SteveS

I'm finally getting around to repairing the ends on a Aeola Tenor-Treble from 1922. This has the makings of a fine instrument: brass reeds, decent bellows - should be great for song accompaniment. But both ends are completely shot - you'lll see one of the ends in the attached picture. I spent about a day puzzling over whether to try and stablise the ends and attach the parts that I have, letting in new wood and cutting the fretwork accordingly. The trouble is the existing laminate seems to be rotten - the outer veneer can be picked away from the core using a thumb nail - I have great misgivings about whether a mend-and-make-do approach is actually a good permanent solution. I'm now giving some serious thought to making new ends. I'm considering using pear veneer to build my own laminates for the ends - the veneer I have in stock will give a 6-ply laminate including the inner & outer veneers, and result in the correct final thickness. The raised ends will be achieved by building up the laminate in the appropriate places and sanding to shape before applying the inner/outer veneers. This should make a nice strong job. Button holes drilled & reamed, after which the fretwork will be cut. Finally the ends will be ebonised and French polished. Steve

I have a flutina in the queue for restoration. I believe it is English made, does not have the inlay of the Busson Breve instruments, has more keys, and finished in French polished rosewood. As a 1-row melodeon player, I'm considering turning the reeds around so that it plays like a melodeon - giving me the advantage of not having to learn a new playing technique - whilst maintaining that great flutina sound and drones. Of course I'd make new reedpans for this operation, so that it can be easily reversed. Steve

I suspect that the chamber wall is slightly off true vertical. The problem hasn't returned, so all seems to be well with this box now.

Well it wasn't sold for £1300 then, was it? No - including daylight robbery it comes to about £1530 BTW Dirge, there was also a rather nice metal-ended Wheatstone Aeola McCann duet the lot before this bass.

A Wheatstone Aeola 48 key double action bass (s/n 29299) sold at auction today for £1300 (plus buyer's premium & VAT). A rather nice looking box, 8 fold bellows, ebony ends.

I think the Web has contributed to the excessive prices some people are prepared to pay for instruments.

I don't bother with Mudcat any longer - the user interface is extremely poor and user-unfriendly. c.net is a much better user experience.

Wasn't Alf Edwards' concertina acquired by a forum member a couple of years ago? Is this the same one?

På svenska: Tryck mig, jag sjunger!

I'm in the process of restoring an EC and had replaced the valves prior to retuning. As I was playing the box I could hear one of the valves making a distinctive loud slapping sound. The sound came only when moving the bellows out - so I knew it had something to do with the outside valve. I looked at the valve, it wasnt kinked, or catching in the valve pins - I tried moving the valve side to side, up and down - I couldnt see any restriction to its movement - reassembled the end, the valve slap noise then went away for a few minutes, only to annoyingly return. After some head-scratching, I gave the valve a closer inspection - turned out it was catching on the chamber wall part way in its movement to seal the lower reed slot, catching on the reed chamber wall, and then continue to close with a slap against the reed pan as the air pressure built up. A quick trim of the valve edge closest to the reed chamber wall with a sharp craft knife soon fixed this problem.

Try this link Michael: Jefferies Brothers Concertina Cheers Dick And lot 12 appears to be an Edeophone Anglo.

Any takers? I'll give it 'til Monday, then it's off to eBay. I'd rather it went to an enthusiast on this forum rather than potentially a collector. Steve

Bump

Apologies for posting this again - I wanted to include for sale in the heading of the previous one but cant make that change. Here is a link to my earlier posting: Wheatstone 48 key treble EC

For sale -------- Wheatstone 48 key treble English Concertina - s/n 28103 Ebony ended. 5 fold bellows. Serviced 2.5 years ago by Steve Dickinson (Wheatstone & Co.). Steel reeds. Tuned concert pitch. Original Wheatstone case. This is a top quality concertina from the Wheatstone golden period. Plays amazingly well, lightening fast action and reeds, wonderfully balanced, and is in superb well-maintained condition. Bellows are in wonderful original condition, and appear never to have never been repaired. All-in-all this is a nice clean instrument. This was my main instrument until I got a Wheatstone Aeola tenor-treble - so I'm afraid it must go to a new home where it will be loved. I'll be very sorry to see it go. Please PM me for details, more photos, to arrange to come see/play it. I'm based in Teesside, England. Steve PS a donation will be made to the forum if sold via the forum. PPS The instrument may also be auditioned via Skype at a mutually convenient time - please advise.

Adam Partridge Auctioneers & Valuers

Results of an auction today with several concertinas: A Lachenal Excelsior 48 key concertina, with pierced ebonised hexagonal ends and metal keys, the original leather case bearing Orient Line labels, formerly the property of a missionary. £620 A good late 19th/early 20th century 38 key concertina by Jeffries Bros, 23 Praed Street, London, with metal ends and keys, complete with original leather case. £2900 A large early 20th century Wheatstone 43 key bass concertina no.24467, with pierced ebonised ends and metal keys. £460 A late 19th/early 20th century 21 key concertina by C Jones, 350 Commerical Rd East, the pierced hexagonal mahogany ends with bone buttons, cased. £190 A late 19th/early 20th century 48 key concertina by C Wheatstone, London, the pierced hexagonal rosewood ends with metal keys, serial no.8412, complete with original case (some restoration need to instrument and case). £150 Plus 18% buyer's premium.

Seen it - boxes infested with the concertina worm.

I'm likening it to a comparable model in the 1915 price list. No serial number either I'm afraid - not even a batch number - but it is a Wheatstone as identified by Colin Dipper when he repaired years ago.

Mine is probably a model 5 - open rosewood fretwork (sadly cracked along the grain in few places), wrist straps - probably an old marching instrument (I acquired it in Edinburgh 20 years ago) - and plays amazingly well with rapid articulation, great dynamics and bright but not strident tone - excellent for song accompaniment - and I've played it for dancing. The bellows need some fettling since the card is splitting in a couple of places.

Yes - I have a 56 key extended treble EC with riveted reeds - ca.1890 (in fact they are superb set of reeds)

Chris Algar had a set of reeds for an Edeophone on eBay the other week - maybe contact him to see if he still has them.

What's also interesting is why Wheatstone felt they needed to record this information in the first place.

Nice - enjoyed that!!