Paul Woloschuk

I've not been on CNet for quite a while, so I hadn't noticed this post, but it's extremely gratifying to see so much support (musical and otherwise) for Ukraine. Being of Ukrainian descent; thank you Gary for uploading this music. Слава Україні!

Just to add to the evidence of reversed 'N' on inscriptions. This photo is of a stone plaque in Calne in Wiltshire.

Like yours Sprunghub, my JD also has a 'C' stamped ahead of the Jeffries Bros stamp in the original oval.

I'm not sure that Jeffries Bros, with their reputation for producing quality instruments, would accept defective die stamps.

On my Jeffries Duet, there is a rather crudely executed stamp on the left end plate beneath the hand rest as follows.... "New Address 12 Aldershot.Road Kilburn.N.W.6" What is interesting, and is something which has been mentioned elsewhere on this forum, is that the letter 'N' is reversed throughout the wording. For years, I had simply thought that the reversed 'N' was the result of somebody using a incorrectly-made metal die, although that's difficult to visualise happening. Moving on many years. I was out walking through the park of a local stately home recently, when I noticed an old stone bridge that had an inscription on it (The large house had been used as a VAD [Voluntary Aid Detachment] military hospital during WW1). The inscription had, I assume, been made by a WW1 soldier at the hospital. The inscription read, "Pte. W.L. 24/4/17 27th BAttn. CANADIANS.' (see photograph). On every occasion, the 'N' was inscribed reversed. This set me thinking that the stamp on my concertina might not have been an error after all. I have found reference online saying that a reversed capital letter N is common on gravestones dating from the 18th century, and was still occasionally used even up to the early part of the 20th century. Pte W.L. was writing the inscription in his usual way. But why was the N reversed? Here's my theory! If you look at a lower case n, and consider how you would write it, you would usually start with a downward stroke, then up (tracing over the downward stroke), before moving the pen towards the right in a curve, and then down - ' n ' . It is easy to see how, if you were to straighten out those movements into three straight lines, you will end up with a reversed N. Down.... upwards towards the right..... and down again. So, if this reversed N was an early version of the letter, if you were to write it in lower case, one would smooth out the straight lines, and so you get ' n ' . Maybe the 'reversed' capital N was the original way to present the letter 'N'?

Gary, 'Big Nick' Robertshaw told me after I had contacted him about my JD that he knew of only twelve players worldwide, and that I was the thirteenth! In 2006, there was a post here on C.Net asking for JD players to say how many instruments they owned, and I believe it came to about 21 instruments between 16 players.

I'll look forward to this when it's finished. I'd be especially interested in chord shapes and/or accompaniment, as I love the playing of Michael Hebbert and Gavin Atkin, and if I could pick up some of the accompaniment techniques they use, I'd be happy ?

What a happy ending!

This Pacsafe product might be suitable for a concertina.... http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pacsafe-TravelSafe-Secure-Portable-Black/dp/B002Q5NKYK/ref=pd_sim_ce_1

That's pretty well what happened to me. I didn't choose a Jeffries Duet, I was presented with an opportunity to buy a concertina without knowing what it was, other than it was vintage and therefore probably worth a punt. Having acquired it, I then set about learning to play it, and as I played (mainly) morris, I became comfortable in certain keys. Upon realising it was a rarely-played system, I relished the challenge of learning to play it, and as I'm comfortable in certain keys it's probably more sensible for me to stretch myself and learn other keys than it would be to learn a completely new system from scratch.

Well, that's sorted. I had concerns, but ten minutes playing scales was enough to show me that the EC was not on for me owing to Osteoarthritis in my right thumb Oh well, I'll just have to practice playing the JD in those awkward keys!

Not too bad thanks mate. I'm not rushing into the matter, and I'm keeping the JD....and in fact will be popping into Marcus Music tomorrow in Newport to discuss and try a few out (I'm working in Cardiff t'morrer).

Thanks for that! ETA - I've also owned an Anglo in my time - I'm definitely interested in a nice English, and the EC system looks pretty straight forward on paper.

I'm one of the few priviliged people to posess a Jeffries Duet, and like many (I suppose) find playing in keys different from your own comfort zone 'challenging' ! I'm looking to buy either another Duet (MacCann?) or an English - but which? I would like a vintage instrument. I'm intending to use it for sessions and for accompaniment to singing (not my own voice I hasten to add!). Advice and suggestions welcome.

LadyMatilda - I've sent you a PM