I think it's a beauty. And only $500 more than my Tenor, but twice an instrument!

It didn't sell last time it came up, but I think it only had the Buy It Now option then, and that's dear enough. Hopefully it will find a good home this time...

It's not a Crane but if I was in the market for a duet I think I'd prefer this Wheatstone MacCann, now that's a beauty!

It certainly is - and the reserve is set at less than 60% of the asking price for the 1953 Crane. (I should declare an interest here, in that I am the restorer and seller of the MacCann!) Trouble is, everyone seems to want Cranes at the moment. I guess it's all a matter of...er ...um... you know.... timing...

And, to further put it in perspective, the "Buy it now" price is about half the new price of Suttner's basic 30-k Anglo model, and you could get it "NOW" rather than in 4 years (Suttner's current waiting-list time)

Future depreciation would probably be less with the Wheatstone, too.

Or would it? Are there any empirical studies out there about the resale-price development of top-class, hand-made new concertinas?

Cheers,
John

Sold to a UK buyer for US $2,511.02.

IMHO, a bargain.

It will be interesting to see what the Maccann goes for, by way of comparison.

Perhaps a little unfair though to compare a restored instrument with one that *may* need some work....

Anyone taking bets?

MC

Hmmm. Closed with reserve not met at a high bid of 810 pounds

I suppose that goes to prove that....well, not really sure what it proves....

Perhaps that a duet that goes down to middle C on the right is worth 50% more than one that doesn't ?

MC

Seriously -- IMHO, a Duet is worth a lot more if it goes down to Middle C (as do all (?) Hayden Duets), rather than cutting off at the G above. I know that small Maccans and Cranes cut off at that G.

In fact, I hope to live long enough to buy and play a Hayden that goes down to Fiddle G below Middle C on the RH. --Mike K.

I think that part of it is the weakness of the US dollar. $2,500 for a good 55-key Crane looks like a bargain in pounds, but it looks more normal in dollars, remembering back to that time not so long ago when you only got $1.50 to the pound.

It does seem to be a buyers market for Maccanns at the moment, of any size, at least on ebay. After a period a couple of years ago when not many turned up, a lot of good 57-key-plus Maccanns have failed to sell on ebay over the last year, or gone for a steal. So I think there is more to it than just that the 55-key doesn't go down to middle-C. When that rare 46-key Aeola came up a couple of years ago, it sold for well in excess of £1000. But while good quality 46-keys Wheatstones were often raising £600 to £700 on ebay a couple of years ago, these days they often struggle to raise even £400-£500. Though of course in dollars, there's perhaps not a such a change.

Oops! While waiting on something else, I just stole a glance at C.net , determined to read little and respond to nothing. But I saw "Crane" and looked at this thread, and when I saw an error of fact that no one else had corrected, I couldn't let it lie. After writing the following, I will once again fade into the background.


Sorry, but that's not true. Every Crane/Triumph I've seen -- either in person or for sale -- has gone down at least to middle C in the right hand and to the C an octave lower in the left hand. Even 35-button Cranes go down to those two C's. And standard Cranes are fully chromatic all the way down, though the Crane 35 omits a couple of accidentals at the top end of the left hand and the Crane 48 omits a couple of accidentals at the top of the right hand.


I've seen a couple of 55-button Crane Æolas that go down to fiddle G in the right hand and down to the G an octave below that in the left hand. They are relatively rare, but I know that there are at least a few more out there. They pick up the extra low notes by cutting back the top end in both hands, so they're sort of a fourth lower than the usual, though they still keep the key-of-C notes in the center three columns.

As for Maccanns, I suppose it depends on what you consider "small". I'm pretty sure that Wheatstone's standard 57-button "duets" (they never used the Maccann name) go down to middle C in the right hand, though on the 55-button Lachenal Maccanns I've seen the lowest RH note is the G above that, as it seems to be on any Maccann with fewer than 55 buttons. (Dirge, please correct me if I'm wrong.)

I'm sure you're right about Cranes, Jim - I also have never seen a Crane that didn't go down to middle C in the right hand. I'd love to get one of those 'fiddle G' instruments, I often have to play song accompanyments that go below middle C to be comfortable for the voice. I can usually play, or sometimes imply, the low note(s) on the left hand, or harmonise something that fits, but it would be nice to have the option of playing down to G.

I rarely if ever use the high notes, far too shrill for my taste, so I'd gladly sacrifice them.

Andrew

It's true that the pound/dollar exchange rate makes it better for UK bargain hunters, but don't forget the postage, and of course the import duty. If those nice men from the customs picked up on this one, the lucky buyer could have ended up paying an extra 17.5% plus "inspection fee". Then again it might have sailed straight through while they were on a tea break...