Sprunghub

Therein lies the dichotomy for 'private' purchases ( sale ) and "business" ie., ones requiring EORI https://www.gov.uk/export-goods The line between the two is not clear, but between Uk & Europe ( or vice versa ) VAT should only be paid once. As I understand it, if I buy an expensive item from the EU, ie. over £135 value, I would "expect" the EU seller to sell it Zero rated for "export" out of the EU and I expect to pay VAT ( not "Duty" per se ) via Customs at a rate of 20% +(sadly) handling charge on import. The exception would be IF the seller was reg'd for VAT in the Uk due to the amount of trade the company/individual did with the Uk, in which case they may include Uk VAT in the price. The same should apply to a sale to Ireland/Netherlands at a price of over £135 ? It is exactly the same principal as if I but from the USA/Canada. If I buy "on-line" from Europe, I expect the OMP 'on-line marketplace' to charge and administer the VAT between the 'states' under the new agreement outlined in the link above. That is what Ebay USA has been doing for 'some time' in their 'Duty charges'. In the case of the USA it "is" Duty, Duty = VAT if buying from Europe. I have had recent parcels rom Germany, post-Brexit, no problems with customs forms or charges (VAT paid) via Ebay. Carriage charges are marginally more expensive. "If" I was a "business" and needed to organise customs declarations/EORI's etc to import/export and make advanced declarations it would no doubt be more complicated and more expensive but should not incur more "Duty"/VAT per se if the process is followed.

Bearing in mind VAT is an EU specific tax. The Uk is/has been "in" the VAT regime because of our membership of the EU and appears to have been either obliged to, or chosen to remain in it (for now) as we leave. The EU plan ( see link below ) to change the way in which VAT is gathered by the burgeoning EU based "on-line" marketplaces due to a substantial level of ongoing Tax fraud. That change will affect pretty much any business with an on-line selling platform, from 01/07/21. Most obviously it applies to Ebay as an example who are already applying the process. My guess is that the Uk, rather than leave on 01/01/20 with one VAT regime, that 'mirrored' the EU, ie. the regime the rest of the EU currently has, then alter the Trading Rules again in 7 months to what the UK already know is coming down the line, they unilaterally went early with the new rules and the EU will "fall in line" on 01/07. As per the link, this requires on-line EU sellers to gather the VAT at point of sale ( unless certain complicated circumstances apply ) then pay the revenue to the appropriate area via that countries VAT registration scheme. Whilst VAT is a generic EU tax it still has local rates 19% in DE, 22% in IT 20% in UK etc. The limit for said transactions for the Uk is already ( now ) €150/£135.....it will be ( via Euros ) in the EU too come 01/07. Items "over" €150/£135 appear to be able to managed in one of two ways, either (i) the seller claims the VAT and then pays it to the relevant VAT authority, if registered to do so - which they 'should' be if doing lower value Trade, or, the item is Zero rated by the EU seller and the VAT will be charged to the buyer, at the point of entry via Customs as already happen now for "Non" EU / ROTW imported items, before it is released. It would also appear that "non" Online Marketplace purchases, even at €150/£135 and below can be VAT paid at the Customs point - again, as happens already with Non EU/ROTW articles, although there is some "Press" to the effect that some companies on the Continent are declining to sell to the Uk as they do not want to have to register for Uk VAT and have decided to stop selling rather than 'test the water' by sending, pending Customs and letting the Uk VAT charge VAT on entry. The extra cost/s will be incurred in those carriage/courier are charging due to Customs Doc's/handling by the Exporter and if an item does require a VAT charge on Import, by a charge for handling/administering the VAT etc by Royal Mail on behalf of HMR. Customs forms via reputable on-line Courier services 'self-migrate', auto-fill or have fairly simple fields for preparation as part of the 'service' purchase. Codes for items are pretty straight forwards from menu's. https://www.avalara.com/vatlive/en/vat-news/eu-2021-e-commerce-vat-package.html https://www.avalara.com/vatlive/en/vat-news/uk-post-brexit-vat-on-e-commerce-b2c-imports.html

1) Sell current stable 2) Listen to Geoff Lakeman's full catalogue 3) Buy a Crane Duet of around 55k 4) I have got my coat and gone.....

Hi Sam......this is not that uncommon in my somewhat limited ( but developing ) experience. When you come to replace the reeds, depending on your strategy, if you apply wax to the ends first, to hold the reed, when you apply it along the sides it will cool on contact with the metal of the plate and the wood and 'bridge' the gap without reed plate or wax falling into the air chamber. That will have been how it was done in the first place. There should be no need to fettle the block. It does require you to have the reed in pretty much the right pace when you 'tack it on' but you would anyway. Much depends on your system for applying wax. Some use a 'cool' soldering iron, I prefer the wax pot and paintbrush method. There is a Lester Bailey "Hot Rod Hohner" video on the solder iron method and a Charlie Marshall video on the paintbrush one. Nb the iron needs really to be heat controlled and for the wax pot one of the cheap leg wax jobs works fine. I have an encaustic iron for 'wax crafts' and that is perfect, although I found the iron needs a steadier hand than the brush and for the wax to be made into a suitable form, ie thin pencil like strips. If you intend to use an Italian wax spoon......then you need expert advice from a real expert! Re waxing, often leads to re-valving and re-waxing....if not re-valving, re-tuning and re-waxing. because if the wax has desiccated and perished with time, the rest is probably needing attention too, before long. Safer than an open flame....

I think this is an interesting little English, because it has a lot of a Lachenal 'look' about it, but there are images in the Concertina Museum pages of 32 button Wheatstone "early" english concertinas, some with unusual fretwork. The serial number might tell more. Those early Wheatstone's have similar bellows papers and were from the time LL was still at/with Wheatstone's.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Concertina-Parts-Brass-End-Screws-c-w-SS-inserts/114270731930?hash=item1a9b10fe9a:g:95AAAOSwwJ5d2Gn7

Note "CJ" impress as per posters. So, intentional and a bit anarchistic rather than archaic ?

During the early 1920s, Charles JeffriesJnr established his own concertina making business at 12 Aldershot Road, Kilburn, North London, which had already been his residence for two decades. We have not been able to pinpoint the exact time when Charles Jnr set up shop in his home. The London directories list 12 Aldershot Road as his residence, but not as a commercial address. Perhaps it was the death of his mother that served as the catalyst for the relocation. We have no indication that he left earlier. Of the concertinas stamped or inscribed with both a date and 12 Aldershot Road, we have not seen a single instrument with a date earlier than in the 1920s. Some of the instruments show that, initially at least, Charles, Jnr was producing instruments with care and with carefully engraved florid ovals. Later instruments are easy to recognise from the hammer- stamped block capitals, with a characteristic reversed letter ”И” (that is, a reverse “N” of sorts), as shown in Fig. 44. Charles Jeffries Jnr also seems to have put this stamping on second-hand concertinas from earlier Jeffries periods. Two 39-key Anglos (one of which is at the Horniman Museum) contain internal stampings of “33” and “34”; these may be serial numbers. Fig. 44. C.Jeffries, 12 Aldershot Road, Kilburn stamp with reverse letter ”И” Charles Jeffries Jnr may have taken some of the Praed Street tools and inventory with him when he moved his work to Aldershot Road. Dual stampings appear on some of his concertinas—i.e., instruments stamped with “12 ALDERSHOT ROAD, KILBURN, N.W. 6,” as well as “C. Jeffries, Maker” or “Jeffries Bros.” However, the explanation simply may be that his Aldershot Road stamping was added to Jeffries instruments that he acquired in the second-hand market.

For better, or worse, my thoughts are it is Italian - Bastari ? some of the fretwork shape resembles their ( & Stagi's ) pattern.

I think - irrespective of Jeffries reputation - that "this" particular indent was made with a letter stamp ( as were all the others judging by the slightly different indent depths?) not a series of individual strokes ( unless, of course it is engraved ? ) If it is a stamp, then "it", not the user's use of it is reversed whatever the explanation on the day it was done? A reverse (image) stamp cannot be made to leave a 'correct' indent. They could have 'over' stamped it at the risk of making a bit of a mess or discard the end having done it ? A reverse stamp would not be "defective", it would be 'fit for purpose', just not necessarily that purpose!

I am with Milesy, irrespective of the person "stamping" the metal's literacy/competency, the issue looks to be down to the 'stamp' rather than the stamper ? There are 'reverse' 'letter/number' stamps available now - there may well have been then, so not so much 'faulty' per se and a muddle may have occurred at the Suppliers in packaging the letter set or on the Bench. Either way, it is a nice "archaic" touch.

Hopefully Jacob will post up an image of the 36k ? It does seem to be an unusual model Anglo or the 'Gremlin" logo. Having said that, given how they operated in commissioning instruments designed - in some cases - by respected / reputable individual's, you just never know what it might be. Their later Ashdown branded stringed instruments range from boxwood basics to 'semi-pro' quality......as do some other 'Made for' brands. It may just be a basic Italian 'job'.

I knew I had read something somewhere.....it is no wonder I forgot (a) what & (b) where ! but, it is what it is and from the horses mouth, so to speak. This is from C. Net, 2006. It look as if a 36k is NOT one of Andrew Normans, 60 personally built early ones which have been said ( somewhere else I have forgotten ) to be good 'accordion reeded' options. "Dear Daniel, Isn't it always easier to go straight to the person who knows! Around about 1980 (I think) Hobgoblin Music of Crawley, in Sussex (for whom I did a lot of repairs, to mostly concertinas, in a self-employed capacity) decided to go into wholesale. Gremlin Musical Instruments was established at that time. They import instruments from all over the world, as well as sourcing from U.K. manufacturers. The intention was that I would be contracted to make a certain number of concertinas of a better standard than the Italian or German made concertinas. These would look and sound similar to traditional instruments but would be designed to be made and sold much cheaper than traditional concertinas. These were sold by Gremlin (marked Gremlin) under the Saxon brand name, at the same time Italian made concertinas (also badged Gremlin) were sold under the Roman brand name. Cases were sold under the Viking name. See the pattern emerging? The intention was to later make better concertinas under the Norman name. I stopped making Saxon concertinas as there were too many other people involved, too much cost cutting, and it would have been too demanding to make them all myself ( I was living in London and driving down to Crawley, working late, and playing in a band in the evenings). The workshop was only rented temporarily too. I didn't fall out with the owner of Gremlin/Hobgoblin I carried on repairing for him and occasionally supplying them with an A.C.Norman. concertina. The few Saxons that I was entirely responsible for were signed by me, although I did some work on all of them. About 60 were made over 1980-81, 30 key anglos in G/D and C/G, and 40 key English. Later on when I was making the instruments as they are now, I sold to Gremlin (badged Gremlin, and made down to a lower price, sold by Gremlin as the Ashdown), Accordions of London (badged Exselsior), Bob Tedrow in Birmingham U.S.A. (badged Homewood, sold as the Model H) and Jim Shiels (badged Clareman). I have supplied to other dealers under the A.C.Norman name in Ireland, U.K and Germany, who may sell under their own model name! Just to make things even more confusing, Hobgoblin/Gremlin have been advertising their own anglo concertinas under the Ashdown name with an end design based off the original Saxon end! (this is the design I use as my logo) This will be a cheaper concertina, and although I have not seen one, nor had any input whatsoever, I'm sure it will be much better than the Italian Stagis(badged Gremlin!). I reckon that's the definitive history, and you are welcome to quote from this letter, or forward it to anyone who really wants to know more. I can provide more technical information on how they were built and who was involved, but that's enough to put it all into perspective, I hope! Best Regards, Andrew Norman." .....& link to an A.N. Gremlin in G/D which was being passed along by a well regarded member. NOT saying this is the same model and obviously this one has been looked after, but just goes to show what can be done in the right hands.....

I will defer to those who will know better, but I have a feeling some of the early instruments branded "for" the Dealer who marketed the Gremlin range were generally held to be 'better" instruments, made to a design/standard above the generic Stagi/Bastari boxes. I think a 'Maker' may have had a hand ? I may be wrong....it's only a bad recollection of something I have seen / read/. Someone will know.

We need a tracking update from the OP ! I can't believe they expect a customs payment ( or other tax ) on an item "In Transit" through Canada and not destined to stay in the country. It probably got 'pinged' there by default as it was in Handling on a re-route to avoid the flames up the west coast of the States? Stuff has been being transited via Japan and 'all over' since C-19 broke out, to get from A - B. Fingers crossed it is there or close.......

Some observations based on recent personal experience, given your Tracking Data. Re. the daily update at Louisville, I had this with a US/Uk (incoming ) parcel recently, it was a 'default' for "it is still in the pile waiting to be processed by Customs" at Heathrow. Eventually it moved and was updated as 'cleared customs', like yours. They basically said it was C-19 working practice related due to reduced staff/distancing. It almost looks as if '2' histories have the been created, ie. it arrived in Canada before it left Buffalo ! but assuming it has gone to Canada and that there is a delay in transit due to weather, may it be that it is not bad weather in Canada and that the plane can not fly too / over CA because of the fires ? They may have explained that away via the "weather conditions", again, as a "default" code ? ie. bad weather where it is now going rather than where it is coming from ? air space restrictions etc ? That might explain why it was routed through Canada in the first instance to get to California, or that someone read CAnada for CAalifornia ? and misdirected it. The suggested Canadian customs charge may have been caused by the same lack of 'logic' on the part of the handler until realised it was in transit? Good luck with the birthday and can we start a campaign to get dates written properly so they read down the first column more readily ( 10/09/2020 ? ) NB I have an ongoing internal Uk claim with UPS who - despite their secure looking vans - are treating me like an idiot and FedEx were brilliant & fast on two recent outgoing postings to 'North America', albeit, it's a bit late to know.

Is this a Wicki (Hayden) Lachenal ? https://portal-images.azureedge.net/auctions-2020/srma10101/images/a09ea5b5-e941-43fa-9ba4-ac2a01035f82.jpg

Generally, yes......but on the "bass" pairs of reeds which are tuned together to give two octaves the chamber has a 'cut out' and a baffle to provide air to both reeds from one 'pad' in a single chamber. These are tuned to one pitch, ie. no tremolo as such.

Re 'interfering', would the pairing not offer the option for a tremolo effect, as per the Melodeon/Accordion, if tuned to pitch and sharp by 'x' cents on each reed ? via a single button? either in LM or MM. ie. a degree of wetness behind the principal single reed note. Especially if Dedic tuned one would think it may be a useful addition. I once had a German made box distributed by Campbells, I think from the early 1900's, .....one has been discussed previously on C.Net...... with a "slide" mechanism by the thumb, which created a single or dual reed effect on all the buttons. It was a melodeon reeded instrument rather than traditional, but the effect was the same...."Celestial" ?? or some such branded ?

Those ungilded /ornamented bellows interest me. My wife's 38k instrument has plain bellows. Hers in in A/E tuning which I am fairly sure was set up for 'song' accompaniment and designed to be 'plain' for 'sacred' if not S/A use. I think the bellows are original. It will be interesting to see the interior of yours as and when.

I think it does actually looks like Thuya Burr, although, all credit to the person who catalogued it if they are right, for knowing, unless it came with a note! Seems that 'back in the day' the burr was created by cutting back tree's in Morocco to create the ornamental burr. It is brighter than Walnut burr ?

Dana's template corresponds with what I have previously posted somewhere for our's. Notation (4).docx

I (we) have a Jeffries, albeit 38/9 button, I can tell you what that is, but it may not be much help given the extra buttons.

By the power of the mighty Google !!? More Googling may suggest how they get it to "stay" bright gold ( to the eye ).....it makes little sense that a base metal 'powder' can not be reconstituted, but I don't know if they add something to it as an anti-oxidant for that perpetual brightness. "The light brown powder is gold, if you crushed it with a glass stir rod it would look like gold, (or smeared in under pressure onto a piece of paper it would leave a gold streak), the pure powder will do this where impure gold will not do this or as well. To get the brown powder look like gold it is melted, it has something to do with particle size and reflection of light as to why this fairly pure brown power does not look like gold."

I think this chap implies he gets 2.5gms of gold 'nugget' from 1Lb of gold 'dust' after smelting.......? I am hopeless at maths ( math ) so no idea of the implications for 60gms of dust.....