Stephen Selby

If it adds anything, my Lachenal Crane system duet has 48 steel buttons, flat ebonized ends, Lachenal's 'English Trade Mark' with reed shoe on one wrist block. The serial number is 576. Width across the ends is about 7".

I have a leather thong attached around the wrist blocks (Anglo concertina) and around my neck. Works well.

Thanks for that advice. How do you think those letters were put on the buttons in the first place? Surely not carved? Pyrography (burned in with a brand)?

I'm restoring an 1880s Lachenal concertina to mint condition. I've even done the gold blocking on the straps. It's only for historical accuracy: I already know where the notes are ?

Huh! No answers! So any suggestions? I don't want inks because they could leach into cracks in old buttons. It needs to be a paste that would set hard and be proof against sweat and wear.

Did it get sold? I'm interested.

The cause of this problem is usually that the saddles that secure the levers have risen away from the wooden base. they need to be helped back down, and may need to be secured with glue. Be careful about pushing the saddles down to the max, because that may leave the button too low when the side is re-assembled. The holes are usually larger than the pins on the buttons.

For the 'beginner' concertinas that had the names of the notes stamped into the buttons, what was used to ink them in?

Would need to know what system it is. AA is a good brand, but it needs to be in the Argentinian Rheinische Tonlage system, bisonoric and tuned to modern pitch (A=442) to be valuable.

Counter-offers welcome.

Still running? I'd like to visit!

I'm visiting Sydney and the Black Joke Morris between 2-15 February. Any concertina players who would like to meet up to jam? Stephen Selby (Hong Kong)

Price is £2,000 plus shipping (about £100). Lachenal, new six-fold bellows, new pads/springs. Metal ends on ebonized wood frame. Good action. 30 button C/G plus bird-song and cock crow novelty buttons. Recently tuned to A=440. Made around 1930. Excellent visual condition and plays well. It is in Hong Kong at present. Steel reeds. The serial number is 114088. Here is a sound sample: https://drive.google...iew?usp=sharing The original case is no longer suitable because of the change to six-fold bellows from five. The Lachenal paper label is not an original: I think the paper a copy. E instrument is genuine.

Here is a sound sample: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xfX5lOIO30v4uthEvPH2PFUKTDliT-G1/view?usp=sharing Case: the original one is no longer suitable because of the change to six-fold bellows from five. I've got some soft, padded ones. The Lachenal paper label is not an original: I think its a copy. But it's a genuine Lachenal box.

The instrument offered in my post has steel reeds. The serial number is 114088.

I could let you have this one for US$2,500. Lachenal, new six-fold bellows, new pads/springs. Metal ends on ebonized wood frame. Good action. In the photo, the Lachenal label has come loose. I will fix it. 30 button C/G plus bird-song and cock crow novelty buttons. Recently tuned to A=440. Made around 1930. Excellent visual condition and plays well. It is in Hong Kong at present, but my friends could take it to San Francisco for you later in February. Let me know if you want further data, serial number or sound recording.

Ok folks: here's what happened. eBay did a half-assed / not properly visible listing with the starting bid far too low. The box was sold to some bloke in South America who couldn't speak English. He obviously hadn't read the description. After agreeing to buy, he started haggling and fretting about the customs duties and bribes he's have to pay to get it (as far as I could grasp through Google Translate). So actually it is now available for sale as before. Price and description as at the top of this posting.

Somehow, eBay hid it.

I have a number of good vintage concertinas, including a good 28 button G/D Anglo by Lachenal and some good 30 button C/Gs. All refurbished and at concert pitch. I'll be coming to Sydney in early February and could bring something down if anyone is interested. Pricey though. AU$2,500 is the cheapest.

This one is now up for auction on eBay, number 192405102832.

Don't buy the thetrackr product. It's not fit for purpose. There are some small cat tracking devices using GPS which contain a phone SIM and a battery. Maybe it could be hidden inside a concertina case. https://www.thepawtracker.com/blogs/the-pet-tracker-blog-by-the-paw-tracker/84621315-top-13-gps-pet-trackers-dog-and-cat-cell-phones-best-of-2016-reviewed

I have a Stagi to sell. It had been 'fixed up' by Button Box before it was sold first-hand, and I got it second hand. It's in mint condition. US$995, but postage may be another US$100. It's a bit heavy in its movement for my taste. If you're interested, email me: s r s e l b y @ a t a r n . o r g

I have a German concertina by Meinel und Herold manufactured in 1935. It is in mint condition in its original wrapping. It has a very high quality walnut burl veneer; but I think that it must be some sort of plastic. Too good to be true. When was the first plastic wood veneer substitute used industrially?

I have one too by E. L Arnold. The main production of these instruments was 1925 -1935. There was a later surge of production for the South America market; but it doesn't sound as if you have one of those. Mine was also in A (the standard for the instrument) but had been 'accidentally' tuned to G. So I have a great G/D instrument. Because of the size of the instrument, it doesn't work well with Anglo-German concertina technique, although the button placements are similar at the centre. I suggest that you quickly change to fingering whole phrases on the pull or push. I seems difficult at first but it's worth the effort. The materials from Peter M Haas (www.petermhaas.de) works for your instrument.

I'm bumping this up to see if there's interest in the unusual early instrument before I put it on eBay.