david robertson

Interestingly Dave when I made a couple of threaded inserts for my Jeffries I found that the threads on the thumbscrews were standard BA size. Pete The one I broke also had a BA thread (2.2mm diameter, I think). I believe the British Association introduced BA threads in the 1890's - maybe Jeffries were "early adopters"? Anyway, thanks to everyone for your helpful ideas - I have now removed the picture from the website. David

I can say that I recognise the type from my little Stagi Thanks, Henrik - that's just the sort of lead I was hoping for. Now the hunt begins! Regards, David

Yes, I tried Marcus too, but he hadn't come across a countersunk version either. As for the one-off solution, many thanks for the kind offer, Pete, but I'm doing this one for an impecunious friend, and I don't think he'd thank me for taking that route!

I've already tried David, but unfortunately, he doesn't have countersunk inserts, or any strap screws with such a fine thread. At a pinch, I may try tapping a new thread in the insert, to match a different screw.

I've clumsily managed to break one of the strap screws on a 30-key Jeffries (trying to straighten it). The box has had threaded inserts fitted, but of a countersunk type I've never seen before. Does anyone out there know where I might be able to find one like it? You can see it here - (I've just tacked the picture onto the end of my French holiday home website).

Hi Juliette, I know this will be small consolation, but I fell for an identical scam a couple of weeks ago. Having had a lot of trouble with a cloned listing a while back, I was only too ready to believe the warning of a repeat occurrence, so, like you, I went to the fake page and entered my password. (I had also just got back from a party, so maybe wasn't thinking quite as clearly as normal!) Anyway. I realised the potential consequences almost immediately, but, hoping for the best, went to bed. Bad mistake. By the next morning the scammer had retracted 5 bids and contacted several bidders offering to sell direct. Not surprisingly, this spooked them somewhat. Two of them contacted me, and I was able to reassure one of them by sending him a picture of the box (in a pose specified by him). Still, several others dropped out, and I ended up selling my New Model Lachenal for well under its market value. Like you, I was unable to contact those bidders who didn't contact me, because eBay blocks such contact "for security reasons". Still, a valuable lesson learned - and the moral of the tale is, I guess, don't drive a computer when you've had a drink! Regards, Davidjava script:emoticon('%3C_%3C',%20'smid_1')

Dan, The only one of these that I've seen "in the flesh" is the one that I've got, but it isn't playable (and in storage at the moment) so I've no idea what key it's in. Sorry! Thanks Steven. I tried to bid - missed it, I was a second slow with the accept button. It went for a great price. Dan I bought it, and I must admit to some surprise that it didn't cost me more. On the other hand, let's wait until I've had a good look at it before we call it a bargain! I recently bought a Lachenal Inimitable from Peru which looked pretty good on the outside, but needed half its sycamore framing replacing. Some very hungry Peruvian insects had left nothing but the veneer on the outside and a paper-thin sliver of wood on the inside. Worse still, one reed pan was beyond repair, so I had to use one from a scrapper. Incidentally, this box had rosewood-veneered frames, but the ends were ebonised. I don't know whether this would have been the original finish - it certainly looks like it. Anyway, since that's how I found it, that's how I'm restoring it. Has anyone seen this combination before? Regards, David

For what it's worth, I recently found this website which offers 500g bags of chamois leather pieces. For £1 you can buy a bag of strips sufficient to replace all the rib gaskets on dozens of concertinas, while £2.50 buys a half-kilo bag of quite big pieces - certainly more than enough to deal with the bellows ends. Naturally there is some variability in thickness, but there's so much of it that finding enough of a consistent thickness is no problem. Given that you can easily pay £15 for a decent wash-leather, I reckon this is a terrific bargain. In fact, you'll almost certainly have more than enough left to sew a few pieces together and make a decent wash-leather! Regards, David

Anyone got an opinion about this one on eBay? ebay Looks like a nice Aeola, but the vendor won't let anyone see it, and claims to have already packaged it for despatch. I've asked him to post some more pictures on the listing, but my hopes aren't high... All the best, David

For what it's worth, I was the seller of the Inimitable that went for £711, and, inspired by the slightly surprising price, also the buyer of the one from darkest Peru (which, of course, I haven't yet seen). I hope no one out there begrudges me the £711, by the way. If you tot up the time the restoration took me, I reckon I've been working for around £3 an hour! All the best, David

I was idly wondering (it's what I do best) what would happen if I put in an absurdly high bid. Surely the scammer wouldn't have the brass neck to complain to eBay when I didn't pay...would he?

Thanks for that, Martyn - several useful tips there. But what I really want to know is how to deal with metal inlays, such as those on a Lachenal Excelsior. Should they be masked somehow? Is there a neat way of removing the shellac from the inlays without screwing up the finish on the wood? Or would it be better (if possible) to remove the inlays and replace them after polishing? (I think disaster might be looming in that direction!)

Any of you walking encyclopaedias out there recognise this - eBay item No: 160026469441? It looks like a Lachenal Excelsior, except that it seems to have an unusual load of extra fretwork inside the normal ring.

I've been teaching myself the rudiments of French polishing - so far, so good, albeit a process of learning by my mistakes - but while idly considering the purchase of a Lachenal Excelsior for restoration, I'm wondering how one would deal with inlaid ends. Anyone got any helpful tips, or experience of doing it?

Hi Gerry, Noticing that you are in my own neck of the woods, I took a look at your ID page, and found a picture of you playing with my friends Mary and Anahata. Small world, eh?

And here he comes again, with a 4th different ID - Locoradman this time, item no. 260027129636. I've reported to eBay, but in case they're a bit slower than last time, beware!

That's the 3rd attempt by the same scammer - with a different ID each time. Thanks to all concerned for your vigilance. David

Thanks for the clarification, Stephen. Believe it or not, the same scam has popped up again this evening on eBay.com, this time with a different "vendor", but still with all the same details, and the same cheeky note suggesting that Nigerian scammers need not apply! I have alerted eBay - and in fact, I have just checked again before posting this, and they have removed it already! 5 minutes from warning to removal - things really are looking up!

We're talking about different scammers - the American one was still there when I read your last posting, but has now been removed. Has eBay sharpened up its act? Let's hope so! David

Thanks for pointing these out, Stephen, but the metal-ended Lachenal on eBay.co.uk is a genuine relisting. I know because it's mine! The winning bidder first time round simply failed to contact me or reply to any e-mails. HOWEVER, I have just been warned that a scammer has cloned my listing onto eBay.com, and is offering it for £700 including shipping from USA. If anyone wants to know more about the real Lachenal, please feel free to contact me (maggie.david@ntlworld.com) Regards, David

Looks a bit iffy to me - I'm fairly sure I remember the text, complete with mis-spellings, from an ad not long back. I suppose you could always test the water by asking for more pictures, or offering to send someone to look at it on your behalf. The last 30-button Jeffries on e-Bay was a complete wreck and still fetched £3100 - particularly galling since the vendor had paid £35 for it at an auction! The point is that the higher the prices climb, the more conmen and crooks are attracted.

Can any of you very clever people out there tell me what this is? (Ebay item No: 7381875147) It looks like a Lachenal, though I don't recognise the fret pattern, and the seller says there are no maker's marks anywhere. The case is apparently made in Germany, but surely that's a red herring, isn't it?

You might be interested/depressed/sick as the proverbial parrot (delete as appropriate) to know that the rather sad Jeffries in Norfolk, which sold for £3100, was bought at auction by the vendor for just £35. Makes you wonder if auctioneers might be sued on the grounds of professional negligence.

Many thanks again, Stephen. A fascinating thread, particularly the contribution from Geoff Crabb. I shall inspect my Jeffries again with renewed interest!

Hi David, No, that's a Lachenal, I already mentioned (above) that the "staple" form of pivot originated with Lachenal's, and was one of the features copied by Tidder (or whoever made these instruments). Thanks Stephen - I'll try to read more carefully next time!