Interesting Little One In Germany

[Daniel Hersh]

It's here. I would guess German-made, though I might think otherwise if it were in England. Any comments? Has anyone seen one much like this before?

[Dirge]

What is that in the fretwork? NP &Co?

[Stephen Chambers]

That looks like one of the semi-miniature Lachenals, which usually have initials in the fretwork like that. I think M & Co stands for John G. Murdoch & Co. Ltd., a firm which sold musical instruments wholesale and had a nation-wide chain of shops, for whom Lachenal's built "The Peerless" concertinas.

 

Other examples of this model have the initials L & Co = Lachenal & Co. in the same location, like this one:

 

 

Or B S & S = Barnett Samuel & Sons (out of which later grew the Decca Record Co. Ltd.):

 

 

Edited to add photos.

Edited March 15, 2008 by Stephen Chambers

[Frank Edgley]

I'm certainly not the expert that Stephen is with regards to vintage instruments, but it certainly looks like a Lachenal to me, as well. The papers and woodwork look like it, at least, as well as the insides. Aside from the broken fretwork, it looks in not too bad shape.

[Daniel Hersh]

Thanks, Frank & Stephen--

 

The internal photos weren't on eBay when I wrote the original post. If I had seen them I would have recognized that it's an English-made concertina despite its location.

 

Daniel

 

I'm certainly not the expert that Stephen is with regards to vintage instruments, but it certainly looks like a Lachenal to me, as well. The papers and woodwork look like it, at least, as well as the insides. Aside from the broken fretwork, it looks in not too bad shape.

[Lawrence Reeves]

Were there many of these smaller sized instruments produced? Noticing the fretwork to be rosewood, assuming steel reed. Were these "smaller" instruments for children, or just men or women for small hands? From other's experience what sonic improvements would there be on a concert pitched instrument on a smaller frame?

[Stephen Chambers]

Were there many of these smaller sized instruments produced?

I haven't seen a lot of them, in fact I think I've only ever had 2 or 3 of them over the past 35 years. The c.1920 price list states "Miniature Anglo Models made to special order only", whereas the c.1930 one says "MINIATURE ANGLOS made in Newly Improved Class only with 20, 26 or 30 keys prices the same as ordinary models", though they were evidently available long before that time.

 

Usually you would only see the 20-key rosewood-ended version, though I know somebody who has a 26-key metal-ended one. I've never seen (or heard of) an example with 30-keys.

 

Were these "smaller" instruments for children, or just men or women for small hands? From other's experience what sonic improvements would there be on a concert pitched instrument on a smaller frame?

Or were they simply miniatures? Judging by the (playable) ones I've encountered, they seem to be loud and fast.

[Lawrence Reeves]

The reasons for the nature of my questions comes from 2007 the Crotty weekend. A fellow from England had a metal ended 26 or 28 key Lachenal that sounded like a trumpet. Once used to the hand rest position against the heel I found it to be very nice. His mini had an inset metal fretwork in a black painted end.

[KerryFrank]

I picked up a similar minature concertina last year. The fretwork is of 2 lions facing a lyre, centered in the fret end. The provinance claimed it was of English manufacture and it's a 20-button tutor model. The buttons are of bone and numbered. The ends are rosewood and both lions have ivory eyes. It measures 12.1cm from flat to flat, 14.5cm hexagonal corner to corner and the 6-fold bellows, fully closed, are 11.5cm. It's a joy to play and has a loud & fast action.

I don't believe it's a Lachenal, nor a Wheatstone, since it only has 4 retaining screws in the fret ends. But the quality is first-rate and it's an addition to my collection that's very often played. It came with a black "Lachenal style" fitted , wooden case, with key. Kerry

Edited March 18, 2008 by KerryFrank

[Stephen Chambers]

I picked up a similar minature concertina last year. The fretwork is of 2 lions facing a lyre, centered in the fret end. The provinance claimed it was of English manufacture ... I don't believe it's a Lachenal, nor a Wheatstone, since it only has 4 retaining screws in the fret ends.

Kerry,

 

I've seen those (maybe even that very one, when it was on eBay) and they're of German manufacture. The four retaining screws would be typical and confirm it.

[Greg Jowaisas]

 

 

I have a semi-miniature 30b with L & Co in the fretwork. It is tuned like a normal C/G. I'm still working on making the bellows completely airtight. I have heard stories of instruments of this size being very loud. This one has a medium volume and is a tad strident.

 

Greg

[Dirge]

It sold for about £585, $1170, 748 euros (Can't you just tell that's a currency named by committee, incidentally?)

 

Is that a fair price given the gaping holes in the gussets and that it is only a 20 key? Seems an awful lot to me, but I have no real idea.

[Marien]

It looks like an ideal 30 button minitina for irish sessions. I never played such a small one, but obviously, these minitini have less space inside (especially they have 30 buttons). As a result the reed chambers are relatively small. I think that makes it strident, producing less resonance for lower notes.

Marien

[Marien]

Hobgoblin sells 20 button lachenal anglo's (normal size) for 450 pounds. This small one is special I should say, so I am not very surprised it went for a little bit more.

[richard]

Greg

 

I am curious....What does your mini measure flat to flat?

 

Richard

[Greg Jowaisas]

Richard,

This semi-miniature looks to be 5 and 1/32 inches on the flats. 128mm I believe for our metric friends.

 

The action mechanism is quite the plumber's nightmare:

 

 

Edited March 20, 2008 by Greg Jowaisas

[Theo]

The action mechanism is quite the plumber's nightmare:

 

It would be a nightmare to try and get any water through those tiny pipes.

Edited March 20, 2008 by Theo

[Stephen Chambers]

This semi-miniature looks to be 5 and 1/32 inches on the flats. 128mm I believe for our metric friends.

I've come across a handful of 5" Jeffries 30-key Anglos before, but that's the first Lachenal one I've seen.

 

The action mechanism is quite the plumber's nightmare:

Dunno 'bout plumbers , but a concertina repairer's nightmare anyway - Lachenal levers don't work very well when they're bent at crazy angles like some of those, and I bet the G/A on the G row sounds pretty tinny too, being in the middle of the reed pan like that...