Concertina History Latest Topics

Tom Lawrence Info please

Sun, 29 Mar 2026 13:37:41 +0000

I have just been listening to the playing of Tom Lawrence Anglo player of ITM. (7 tracks)

Very impressed by his playing and chording.

I wondered if any of you can give me some information on this player.

An interesting History of Boosey & Hawkes that explains how Wheatstone & Co. went downhill

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 23:48:16 +0000

Ran across this documentary (not about concertinas) that explains a lot about the downfall of Wheatstone & Co. which B & H fully acquired in 1948.

I can't fully personally verify all the facts but it says enough....if anyone has more detail, would love to know it.

Morse Serial Number List

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 18:59:25 +0000

Please let me know if this has already been addressed but I could not find any such thing.

I just acquired an early but refurbished Ceili C/G Jeffries SN#039 from a friend who bought it used from the Button Box in 2017. And someone on FB was asking if there was a list but I see none. So I went through as many posts as I could stand here and elsewhere to see what I could compile. Please feel free to correct any wrong info. This could be a start. Most owners (myself included) don't open their instruments and find out the exact date of manufacture. Of course, if Messrs. Snope or Creighton feel like posting, they would be more than welcome. I didn't post any owners names for privacy considerations. And I don't have dates for many of these but at least we have the serial numbers.

If there is a reason this hasn't been done before, like if it against the forum rules,. feel free to take this thread down. I am relatively new here.

009 – Ceili C/G Restored by Bob Tedrow
020 - One of the earliest units produced
023 - Ceili (J) 1999-2000
036 - Ceili 1999-2000
039 - Ceili (J) 1999-2000
072 – Ceili 1999-2000
133 - Ceili 1999-2000
141 - Ceili C/G
164 - Ceili (J) 2003
218 - Albion 2004
258 - Ceili (J) 12/04
382 - Albion 2007
498 - Albion
533 - Ceili (W) G/D purchased 11/07
573 - Albion
644 - purchased Nov 2008
681 - English treble
687 - Albion 2009
841 - Ceili (W) C/G purchased 2011
952 - Ceili G/D 12/2011
967 – Geordie
1051 - Geordie 2013
1082 - Beaumont spring 2013
1263 – Baritone
1272 - built c. 2016
1381 - Ceili (J) G/D 2017
1392 - Ceili (J)
1464 - Geordie Tenor 2018
1541 - Ceili (J) Reported as the last Morse Ceili in Bb/F ever made

Dating A Lachenal From The Serial Number

Mon, 24 Apr 2017 22:39:25 +0000

Hi everyone. I'm trying to date my lachenal (12732) but I can't find the database of serial numbers anywhere. Please could someone point me in the right direction?

I'd love to learn more about my instrument so any other elevant resources that spring to mind would be great!

I tried to attach some photos for your interest....

Historical Recordings Comments

Sat, 07 Feb 2026 09:43:39 +0000

As the Historical recordings page is closed for comments and only open for recordings,

Any comments you have on the posted recordings can be put here.

Historic recordings archive (Anglo and English)

Thu, 05 Feb 2026 20:58:07 +0000

Alan Day is accumulating digitized versions of historic recordings. If you know of his involvement with the Anglo International and English International CD albums, you know how much interesting material is out there. We want to post links to these recordings in one place. Here is how we'll try things at least to start. I'm placing this thread in the History forum (a consensus by Alan and myself). I will keep it pinned and closed so that it remains relatively concise. Discussions of any linked recordings are welcome in separate threads. Alan (and anyone else with historic recordings they have permission to post elsewhere and link to here) will send me or Paul posts and links and we'll add them. The intent is to reference recordings posted elsewhere; sound and video files can add up quickly and would strain our server resources if we were to host all of them.

If we find that some of this should be done differently, we'll certainly revise it.

Modern performances and recordings still go in the Videos and Music forum.

I know others will join me in looking forward to hearing some of the earlier history of our instrument.

Ken

Stephen Thomas and Patrick Russell

Sun, 22 Mar 2026 09:52:54 +0000

I have been listening to Stephen Thomas who was recorded at an old ICA meeting. He played a Crabb 48 Key Crane Duet aged then 10 years old .

At the same meeting played Patrick Russell on a Crabb 40 Key Treble English aged 13 years.

With Maurice Harvey also there playing a McCann Duet about 15 years old.

We have just featured Maurice but where are these other young players ?

Frank Edgley

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 22:41:17 +0000

I am pleased to inform you that Frank Edgley has agreed to let us post up a full CD of his playing.

It will be a fantastic addition to our Archive recordings section and features Frank playing his own Concertina.

I really enjoyed listening to this old recording and I recommend it to you.

The CD has been posted to Peter Rowistone for processing and I will inform you all when it is ready for you to listen to..

Other recordings are also being processed.

Arthur Clements info

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 12:11:55 +0000

I have found a CD by Arthur Clements ,Does anybody know any History about him.

The Reverent Alex Richards

Tue, 10 Mar 2026 14:39:08 +0000

I have in my possession two CDs of The Reverent Alex Richards ,he is giving a talk on concertina playing and I have just been listening to it.

An outstanding player, but I would be grateful if anybody can tell me a few more details about him. What system did he play .Is this CD available or have I got the only copy (Which I can make available.

Thanks

Mystery anglo

Thu, 15 Jan 2026 19:02:54 +0000

Well, not really a mystery, I just don't know who the maker was. It has brass reeds and a hook action. The bellows that are on it had gold tooling around the ends, and what looks like gold patterns on the papers. These decorations have been painted over. The end screws are steel wood screws, there are no plates in the bellows frames. At the front facing point of each end plate there is a diamond shaped insert, probably wood veneer.

I guess it is a Jones, can anyone help shed some light on it?

Concertina History

Fri, 28 Aug 2009 15:53:50 +0000

In the 1980's Mr Alex Richards of Gulgang, New Soth Wales, was writing a book on concertina history. Does anyone know if this was ever published, or even made available in another format.

Les Branchett

German? English?

Sat, 07 Mar 2026 07:46:23 +0000

Any ideas about this one on UK eBay? I would guess German, but with an English-style action - but I'm not at all sure. Listing is at https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/117071551549 .

Ancient German Chemnitzer concertina with 38 buttons / 76 reeds

Sun, 15 Feb 2026 13:49:06 +0000

My son is an avid player of a Castagnari diatonic accordeon. Recently, when he was playing at a local gathering, someone gifted him an ancient concertina - images are attached. Based on my own internet research and mining these forums, I believe it is a ancient Chemnitzer. However, I would be very keen to learn more about it. My main questions are:

Who likely produced it and when?

It looks like the metal plate covering the air vent has a large U in the middle, which may refer to Uhlig?

Is it worth investing in some amateur restoration for my son to use it as an instrument or is it likely a subpar instrument?

It is a bit leaky, as there are some pinholes at the corners where leather gussets meet the endplates. The button layout is not conventional by todays standards and I am not sure what type of music it might be suited for. The three rows are in the keys of G, A, and E (scheme included in the attachment).

Alternatively, perhaps it is best suited for a historical collection?

There are no maker's signs, and the left-hand reed block has plastic valves so clearly it has had some type of recent modification / restoration. And I have read that these types of concertinas were mass-produced at some point in time. But I did find some similar instruments on the web that are part of a swiss accordeon collection, and the collection of Karl Oriwohl. If it has great historical value, perhaps my son should not be playing it.

I would be grateful for any and all information and advice.

Thanks!

Images are attached.

Raphael And The Matusewitch Family

Mon, 17 Apr 2006 17:40:03 +0000

I have had the pleasure recently of listening to the English System Concertina playing of Slavic, Raphael Alexandrovitch Sonnesburg stage name Raphael (after typing it I can understand why). I must admit I have never heard of this musician let alone hear him play.One of the perks of these Internationals is that I have had a lot of archive material donated and some of which is some 78s played by Raphael.Kindly donated by Malcolm Clapp and other fantastic recordings. Raphael played on or around the 1920s and came over following the success of Gregory Matusewitch, also an English system player ,who was a great success in America. There is a very interesting article on the Matusewitch family by Eric Matusewitch on the Free Reed Journal which I easily found on Google. I have no playing of any of this family.

If any of you have any more info on these players I would be very interested to read it and possibly include it if we use the Raphael tracks.

Wheatstone English 48 Key Rosewood

Tue, 03 Feb 2026 22:08:59 +0000

I bought this back around 1998/1999 and have always wished I could get a more certain date or date range for it. I bought it from Paul Groff, who estimated c.1870. The serial # label is gone, and it's not written anywhere on the inside. I thought maybe the brass corners and/or bellows papers might help narrow down a date range. The only other time I've seen a Wheatstone with brass corners is a photo of a baritone amboyna model in the book The Wheatstone Concertina in Victorian England. That one is also estimated to be c.1870. Any help is appreciated!

C.jeffries

Mon, 29 Mar 2004 10:07:47 +0000

With all the research being done at present has any one managed to find any new information on Charles Jeffries?

I am still trying to find out more about him and the company, i.e. photos, press cuttings, advertisements, price list, anything in fact!

On a recent visit to London I called in at the Salvation Army offices at Elephant & Castle to try and find out more about their use of the instument. I met the head of the music department who was most helpful. We were having a chat about concertinas, when she asked me if Ihad heard of a maker called Charles Jeffries. Of course I said yes, she then told me that C.J.was her great,great grandfather's cousin (he was named Charles Elija Jeffries).

She has done a bit of research on the family but not much. However after my visit I think she will be trying to find out more.

We have exchaged telephone numbers so hopefully we will be in contact again if either of us find any new information. Could be interesting, I will keep you all posted if I hear anything.

All the best.

Martyn

Lachenal Minis

Thu, 12 Sep 2013 17:47:26 +0000

Does anybody know how many baby/mini 20-key concertinas Lachenal made? And when?

Amigo Anglo

Wed, 06 May 2020 18:34:16 +0000

Daniel Hersh asked me to open up my Amigo Anglo, and here is what I can tell. The ends / whole body are made of Aluminum. The bellows are glued to the body, which I broke loose. After removing the 3 screws to reveal the action I found more glue and decided to stop prying. Contact or some other glue should be easy enough to reattach the bellows. Because I am not sure how much hassle or damage would be done decided to stop here. Instrument was made in Czechoslovakia.

Double chamber George Case English

Mon, 01 Dec 2025 11:38:23 +0000

I've not seen double chamber arrangement like this.
This one belongs to a client…stuck in its box.

Comments welcome…