AUGUST RICHARD HAMMIG

The Hammig family legacy of crafting woodwind instruments began around 1780, passing through eight generations and nearly 230 years. 

This rich tradition started with Christian Gottlob Hammig (1759-1836), a woodwind instrument maker in Markneukirchen, Germany. According to family records, he worked as an independent maker producing transverse flutes, piccolos, clarinets, and oboes. Starting from his work through the present time, the profession of musical instrument making has been passed from son to son/sons. The business reached Philipp Hammig’s hands in the early 1900s. 

Only between 1906 and 1920 the brothers Philipp Hammig and August Richard Hammig started to specialize the instrument making of the Hammig workshop. First both started learning their profession with their father’s workshop, then August Richard Hammig went to Saarbrücken and Philipp Hammig to Berlin to the firm Rittershausen to study the specialized flute making. 

In 1959, Philipp Hammig’s son, Gerhard took over the family business; however, the flutes and piccolos remained in the name of "Philipp Hammig," as they are known today, after Gerhard handed over the business to his four children in 1994. 

Hammig piccolos are sought after all over the world due to the character found in their sweet, dark sound; a response found in such aged wood.