winning piece of writing, there is also moving piece of music that is associated with this flute. Adapted by Jay Chattaway, I have taken the liberty of attaching a fingerling for part of it.

And yes, Charlie, believe or not, you and Shamira were the inspiration. Your CD and Skippy's Fender Stratocaster. I just put the pieces of the puzzle together. :wink:

But remember, if you want one like this,  make sure your credit is in good order... for Steven has now seen the auction price!


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## Douglas Feehan (May 31, 2009)

NewLondon88 said:


> I do and I will pay whatever your price is for another one.
> Not kidding.
> 
> http://www.christies.com/LotFinder/lot_details.aspx?intObjectID=4780101
> ...


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## NewLondon88 (May 31, 2009)

What? $48,000?   Petty cash..

I wrote and begged. I even sweetened the pot by promising to name my first born
after him. Pretty safe bet, that.
Besides, I'm not sure if the Catholic Church would allow anyone to be christened
"Skiprat" anyway. 

For those who don't know, Dawn sent me some rose quartz that was used in the
show as 'dilithium crystals' (complete with certificate of authenticity) to use in
a pen for my friend Shamira. I sort of gave up the idea of putting them in a pen, 
because frankly, it's beyond my abilities to come up with something that doesn't
look tacky. But I've been working on making a desk set that would use the crystals
and hold a nice pen. I haven't gotten to the 'nice pen' part yet.. although I did make
her a piano pen that she keeps on her desk. I'm working on a 'dilithium mixing chamber'
that would house the crystals, double as a desk lamp and hold a pen.

This pen would be much better. This is IN NO WAY meant to intimidate/cajole/play
upon the sympathies of Mr. Skiprat to get him to agree to make one more of these
pens. No way. I wouldn't sink that low.

not much. :tongue:


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## NewLondon88 (May 31, 2009)

PR_Princess said:


> But remember, if you want one like this,  make sure your credit is in good order... for Steven has now seen the auction price!



Does he only accept gold pressed latinum?


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## skiprat (May 31, 2009)

LOL, all you Trekkies are nuttier than me!!!! And that's saying something!!!:biggrin:

What I can't understand was why did the movie moguls had a flute specially made that wouldn't work anyway It doesn't look that different from any other flute ( to me anyway ) so why didn't they just send someone down to the nearest music shop and buy one???:biggrin: 

Charlie, I just replied to your email:wink:

Time for me to hit the sack so.........

'Beam me up Scotty, there's no intelligent life down here'


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## VisExp (May 31, 2009)

I'm not a Trekkie and have no idea what the flute is all about, but I certainly can see the beauty and uniqueness in what you have made Steve.  Even the choice of nib fits in with the design.  Stunning work as usual.  I can see why Dawn is so pleased.


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## CSue (May 31, 2009)

Picard's flute!  WOW! You are AMAZING! 

What a tremendous piece of work!


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## NewLondon88 (May 31, 2009)

skiprat said:


> Charlie, I just replied to your email:wink:



I wonder if this means he's accepted the 'first born' idea..

Damn.. now I gotta go out and meet a woman .. who won't mind
an empty nest after only 9 months..:tongue:


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## Stevej72 (May 31, 2009)

Steven, that is absolutely awesome!


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## greeneyedblackcat (May 31, 2009)

Supreme craftsmanship, You are the KING RAT


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## jyreene (Jun 1, 2009)

You make me want to curl up in a fetal position and cry myself to sleep for lack of skill anywhere near this.  As always amazing work.


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## workinforwood (Jun 1, 2009)

Wow Steve, that is something else.  Aside from the star trek reference that doesn't matter so much to me, but a flute pen is a cool idea.  It's so well executed, but what screams at me the most is the nib.  I want to know how to get one of those nibs, as that is really freaky!  It reminds me of a lizard tongue.  I didn't see the material for the pen listed either, please mention the goldish colored material and the silver material.

I might have to join the others and start sleeping under my bed.


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## cnirenberg (Jun 1, 2009)

That is one cool pen.  Live long and prosper....Can I have one?


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## skiprat (Jun 1, 2009)

workinforwood said:


> Wow Steve, that is something else.  Aside from the star trek reference that doesn't matter so much to me, but a flute pen is a cool idea.  It's so well executed, but what screams at me the most is the nib.  I want to know how to get one of those nibs, as that is really freaky!  It reminds me of a lizard tongue.  I didn't see the material for the pen listed either, please mention the goldish colored material and the silver material.
> 
> I might have to join the others and start sleeping under my bed.



Thanks again for all the comments, but it was Dawn's idea, not mine. I was just the spanner monkey:biggrin:

Jeff, the material is brass and I think it will look better and more like the original when it dulls a bit. The 'center band' is stainless. The hole rings are aluminium and the nib is a Speedball C-3 Dipper nib that ( Lou ) DC Bluesman gave to me when I was in the States a while back visiting him and Eagle.

The mouthpiece slots were the trickiest parts to do as I'm not really tooled up to do miniature milling. They are 1.5mm wide. I already wear glasses like the bottoms of Coke bottles, but I had to use a big workbench magnifying glass as well:frown: :biggrin:


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## NewLondon88 (Jun 1, 2009)

I volunteer to send you new Coke bottles. :biggrin:

Hey .. it's the least I can do ..


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## kruger (Jun 1, 2009)

Absolutely stunning. 

congratulations


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## nava1uni (Jun 1, 2009)

As usual, above and beyond, the imagination.  Exquisite craftsmanship and detail.  Did it really only take a day?  It is an honor to see such work and beauty.
Thanks for sharing.


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## chriselle (Jun 1, 2009)

The starship "Skiprat" is boldly going where no man has gone before.  And going there in style, too.


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## ldb2000 (Jun 2, 2009)

Oh boy here we go again . Between the Cat and the Rat I can't keep up :bulgy-eyes: ... I'm going back to kit pens :wink::tongue::biggrin:

Spectacular as usual Skippy , Bravo !!!


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## PR_Princess (Jun 19, 2009)

The flute finally arrived!  I can finally breathe again now..if only for a moment. As I opened the envelope it was all I could do to gasp and mumble a simple... _*"Oh WOW"!!!!!*_

Steven, this better than I ever could have hoped...or imagined!!! The craftsmanship, the artistry are magnificent. The fit and finish and the way you combined the different metals is just amazing! I am almost afraid to touch it, least I mar the surface.   

This will be the _true_ highlight of my collection.....I don't quite know what to say other than to express a very, very heartfelt ....*Thank you!!!*


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## NewLondon88 (Jun 22, 2009)

PR_Princess said:


> The flute finally arrived!



  Did someone go out of order?? 

ps .. Tee Hee


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