Wheatstone Concertina Info Urgently Needed

[blue-music-62]

HI, I'm teresa from boston area and I assisted a friend to post an auction on ebay yesterday for a wheatstone concertina that used to belong to his deceased dad. unknown where it came from before that.

 

here is link for your reference:

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...me=STRK:MESE:IT

 

serial number is 25240

 

I did some looking on line and found out that this item is potentially very valuable. i don't know how to precisely date it and i have several questions lined up on ebay to answer that i don't know the answer to. I have an amazing sixteen people watching this thing already. can one of you take a look at it and advise.

 

also, I think this thing is in awesome condition. no scratches to the wood and the accordion part is intact and in exceptional shape. i have no way of telling how the SOUND of it is. I mean it works as in sounds come out of it, but how do i know if they are nice and proper sounds? We put a starting price of 2000 on the thing, i feel a bit funny asking folks to throw down 2 grand without being able to try the thing out. maybe if it doesn't sell the next time i try i should invite people to view the item if they wish, and will be in the boston area.

 

Anyway, my ebay name is teegee16 and i do tons of buying and selling on ebay on my own. check out my auctions and feedback and see that we are for real here and need the help... thanks in advance for any help you can give.

[blue-music-62]

okay, i found a website with the serial numbers listed in old ledgers and it says "rosewood 56 key-old stock"...sold around 1910.

Edited September 5, 2005 by blue-music-62

[Stephen Chambers]

HI, I'm teresa from boston area and I assisted a friend to post an auction on ebay yesterday for a wheatstone concertina that used to belong to his deceased dad.  unknown where it came from before that.  ... serial number is 25240

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hi Teresa,

 

I'm one of the people who asked you an eBay question about this instrument. Thanks for letting me know the serial number !

 

It is listed in the Wheatstone ledgers on 15th March 1911, described as an "Octo Rosewood 56 Keys (old stock)", which may go some way to explaining certain oddities about it :

 

Normally rosewood, with flat ends and relatively simple fretwork, such as it has, was used only for "middle of the range" hexagonal instruments, whilst the octagonal shape was reserved for "top of the range" models, in an ebony finish, with raised ends and fine fretwork. It would appear to have been made either as a "Special", or perhaps it was a "development model" for the octagonal Wheatstone Æola, and only sold maybe a decade after it was originally made.

 

As I can't say exactly when it was made (only when it was sold), and it is so unusual in its construction, it is impossible to know how well it should play, but I doubt if it is as good as the 1910ish Æola that its serial number suggests (they were "the cream of the crop").

[blue-music-62]

wow, it's being unusual and perhaps a prototype of some sort would explain the buzz of watchers for this thing.

 

Steve, would you mind if I copy and paste your very informative post in my ebay auction to assist others that may be interested?

[Stephen Chambers]

wow,  it's being unusual and perhaps a prototype of some sort would explain the buzz of watchers for this  thing.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Teresa,

 

I think the "buzz" is more likely to do with the fact that it is an octagonal Wheatstone, though whether it is really a "proper" Æola is debatable. I would certainly be intrigued to both play and examine it, at which stage I might be able to judge its quality (and age) better.

 

Steve, would you mind if I copy and paste your very informative post in my ebay auction  to assist others that may be interested?

Go ahead if you like.

[Pete Dickey]

Just had a look at the Ebay entry for this - very nice too!

 

I see you've moved to Scotland Stephen, was there something wrong with Kilrush?

 

Pete

[Stephen Chambers]

I see you've moved to Scotland Stephen, was there something wrong with Kilrush?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Pete,

 

That's the reason noo I wear a kilt !

 

Edited September 6, 2005 by Stephen Chambers

[Pete Dickey]

I see you've moved to Scotland Stephen, was there something wrong with Kilrush?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Pete,

 

That's the reason noo I wear a kilt !

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Well I'd heard you had the knees for one