SteveS

I believe it is something like Approx 4% tariffs on the value of the goods 20% VAT on the value of the goods, insurance and shipping, and I believe the tariffs Courier fees However there may be some form of reduction in this if the item is an antique, that is over 100 years old - and you'll need to be able to prove it.

Here are some burl walnut ends I made for an Aeola

Like Alex West, I've also used male & female blanks in my nipping press. Here's a picture of my press....(it weighs a ton)

Like Alex, I also use a laminate of sycamore core and commercial veneer both sides. If I'm making ebonised ends I use pear veneer, otherwise the fine veneer (burl, amboyna) on the outside and pear veneer inside. Veneers are oriented 90 degrees to the grain of the core. I may have to adjust the thickness of the core so the overall final thickness of the end plate is the same as the original. I've used a variety of glue, including cascamine (toxic though so care needs to be taken when cutting), hide glue and epoxy. I prefer the epoxy. I use a nipping press to press the laminates, or a vacuum press for raised ends. I have used the nipping press for raised ends having made a former first. For cutting the fretwork I initially used a power fretsaw - that proved more trouble than its worth, since there is a tendency for the saw to run away on a cut. Moving the blade and retensioning it before each cut was also a right pain in *. Nowadays I use a hand fretsaw which employs a cam for quick, easy and consistent removal and resetting of the blade between cuts. I have in my resto pile a 'tina with solid rosewood ends. The ends are cracked, but probably salvageable by filling the cracks, but solid ends might crack with time and prevailing conditions. A laminate is preferred because it is stronger and less likely to crack (and I have seen both cracked ends and ends that were so powder-like that it was only the years of accumulated muck that was holding them together).

I too asked some questions and not received any reply. Beware.

I have chatted with HMRC. It seems that my instruments will be classed as luggage (as will everything else in the car) for the purposes of duty, provided they are for my personal use. I was also advised to take pictures to prove ownership prior to departure, and to even ask for some sort of certificate from authorities at the port of departure (Calais for me). I guess a date stamp on the pictures would be important. A good idea is to take a picture on the day of departure of each instrument with the newspaper of the day to show they originated in EU. So I'll stop at a French service station on the way to the port, buy a newspaper, and take my pictures. I'll make sure I include serial numbers too.

Thanks for the link. My instruments are ebonised wood (probably pear), amboyna, spruce, sycamore - I don't anticipate any CITES issues, but will of course, carry out an informed assessment of risk.

Has anyone travelled by car from EU to UK (and vice versa) with a concertina. I'm travelling back to UK (restrictions permitting), probably in July, for a few weeks to see family. I'm hoping to get to play a little with friends in UK, so want to have a 'tina with me. But since Brexit and UKs departure from the customs union, there are now customs formalities on both entry to UK and entry to EU. How to deal with customs on both EU and UK sides? I don't have receipts for instruments that I've had for years. Should I ask the French authorities for a receipt for my instrument(s) so that I can prove I've exported from EU and am later reimporting to EU on my return journey? I don't want to run the risk of paying duty, or worse having instruments confiscated.

David makes some very good suggestions for how to deal with security. I usually say to the person overseeing the placing of bags on the conveyer that I have a 'small accordion' in my bag. Sometimes they ask me to take the case from my bag. Most times I'm instructed to leave it in my bag and if it needs to be inspected by hand, I'll be instructed to open it after the x-ray scan. Like David suggests, I never say 'concertina' because of the munitions implications. On the odd occasion I've had security personnel who know what a concertina is and have commented on it - oft' times it turns out they're folkies themselves. I've even held the odd short impromptu concert.... 😇

I think CITES may be the one big problem - the concertinas I have available contain rosewood.

As you may know the concertina is very popular in Bolivian folk music. I've had some enquiries about selling concertinas to players in Bolivia. Has anyone had any dealings with Bolivia and selling/sending concertinas to Bolivia? I'm wondering about any potential issues and/or problems for me. Cheers

I am currently servicing this concertina. Action rebuild, pads, valves, clean, retune to A=440Hz. I should have it ready in about a week. Any interest in freshly serviced and ready to play concertina?

reduced - €1400

reduced - £3500

reduced - €1300

Wheatstone 56 key extended Treble concertina. This was my session instrument for about 10 years until I upgraded to a Tenor-Treble. I haven't played it in many years so it's time to let it move to a new home. It is a fine workhorse of a concertina and will ideally suit a player transitioning to a better quality instrument, or an experienced player looking for a backup session instrument. This concertina has riveted reeds - and has amongst the best reeds and action I have ever played. It's fast, loud, responsive, and has a wide dynamic range. It's an amazing session instrument. It does have issues with the ends - being solid rosewood and not a laminate, the ends suffer from cracks, but this is cosmetic only and does not affect the playing at all. I once asked Steve Dickinson about repairing these - his response was if it's playing well then not to bother. This concertina was serviced back in around 1992 by Colin Dipper, and I've recently touch-tuned it - it's in A=440Hz. No serial number, but my estimate is this concertina was made around 1880. No case. €1300 Located in Italy.

Wheatstone Aeola 60 key English Baritone concertina - serial number 25873 This is a rare 60 key baritone concertina in need of renovation. Requires all the usual consumables: pads, valves. Also a retune and the metal work polishing. Currently tuned in old pitch. It also has a low F in place of the G# on the right hand side. Includes original case. £3500 Located in Italy. (This was previously listed last year and I withdrew it - I have decided to relist this 'tina)

Lachenal Non-Pariel Treble English concertina - 48 keys, amboyna ends, gold buttons - in need of restoration. Restoration will require all the usual serviceable items: new pads, valves, retune and action set, as well as new thumb straps. This concertina plays very well with fast response and with good volume. It will make a super instrument for someone transitioning from a beginner/tutor concertina. There are a few sticky buttons, but otherwise plays very well. There are issues with the ends. There is some loss of French polish where the thumbs and finger nails have impacted the ends. Also on the right hand end, there is a small area of loss of amboyna veneer. There are also some hairline cracks to the amboyna. These issues are cosmetic only and not structural. Does not include a case. €1200 Located in Italy.

Lachenal Treble English concertina - 48keys, metal ends - in need of restoration. Restoration should comprise all the usual serviceable items: new pads, valves, retune and action set. This concertina plays very well with fast response and with good volume. It will make a super instrument for someone transitioning from a beginner/tutor concertina. Once restored this will be a super instrument giving many years of musical pleasure. It also has provenance, and includes an invoice from Wheatstone dated 1942. Includes a case. €1400 Located in Italy.

Here is a picture of Salvation Army Major R.A.Carter with his huge Lachenal 81 key MacCann duet. The picture is from 1938. Apparently only 3 were ever produced.

Thanks Stephen!!

I've just read an article about a forth-coming TV production on the Franklin expedition of 1845 to find the North West Passage. The article discusses various items that have been recovered from the expedition. At the end of the article there is this tantalising sentence: “Bits of accordion, pipes and books have been found. These are touchstones to those lives and they have incredible poignancy.” Was it a concertina or an accordion? Some years ago I read an account of the Franklin expedition and efforts to retrieve artefacts and find and examine the few graves of sailors entombed in the tundra. I don't recall reading about a concertina, although I think I recall that both ships were equipped with a harmonium.

That's my Wheatstone 29 key bass

Here's the note layout for my 29 key Wheatstone bass:

Thanks everyone for your contributions and suggestions.