There is a Wheatstone C/G 30 key metal-ended Linota for sale on ebay, located in County Clare:

http://cgi.ebay.ie/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewIt...E:IT&ih=020

Late 30s = hook action?

Right now it seems Wheatstone #33301 (1934) is the demarcation line for hook vs rivet action.

I will add that great reeds can make hook action enjoyable, and Wheatstone certainly knew how to make good reeds post 1934.

How the reeds are in this particular Linota I cannot tell.

Greg

I had a 1940 one that had a great set of reeds but that one had much fancier fretwork and the action was fine. I guess this is a cheaper model?

I'll second that, Alf Edwards' (now my) Æola has hook action and fantastic reeds, and look what he did with it!

For that matter, Paul Davis had an ebony-ended Linota of the same vintage that he thought very highly of, in fact it was one of his favourite boxes.

Bought by a man who knows a bargain when he sees one - Chris Algar!

I should have bid on it myself...

The serial number of the concertina is quoted as 50980. Between 1938 and 1974 Wheatstone & Co. manufactured concertinas in two parallel series of serial numbers; Englishes and Duets were given numbers #3XXXX, and Anglos were given numbers #5XXXX. During these 37 years Wheatstone manufactured about 2,129 Englishes and Duets, with serial numbers from about #34955 through #37083, and some 9,498 Anglos, with serial numbers from #50001 through #59498, Anglo production averaging some 246 concertinas per year. Yet, for unknown reasons, this vast population of late Wheatstone Anglos with #50000+ numbers are not seen nearly as often as one would expect. Presumably, according to the serial number, this one dates from the late 1930's or very early 1940's?

Chris

I believe a large proportion of these instruments went to the colonies, particularly South Africa.

Exactly, it was a perfectly good pre-war box, I'm surprised there wasn't more interest in it.


Colonies?

Ummm, I wouldn't say that too loudly if I were you, there's already been a few wars fought over it...