15 replies to this topic

[gjm5025]

I have a 48 key English Style Andreas Morelli Concertina made in Italy
in the late 1950's - Serial Number 5024. As I understand it, Morelli
is now a Chinese product. Can anyone tell me the history of Anderas
Morelli concertinas? Are there any references that have this
information - I would appreciate any leads to information on the
Internet, or in books, or other published material.

[Daniel Hersh]

This might be a re-badged Bastari, but it's hard to know without seeing external and internal pictures.

I have a 48 key English Style Andreas Morelli Concertina made in Italy
in the late 1950's - Serial Number 5024. As I understand it, Morelli
is now a Chinese product. Can anyone tell me the history of Anderas
Morelli concertinas? Are there any references that have this
information - I would appreciate any leads to information on the
Internet, or in books, or other published material.

[gjm5025]

I'll see if I can get some photos. Your reply is interesting though -- why do you think it might be a re-badged Bastari, or a re-badged anything for that matter? What was the connection between Bastari and Morelli, if any?

[Daniel Hersh]

I am fairly sure that Bastari was the manufacturer of the great majority of Italian-made concertinas from the 1950's until they sold out to Stagi (now owned by Brunner) who have built most or all of the Italian concertinas since that time. Bastari built concertinas that were marked with a wide variety of names. This isn't an unusual thing in the concertina world -- Lachenal in late 19th-century England and Scholer in post-WW2 Germany also built many instruments sold under other names, as did other makers.

I'll see if I can get some photos. Your reply is interesting though -- why do you think it might be a re-badged Bastari, or a re-badged anything for that matter? What was the connection between Bastari and Morelli, if any?

[gjm5025]

Here are some photos of the so-called Morelli. I didn't want to disassemble it any further because at this point the next step usually ends up with many small parts flying out all over the place.

[dpmccabe]

For me, it's weird to see that name on a concertina since I've been playing on an "Andreas Morelli" violin for the past 10 years. It wasn't actually made by anyone named Morelli, but rather "Andreas Morelli" was the trade name used by German maker Karl Herrmann (and possibly others in his shop) during the 1920s and 30s for his top-grade instruments.

Edited by dpmccabe, 21 October 2008 - 08:27 PM.

[Daniel Hersh]

I'd guess that this was made by Bastari or Stagi. For comparison's sake, you can see Stagi/Brunner's current equivalent model (the A-48-S) at http://www.brunnermu...om/concert4.htm.

Others may have their own opinions.

Here are some photos of the so-called Morelli. I didn't want to disassemble it any further because at this point the next step usually ends up with many small parts flying out all over the place.

[gjm5025]

They do look very similar, although I like the scrollwork on mine a little better.

So is it that Morelli did not manufacture concertinas, but in order to offer one in their catalog, they purchased and relabeled Stagis (A-48_S) as their own?

Is this very unusual? I mean, I searched all over the Internet and have yet to find any other mention of a Morelli concertina.

[Daniel Hersh]

I think that it's more likely that "Morelli" (i.e. whoever was selling instruments with that brand name) paid Bastari/Stagi/Brunner to do the labeling for them. This has not been an unusual practice in the concertina world -- see one of my earlier posts in this thread -- and it's still going on. Chinese-made instruments, for example, are sold under all sorts of names.

They do look very similar, although I like the scrollwork on mine a little better.

So is it that Morelli did not manufacture concertinas, but in order to offer one in their catalog, they purchased and relabeled Stagis (A-48_S) as their own?

Is this very unusual? I mean, I searched all over the Internet and have yet to find any other mention of a Morelli concertina.

[malcolm clapp]

Chinese-made instruments, for example, are sold under all sorts of names.

Including Morelli button accordions.

Chinese concertinas marked Morelli on eBay too, as the original poster suggested.

But this isn't one of them, you'll be pleased to hear :-) Looks very Bastari to me....

Their English models are far better quality than their anglos, from the ones I've handled.

MC

Edited by malcolm clapp, 25 October 2008 - 09:36 PM.

[gjm5025]

I bought this 48 key English style Morelli concertina, shown in my October 21 post, in 1960 for $100. It has never been played, but all of the notes work. If I decided to sell it, about how much do you think it would bring?

[Daniel Hersh]

Hard to say. You might want to watch eBay and see what price the next 48-button Italian-made English concertina that comes up sells for.

I bought this 48 key English style Morelli concertina, shown in my October 21 post, in 1960 for $100. It has never been played, but all of the notes work. If I decided to sell it, about how much do you think it would bring?

[Laitch]

I think you might get your $100 back, gjm. New Stagi English concertinas backed with limited warranties sell for around 700 USD.

You could advertise it in a straight forward way:

"This is an entry-level, accordion-reeded, 48-button English-style concertina manufactured in Italy perhaps by a company known as Bastari. It is 48 years old, has not been played and appears to be in good condition."

or you could pump it up thusly:

"I am offering my Andreas Morelli concertina for sale. Although almost fifty years old it is in pristine condition. Among concertina aficionados little is known about Andreas Morelli. He possibly may have been either the manufacturer or the distributor of this instrument. The name of Andreas Morelli has been associated with fine violins of German manufacture and has such allure that modern instrument makers have used the name on instruments of questionable worth because of its past association with high quality.

The Andreas Morelli English concertina is lightweight and infinitely more portable than a pipe organ or piano yet capable of playing wide-ranging music---classical to folk. Information about the English concertina can be found at http://www.concertina.com."

Edited by Laitch, 26 October 2008 - 07:46 AM.

[OldDog]

Hi,

If you do decide to sell it, please let me know as I'm interested. Best way to contact me is by eMail - pneupco@localnet.com.
Thanks,
Paul N.
Tonawanda, NY
(Miami of the North)

[gjm5025]

Thanks, gentlemen, for your interesting and informative comments. I've learned a lot about concertinas from you. Please come back if you ever find out who this Andreas Morelli really was.

[Daniel Hersh]

I thought that $100 sounded low for this but I was waiting for some counter-evidence before I replied, and now I've got it. A similar concertina just sold for $350 on eBay. That was a "Buy It Now" price -- it might have gone a bit higher if that option hadn't been offered.

I think you might get your $100 back, gjm. New Stagi English concertinas backed with limited warranties sell for around 700 USD.

You could advertise it in a straight forward way:

"This is an entry-level, accordion-reeded, 48-button English-style concertina manufactured in Italy perhaps by a company known as Bastari. It is 48 years old, has not been played and appears to be in good condition."

or you could pump it up thusly:

"I am offering my Andreas Morelli concertina for sale. Although almost fifty years old it is in pristine condition. Among concertina aficionados little is known about Andreas Morelli. He possibly may have been either the manufacturer or the distributor of this instrument. The name of Andreas Morelli has been associated with fine violins of German manufacture and has such allure that modern instrument makers have used the name on instruments of questionable worth because of its past association with high quality.

The Andreas Morelli English concertina is lightweight and infinitely more portable than a pipe organ or piano yet capable of playing wide-ranging music---classical to folk. Information about the English concertina can be found at http://www.concertina.com."