Peter Smith

I am selling my rosewood ended 46-button Lachenal MacCann (number 4325). It comes in it's superbly restored original case. The metal buttons are bushed and the concertina and reeds are very clean. The concertina is in good condition though needs fine tuning. I would be happy to send more pictures. I bought it back in 2017 but have never really got to grips with the system, so decided its time to go. I am looking for around £700 but would consider offers. Please pm me if you are interested. Peter

There is a Roylance baritone on the Barleycorn website (http://www.concertina.co.uk/stock-selection/?concertina=3325), which you may have seen. I saw this for real at Mark Lloyd-Adey's & it looked quite impressive - but was not working when I saw it. Peter

I have enquired to see whether it is unisonoric or bisonoric. I wondered if it was a strange anglo following a recent thread on concertina.net. Peter

Just sent you a private message on concertina.net. Peter

Was this the Anglo in the Gardiner Houlgate auction on 26th June 2020? It looks the same. There was an initial suggestion that the concertina in that auction might have been made by Robert Carr but the auction house subsequently changed the description. Any pictures of the inside? Regards Peter

Thanks for asking but I sold it earlier this year. Peter

As a Crane player, I would love to see the site up & running again. I would be happy to contribute a bit if that would help. Peter

A couple of weeks ago, I sent a Bandonika weighing 5Kg by UPS from the UK to Texas. It was 'double boxed', as described by Don & the total package weight was 9kg. It arrived safe & well in 5 days, so I was very pleased with that. I also believe in the 'belt & braces' approach as you don't know how your package will be treated in transit, even if it is marked as 'fragile'.

I placed an order with Concertina Spares and it arrived in a week. So things are improving.

24 Button Anglo concertina sold and an appropriate donation made to concertina.net. Peter

I have a clean steel-reeded 24 button Lachenal Anglo in good condition, in C/G & tuned to concert pitch. I would be looking for around £400 for it. It has the following accidentals (C#, D#, F#, G# & A#), which would mean you can play tunes in the keys of C, G, D & A. I'm happy playing Irish tunes on it though haven't ventured beyond the keys of C, G & D. If you might be interested, I can send further details & pictures. Regards Peter

I have refurbished fie or six 'black' concertina boxes. The materials I have used and things learned are listed below. To clean off the old coverings inside & outside the box, I usually use an electric palm sander - much quicker & easier than scraping & sanding by hand. I would check the box for any splits between the wooden sides & glue them using wood glue (& a woodworking band clamp to hold it all together). For the outside of the box, I have used a material like Skivertex book binding paper (I have bought some off E-bay recently but previously obtained it from Concertina Spares). I will be trying Buckram book cloth on my next box to give a different finish. I have used PVA glue to attach it but any indentations on the woodwork do show through. Internally, I have used non-stretch velvet, again held in using PVA (or Trimits Fabric Glue). One cautionary note from Alex Holden, is that PVA glue contains acetic acid (vinegar). He noted that the acetic acid can cause the metal finish on a ended concertina to tarnish. I tend to leave the box open for a few days for the acetic acid to evaporate. The velvet is 1-2mm thick and will reduce the internal size of the box slightly, so if the concertina is tight fitting before, it may not go into a box lined with velvet. For the strap, I use black leather belt strip matching the width of the slots in the lid (Trademcrafts on E-bay). I make sure the ends meet inside the lid & glue them firmly inside using wood or PVA glue. Hope this is some help and would be happy to answer any questions. Regards Peter

PM sent with my email address. Peter

That's great news. I have a Jeffries duet but guess I'm a 'wannabe'. Guidance / suggestions on fingering would be very useful, as the layout feels a bit random at times, though I guess its not! Look forward to the finished work. Thanks Peter

Having recently bought a 48-button Crane, I am looking to sell my 35 button Crabb Crane. It covers the usual range from C3 to G5 (though the button that should be C3sharp if actually B2flat). I bought it from Chris Algar 8 years ago and it has been serviced by Dave Elliott. The instrument has steel reeds, is tuned to concert pitch & the tone is quite mellow.. It has aluminium action arms riveted onto brass posts (three of the arms have been replaced - see photos). The valves & pads are in reasonable condition and the bellows are airtight (several corners of the bellows have been patched). The concertina comes with a serviceable old Wheatstone box. Please see the pictures below. I think this is a rare concertina, as I have not seen its’ like in the last decade. I am not certain how much it is worth but was advised to insure it for £1000, so I am selling for £750 + postage. I am also open to offers. If you are interested and want to find out more, please send me a PM. Thanks Peter