I've been looking for a vintage anglo, or at least concertina-reeded anglo, for a while. Up until recently, they were very rare on the market, a Crabb there, a Suttner there a few months after... For the past few weeks, it's been raining old anglos. Many Crabbs, Jeffries, even a Suttner in july. There are/were many on eBay in the past two weeks.

I'm curious, is there a specific reason for this, or is it just coincidence? Is the economy a bit shaky, and people need the money?

I don't know where you got that impression. I had observed just the opposite. There are only a couple of vintage instruments on ebay at the moment - a Crabb and the wheatstone I have on. I'd just been thinking how few there are and how the good ones seem to be getting snapped up by a few dealers. I will likely be putting one of my Linotas on ebay shortly.

Of course, it does usually go quiet for the summer.

The economy seems to be shaking all the time....and yes we need the money....to buy more concertinas.

There are a few definite reasons for the sudden appearances of vintage instruments, namely: 1) Upgrading. In my case I am reducing my inventory to buy the ultimate "keeper" concertina. Often one has to sell two to three average vintage concertinas to buy one "top of the line" new concertina such as a Dipper, Carroll, Dickenson Wheatstone or Suttner.

2) Changing needs and growing out of a particular concertina.

3) The death of a concertina player. Family members who do not play concertinas often sell the instruments of their loved one who has passed onto that "Great Session in the Sky - Heaven." The sale of those concertina often provide some relief (money) for the family members who may have financial needs.

Paul there's actually two Crabbs on eBay, and one that was sold recently... I don't remember seeing that many but maybe I havent been looking to intently as up to recently.

Ben, so tell me tell me, what's your new keeper concertina? :-) Mine is a vintage Crabb/Jeffries/Whateveritis I'm going to pick up in a few hours, but I got word from Colin Dipper that he might start working on my concertina very soon, so there's too much happening at the same time and I can't keep up!

Oops sorry Paul you're right, only one Crabb, I still have the old one in my watch list, it confuses me.

QUOTE: Ben, so tell me tell me, what's your new keeper concertina? :-) Mine is a vintage Crabb/Jeffries/Whateveritis I'm going to pick up in a few hours, but I got word from Colin Dipper that he might start working on my concertina very soon, so there's too much happening at the same time and I can't keep up!

Azalin, my keeper instruments will include a 40 button C/G Dipper Anglo and a 40 button C/G Steve Dickenson Wheatstone Anglo with Amboyna wood (frame) and golden (gilded) sides and buttons. Currently Colin is working on a 36 button C/G anglo for me...unfortunately it is in a Jeffries layout...I have never tried a Jeffries layout instrument . This concertina, according to Colin, is half finished...lying at the edge of his work table...

The newer Crabb anglo's and even Wheatstone Linota are a bit too steep in price for me at the moment.

Please post a picture of your Crabb/Jeffries/Whateveritis for us.

Thanks.

Wow Ben, you're talking Heavyweight Leagues concertinas. I think Jeffries layout is very bad, very very bad. It's half finished? I will do you a favor and take over it OK? :-)

Seriously, can you tell me how long it takes Colin in average to finish an instrument once it's started? We're talking months I guess?

I will post a thread with my new toy over the week-end!

Sadly over here all it's raining is rain. Doing plenty of that, though ...

Chris

I want to complain about this thread. I read the title and ran excitedly to my back door.... only to be disappointed.... just the wet stuff here.

Please refrain from making such misleading claims - I could have done myself an injury.

Sorry it stopped raining but still at the end a damn Jeffries 38 buttons hit my head. I'm bleeding a bit but the box is still working fine!

It's raining cats and dogs, here. If it had been Anglos, I would have stayed outside and taken my chances.

Quote: Seriously, can you tell me how long it takes Colin in average to finish an instrument once it's started? We're talking months I guess?

Colin's waiting list time is about three years...though once in a while a person gets lucky by phoning him at the right time. Colin builds concertinas in batches..often with one or two extra...I happened to phone at the right time...and I asked the right question..."Do you have an extra concertina lying around?" It was a 36 button C/G anglo. I ordered a 40 button originally and will still have to wait another 3 years because Colin concentrates on 30 anglo button concertinas (it is for the luck of the Irish) as well as English concertinas. He and his wife, Rosalie, are very pleasant people to talk to....they are concertina royalty.

Raining Anglos?

thats' why I carry an umbrella...

Thanks Ben. I know this, but my question was "Once he started working on it, how long does it usually take?". He should start working on mine in october, that's why :-)

Surely a net would be more effective?


Well, they built my baritone in two weeks, start to finish, but that was a "drop everything and get this built" job. As was said earlier Colin and Rosalie usually build in batches, so the elapsed time will be longer than this. However it is a reasonable assumption, which I have heard from Colin on other occasions, that one concertina represents a man-month of work. (And people wonder why the waiting list is so long ...)

Chris