What was old flutes made of?

Flutes can be made out of different materials. The better the material, the more expensive the Flute. One of the most expensive materials is platinum. This is extremely expensive! Sometimes, the mouthpiece/head joint (or both) is made from a better material such as silver, giving the flute a nicer tone. The rest of the flute would usually be silver-plated. A cheaper flute would be made from a material such as nickle. It may then be coated with silver, again adding to the quality of the tone.

Hope this helps :)