wes williams

Paul - We'd estimate Edeo english 54344 as c.1912

...is the Chris Algar owned unique Edeophone (28821) in Britain the same instrument as the Edeophone shown in the photo by Matthew Heumann. Yes. Follow the link to Stephen Chambers' 2005 article. Just before half way through is Fig 9 (the photo Matthew used) with the caption: Fig. 9. Lachenal & Co., Edeophone, no. 28821, 56 keys (courtesy of Chris Algar). This is immediately followed in the article by a description of another different Edeophone: Edeophone number 38694 (CMC 262) is a 63-key instrument with bowing valves and aluminium reed frames...... and Matthew says in the first post in this thread: My Lachenal Edeopone is #38697

Edeo 28821 is mentioned in Stephen Chambers' 2005 article as belonging to Chris Algar (Barleycorn Concertinas) and the current description at Barleycorn shows that this is the same instrument, owned by Chris for around 25 years. Chris's son Ciaran is now active in the Barleycorn business.

Sorry Matt, but what you've written makes little sense. This is not a 'known date' - there are only a few 'known' dates from receipts - and Stephen Chambers does say 'perhaps'. So this does not 'prove' the date of your instrument and we can only estimate dates. Stephen wrote the data you quote in 2005, when our knowledge of Lachenal numbers was in its infancy. The photo you added (and linked) is of 28821, the earliest reported Edeophone (56 key) with unusual features (including the fretwork and a tenor/treble, Alex) - so possibly a prototype - and a guide towards the registration of the design in mid 1889. We now have Lachenal receipts that indicate that two English system instruments around the 32600 mark were sold in 1894/5 (the latter date being hire-purchase), so we would expect the instrument described by J A Black to have a number approximately somewhere around that range. But after 30+ years of research into Lachenal numbers we would currently estimate English Edeo 38694 as circa 1899/1900.

Marien- Lachenal 55b Crane SN 532 - we estimate as circa 1905. John - Lachenal treble EC 53886 - we estimate as circa 1912.

A youtube site of interest for vintage concertina recordings is here. I've known Rob Godridge for many years now from my interest in 78rpms. There are many recordings that do not appear on my website, including quite a few on cylinders.

We would estimate english 60249 as circa 1930.

I don't think any progress was made. However Daniel Hersh is now on the ICA committee and so has access to the PDF files in the ICA Archive and may wish to comment.

I emailed Chris when he first posted, offering to host it on my website if nobody offered to take it over, and he was happy for me to do that, so it will be with us a little longer when I get it sorted. Almost all the content is on archive.org, but Chris's 'Case Notes' was removed from the site in later captures. This document was about George Case as a concertina maker and performer, and his family. You can download this as a PDF from here .

Hi Andy, We would estimate anglo 176651 as circa 1905. I'd be interested to know if the 'Lachenal' label hole in your metal end is circular or oval, as it seems to have a Salvation Army pedigree. We've seen that wooden ended SA instruments of a similar age had a circular hole and different Lachenal label (see here) so it would be helpful to know if yours was the same.

Hi Paul, We'd estimate 44728 as circa 1905.

We can only estimate the dates of Lachenal concertinas since there are no records. The number you provide indicates that your instrument is an anglo system concertina made circa 1883, but in quite a few cases a preceding '1' is almost hidden behind the fretwork. Please check this carefully and also tell us how many buttons it has. A few more details or photos would helpful.

Thanks Taka. My newer monitor improves the original images and the dates written inside your instrument are August 1931 and 1927, and from the serial numbers provided the original dates appear to be roughly 1895 and a few years later. There is a very good article on the history of Salvation Army instrument sales at https://www.galpinsociety.org/index_htm_files/GSJ-73 Myers LR.pdf but with concertinas only mentioned in passing.

Chris Coe, one of the early concertina players in the folk revival has left us. A respected singer and multi-instrumentalist, she spent many years performing as a duo with Pete Coe, and was a member of the folk 'super group' Bandoggs with Tony Rose, Nic Jones, and Pete. Thanks Chris 🥲

166871 - We would estimate this instrument as circa 1899 too.

Wheatstone ledgers are not a defining document as to the age of your concertina, as many were re-sold at a later date after being exchanged, and their original date was not recorded or lost. The most important thing is its serial number, which will give a nearer estimate of its age. Many concertinas of a similar age are perfectly saleable, and some being discovered appear almost in new condition as they have been stored away for many years. The condition of your concertina is important, as that will define how much needs to be spent to bring it up to a playable standard. If you give us a few more details (serial number, number of buttons, type of wood - usually mahogany, rosewood, or amboyna) we may be able to be more precise. Some photos would help.

We would estimate 165210 as circa 1898. We can't give you a resale value as it depends very much on the condition and the amount of work needed to bring it up to playing standard,

Going only on the PB initials on the label, it might be from Paul Burkhardt & Co a Konzertina and Bandoneon maker, founded 1912 in Olbernhau, Saxony which is near the Czech Republic, not far from Chemnitz or Carlsfeld.

On one of the BBC Antiques programs broadcast in the last few days, one of the experts said 'bone' showed the small brown grain marks and lines many of us are familiar with, but ivory didn't.

Its only a very rough guestimate but if you look here you get 1867.

Follow the link and you won't need to imagine....

Hi Valentin, Six digit numbers often have the first '1' hidden by the fretwork. 176103 would be circa 1905.

Just listen to Kitty Hayes play tunes in F on a C/G and fit in B rather than Bb.

Trivia, but you did ask! - John Henry Ebblewhite established a wholesale and retail musical merchandise establishment at 24 Aldgate in 1840. He is listed in directories for 1850, 1856 and 1861 as a concertina maker. Ebblewhite also 'made' concertinas supplied by Lachenal. Most of the other entries describe them as Importers. The address changes to 4 & 5 Aldgate at the end of that century when streets were renumbered. By 1921 the name has changed to Albert Victor Ebblewhite (his son). The firm closed in 1966 after the death of the son. They produced many banjos from the early 1880s to 1921, and all are labelled as Ebblewhite made but were made by either Windsor, Wilmshurst or Matthews.

Dave, Serial 23182 is 1901 on the line I drew to join mid 1891 to mid 1910 - the gap between the ledgers that have survived. But if your aeola is octagonal then we also have Kenneth Chidley's statement (Edward Junior's son) made in the mid 1950s -'The aeola, in its present form, was produced by my father in about 1902'.