David Helmore
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Posts posted by David Helmore
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Hi All
Very similar to one I picked up last year which I will be restoring shortly...
George Jones S/N 12057 with the broad steel reeds. Was thinking mine was 1875 - 80, and perhaps a more 'budget' version of the ones you see with similar (but slightly more ornate) fretwork
Dave
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Hi All!
I've been fixing up concertinas for a few years now. When I get an instrument that needs at least one new 'gusset' on the bellows, I always remove all the bellows papers and replace with new ones. The downside of this is that it seems to take forever to remove the old papers totally and the water can 'compromise' the old bellows.
Several of the instruments I have been restoring have had up to 3 layers of bellows papers attached! This has made me think that perhaps in future I should just replace faulty gussets and repaper the bellows over existing papers to provide a consistant match (rather than trying to remove everything).
Also, If the damage to a gusset was not that severe would you try to repair from the inside?
What do you all do?!
Many thanks in advance as always!
Dave Helmore
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Thanks for all the info folks!
In summary, within the Wheatstone price range of the time this was a mid price instrument (at best) - but if 7 pounds then was equivalent to 3000 pounds now it would clearly be out of reach of a lot of people (If I splashed out 3000 pounds on a concertina I would be in SERIOUS trouble with my wife...)
It's nowhere near playing how an instrument of that value should play (or even playing at all..), but I'm looking forward to seeing the end results after I've spent some time working on it!
Dave
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Thanks Allan - that's very helpful.
That's the Joseph Lowe I found - along with the book: A New Most Excellent Dancing Master : Joseph Lowe (Hardcover, 1992) ISBN 0945193300. I was hoping it could be him but looking more closely I think it more likely to be John/Johnathan. I think Joseph's father John would have died by 1855 (but haven't had the chance to properly check this out as yet..) Initially I thought £7 was a lot, but having read through your article on concertina.com there were many that were considerably more!
Will check out the publication you mention - and look forward to getting this one back in playing order!
Dave
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Hi All
Have just aquired a Wheatstone number 6329. I've checked this against the online records and it looks like it was originally purchased by (what looks like to be) John or James Lowe in 1855. I've found quite a bit on the web for a fiddle player called Joseph Lowe (who's father was John) but at the moment I'm not convinced I've found any connection.
Before I start trawling through the 1851 census records for a very wealthy man (7 pounds seems to have been quite a lot in those days!), does this name ring any bells with anyone who has researched these records more extensively than I have?!
Thanks as always
Dave
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Thanks all - much appreciated. Will check these out!
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Hi All!
Have just finished refurbishing some old bellows and these ones need a new chamois leather seal. I picked some up a while back and fitted it, but it just seems too thin even after packing out underneath.
Can anyone recommend a good supplier (ideally in the UK) or even sell me some?
All the best
Dave
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Thanks Jon - much appreciated
Hope you get it up and running again soon
Dave
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Hi Jon
I think my 30 key Jones has the same layout as yours - left side button 1 on accidental row is G# push and F pull, and low button on G row is B push and D pull.
Would be intereted to find out out the layout of your right hand side accidental row.
Mine is:
Push: C#, G#, C#, A, C
Pull: Eb, G, Bb, F, Eb
I'm on hols at the mo, so I"m hoping i"ve got those high ones right!
Dave
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Hi Wendy
Papers can be removed with warm water - they can tear quite easily though! You can buy a new set of bellows papers from Dave Leese (that might be your best bet). Dave also sells the strips of leather which go round the edges of all the bellows - if you use this, you shouldn't need to remove the papers (i only remove them when the bellows damage is more serious). Also, don't forget to pick up a copy of the 'concertina repair manual' (which you can also pick up from Dave Leese) - essential reading!!!!
Good Luck
Dave
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Looks like i've just missed it! Will re consult my Mum's old maps at the weekend - should hopefully make it back to Commercial Road before long! I think the biggest surprise for me was how close the 3 locations are to each other - a maximum 10 minute walk!
What would be really good is if London recognised some of these and other concertina producer locations under their 'blue plaque' scheme. Maybe that's one for the future...
I also made it to the Horniman museum for the first time a couple of weeks back and the concertina display was fantastic!
All the best
Dave
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A few weeks back I had a meeting at the end of Commercial Road in London, so finally had the chance to check out the area where George Jones was born and where he worked for a large part of his life. So, I picked up a copy of Frank Butler's article 'The story of George Jones' and borrowed a couple of Victorian maps of the area and began the tour....
First stop was Spencer Street where George was born on Feb 29 1832. Spencer Street was one of a grid of 4 streets - Tarling Street, Sheridan Street, Spencer Street and Martha Street. Both Tarling Street and Martha Street still exist and enclose a housing estate. However, within this development there was a Spencer Way which looks like it is on the site of where Spencer Street once was.
Next stop was to find 3 Crombie's Row - this was the site of the shop ruined by fire in 1861. In the article it mentions that it was at the junction of Jubilee Street and Commercial Road. To me it wasn't clear which side - although there was a Victorian pub on one side of this junction called 'The George'. I wonder of this was built where that shop once was - it would be lovely to think the pub was named after him!!
Final stop was that of 2 Lucus Place/350 Commercial Road at the junction of Commercial Road & Lukin Street. I have seen a pic of a school on this site - now it's going through redevelopment yet again.
As with a lot of London so much has changed but there are lots of things that remain. I wonder what George would think if he walked down Commercial Road today?
Dave
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Lovely!
I've got in my notes that the highest Jones serial number recorded by Wes is 27877. Mine is 26910 so from another thread I think we thought it was from around 1900, so I guess yours could be mid 1890's?
I bet it's going to sound great!
Dave
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Hi Jon
Nice concertina! I was watching this one too! I do have a 30 and 20 key Jones (pics of both are on this site), but can email if you'd like more details. As and when you have a look inside I would be interested to know the serial number.
All the best
Dave
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That's interesting! So it looks like this was made between 1864 and 1866, and Jonathan Moore sold the instrument from new in his shop.
Thanks Stephen!
Dave
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Thanks again Stephen!
The label is so hard to read - looking again it is a J Moore. But it is 40 Buxton Road rather than 18, so must be sometime after the 1866 listing..
Dave
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Whilst fixing up the bellows and removing the bellows papers (it had papers stuck on papers), on the original under papers there was a dealer sticker attached. Does anyone know anything of:
T. Moore, Buxton Road, Huddersfield?
If anyone can help with a date they were operating I would be very interested!
Thanks
Dave
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Brilliant
Thanks folks!
David
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Hi Folks!
Bit of a long shot. Does anyone know where I might be able to purchase gussets in green (rather than black)? Failing that does anyone know of a good leather supplier so that I could make my own?
Any help appreciated!
David
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Here are some pics!
Dave
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Yes! - finished on ebay last sunday!! Serial number starts with 5 - checked inside as much as I could when it arrived on Thursday. You were right about the condition! Reeds are steel - am I right in thinking they would have been brass originally? The bellows have a rather 'unique' (!!) repair in that the two folds have been stuck and stitched together!.....The seller informed me that it had been donated by an elderly lady and it had been in her families attic since she was two. I still think it is great though! Looks good alongside the Jones I have from the same period. Will try and post some pics this afternoon
Dave
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Yes!
Exactly like the top but with 22 buttons rather than 20. Would 5131 date to mid 1860's?
Dave
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Thanks Stephen - much appreciated!
The Lachenal is an early anglo with serial number around 5000 - will post some pics soon
Dave
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Hi Folks
Just restoring an old Lachenal and found an old repair label inside for:
G.Jordan
Musical Instrument Maker & Repairer, 67 Dale Street, Liverpool
Anyone else come across this one before?
Thanks!
Dave
Can anyone identify this one?
in Buy & Sell
Posted
Hi
If you have been following this post then check out the other one Tom has started under concertina history. I'm listing details of the concertina that Theo made reference to above that was on ebay that has very similar fretwork to Tom's one here
Dave Helmore