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Lachenal's "new Model"?


Orm

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Hi everyone,

 

I recently acquired nice Lachenal anglo concertina and I'd like to know more about similar concertinas. Mine is small one with metal ends inserted into ebony, 26 metal (probably silver) keys, C/G, and plays quite nice. I've tried to find similar concertinas on a web, but there're not a lot of those. Mine looks similar to this one (but with metal buttons instead of bone).

 

So do you know are there special name for those Lachenals?

 

I've checked Lachenal pricelists and there're such a thing as "New Model Anglo" mentioned in 1930 pricelist, but I'm not sure how to differentiate "New Model" from other Lachenal's.

 

I'd also be glad to hear from owners of such a Lachenals and share info.

 

Best,

Roman

 

 

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You'd rarely see a (less-expensive) 26-key Lachenal with (more-expensive) metal ends and metal buttons - but what you have is basically their 26-key "Newly Improved" model (£5 ,, 13s ,, 6d) with the optional extra "Nickel Plated Tops" (metal ends, 22 shillings extra) and "Nickel Keys instead of bone" (11 shillings extra) on that 1930 list.

 

So the total cost of that, new, would have been in the region of £7 ,, 6s ,, 6d, which is roughly half the cost of the professional-quality "New Model" with raised ends.

 

When you say it's "a small one" - do you mean the ends are closer to 5 1/4" (13cm) across than the normal 6 1/4" (15.5cm)? If so, you've got the (semi-)miniature version, and the combination of less buttons on a more-expensive model would make more sense, because there wouldn't be a lot of room for the full 30 keys inside it.

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Thanks, Stephen,

 

Still not clear enough - it's said that newly improved model should have ends with rosewood, while mine has black ones (probably ebony).

 

To your question - the size of my concertina is about 5.3'' across the flats

 

Do you have any pics (or links to pics) of the New Model Anglo?

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Still not clear enough - it's said that newly improved model should have ends with rosewood, while mine has black ones (probably ebony).

 

They don't mention it in that list, but it was normal for a "Newly Improved" with metal ends to have ebonised (black-stained) pearwood veneers. Black is much more of a contrast, and more dramatic than rosewood, with silvery metal!

 

 

To your question - the size of my concertina is about 5.3'' across the flats

 

Then it's the "miniature" version of the Newly Improved, which cost the same price as the regular size one. With metal ends, it's even rarer than a New Model Anglo...

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Here is some information about Lachenal New Model Anglo concertinas.

Lachenal & Co. did not make New Model Anglos until circa 1929.

The New Model Anglos had 4-digit serial numbers that were in the same serial number series as Maccann and Crane duets. The serial numbers of the New Model Anglos are on the exterior (top left of raised fretwork) as well as inside. Presumably, they wanted the serial numbers on the exterior without having to resort to 6-digit numbers a la the general Anglo serial number sequence at the time. They had been making New Model Maccann duets (since the late 1880s) and New Model Crane duets (since about 1900). It appears that their logic was to classify New Model Anglos along with duets on the basis of the New Model style, rather than classifying on the basis of Anglo-versus-duet fingering. Of 2,920 Lachenal Anglos, I have seen only 4 New Model Anglos--No. 4674, No. 4679. No. 4681, and No. 4759--each with either 30 or 40 keys.

 

Toward the end of their existence, Lachenal made at least one Anglo Edeophone (No. 4860). Wheatstone made a few "Edeophone", using Lachenal materials and/or templates, after the closure of the Lachenal firm (see concertina.com).

 

For English-system Lachenal concertinas, the New Model concertina appears to have originated in the early 1880s, a little before the advent of the Edeophone.

Edited by Dowright
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Hi Dowright, thanks a lot for the info!

 

Do you have any pics of these New Models? I still have no idea how're they look like

 

Based on Englishes and duets I'm familiar with, I'd say the distinguishing characteristics of Lachenal "New Model" concertinas are that the ends are both hexagonal and "raised" (i.e., the central area, including the button array, forms a "plateau" slightly "higher" than the edges). I would expect the same to be true of "New Model" anglos. Probably plain bellows as well, i.e., without decorative papers.

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I do not have any photos of an Anglo New Model. The only one that I ever held was owned by a lady who died a couple years ago. I did not take any photos at the time when I saw it. I do not know where the concertina is today.


But I have attached images (2 each) of metal-fret and wood-fret New Model Englishes. There may or may not be images of New Model Maccann and Crane duets at the respective websites devoted to these instruments.


post-8053-0-46445000-1445979190_thumb.jpg

post-8053-0-33892800-1445979202_thumb.jpg

post-8053-0-32026300-1445979213_thumb.jpg

post-8053-0-42579700-1445979226_thumb.jpg

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