Stephen Chambers

That'd be towards the end of 1922 Shay.

Certainly, that'll be 1897.

Exactly! "The right hand ... originally had a check valve that opened in the opposite direction" - they were to, at will, provide a softer sound in the opposite bellows direction, achieving effects more akin to violin bowing.

I guess nobody followed my Alsepti/bowing valves link then... If they had, they'd have seen how "Alsepti and Richard Ballinger, the latter an employee of the firm of Lachenal, received a patent for the invention of their so-called “bowing valves” (called “relief” valves in the patent), which, situated near the thumb strap on each side of the instrument and raised and lowered with the thumb (thus operated somewhat like the modern air valve), were supposed to permit subtle gradations with respect to both dynamic levels and the manipulation of the bellows (Alsepti likened the latter feature to the use of the bow on string instruments." Allan Atlas' article also provides a link to the patent, No. 8290, dated 8 July 1885: http://www.concertina.com/patents/Alsepti-Ballinger-No-8290-of-1885.pdf

Lachenal certainly made some with large-headed rivets for Wheatstone's, Wes, with the simpler pattern of spindle-cut fretwork and in maple. But I don't recall seeing them in a "People's Concertina" - I must check the early example that I have, stored elsewhere.

Thanks, that's sufficient to confirm what I supposed. It looks like the (disastrous) steel reed-frames, etc., were (mercifully) only tried out on a relatively small number of their cheaper, spindle-cut fretted, Anglos.

That would seem to be from the beginning of 1916 Daniel. In fact it fits right into a sequence of numbers that I'm interested in, described in the thread Steel reed frames in c.1915 Lachenal Anglos, so I'd be interested to learn more about it. Like does it have "full" (to the edge) hand-cut fretwork or spindle-cut? Brass, or steel, reed-frames? Etcetera...

I must say, I'm very impressed with Edward Jay's latest creation, a light-weight English bass concertina, with accordion reeds, played here by Rob Harbron: https://www.facebook.com/edward.jay.33/videos/877204627037584?idorvanity=442511159266339

You'll get whole sets of reeds in an American organ that are deliberately twisted when it is made, it's to achieve a particular sound on one of the stops. I doubt if you could straighten them out successfully, especially after the length of time they'll have been like that.

I'm reminded of "Signor" Alsepti's bowing valves: Signor Alsepti and “Regondi’s Golden Exercise”

Only in early symphoniums, not in concertinas.

The original reeds look more like German silver (nickel silver) to me, and the pitch of the instrument appears to have been brought down (to Society of Arts?) by an accordion tuner.

In 1861 Louis Lachenal (who made your instrument for Wheatstone's) was using only numbers, from 1 to 12, for the different models of treble. Yours was simply No. 12 on his list (though described as being "for concerts") and his price was £8 ,, 8s. http://www.concertina.com/pricelists/lachenal/Lachenal-MDRA-1861.pdf The first "named" model appears on Lachenal's 1862 International Exhibition price list, but it's their new 2 guinea "economy model" described as The People's Concertina. Number 12 is now listed as No. 6, selling for 8 guineas with brass reeds, 10 guineas with [nickel] silver reeds, 12 guineas with steel reeds, and 13 guineas with gold reeds. http://www.concertina.com/pricelists/lachenal/Lachenal-Intl-Exhibition-1862.pdf Wheatstone's 1859 advertisement in The Musical Directory, Register & Almanac (the nearest Wheatstone price list to 1861) demonstrates that the firm's focus had shifted to harmoniums, which had overtaken the concertina in popularity by then. However, there is a brief mention of their 12 guinea model "as used by Sig. Regondi and Mr. Richard Blagrove." http://www.concertina.com/pricelists/wheatstone-english/Wheatstone-MDRA-1859.pdf So, if I needed to refer to it, I'd call it "the 12 guinea model," or "the concert model."

As far as I know, there's nobody collecting George Jones serial numbers, to try and date his instruments, though Wes Williams has written: But, from my experience, 28049 would be a very high number, so a late instrument - maybe from around 1900-1905.

I'll answer you for now NoelP, and yes they just pull out, and should be a tight fit for air-tightness...

All "hybrid" concertinas have accordion reeds, that's what makes them hybrids, and why they are relatively inexpensive. But accordion reeds come in various qualities, and the reeds in the the McNeela Phoenix are superior, high quality, Czech-made tipo a mano accordion reeds. I've tried a McNeela Phoenix, and can thoroughly recommend them.

What you're experiencing happens with all kinds of concertinas, and accordions too. It sounds worse with plastic valves, but still occurs with leather ones. It is caused by incorrect playing technique (not lifting your finger between press and draw notes on the same button), and is not a fault in the instrument.

I've been meaning to get back to you with more information about what the instrument is, and valuation guidance. Your Maccann duet is a high quality Lachenal "New Model" instrument - but I've counted the buttons twice and have made it only 55 both times, which is a lot less desirable than a (relatively rare) 57-key. The condition of it looks extremely good on the outside, virtually new and unused - but, after 121 years, it will almost certainly need a service and tuning to our present-day pitch standard of A=440. The downside is that demand for duet concertinas is limited, so prices are relatively low. Here's a link to the Duet Concertinas page on the website of (leading UK concertina dealers) Barleycorn Concertinas, to give you some indication of retail prices for restored instruments: https://concertina.co.uk/stock-selection/duet-concertinas/

I didn't even know it existed, but I'd love to read it!

The date estimate is early in 1901. The value depends very much on the model (a photograph would help in establishing that), and the condition of the instrument.

Two, or three, years Daniel, and I'd describe it as early, but not as very early - I'd reserve that description for ones with, two-, or three-digit numbers...

I've written at length about that Daniel. The answer is in my paper Some Notes on Lachenal Concertina Production and Serial Numbers: (That was written 18 years ago, in 2004, and I've acquired some much earlier examples in the meantime.)

It's a typical early Lachenal Anglo Daniel, from 1865 according to the data, but not early enough for me because I have several earlier examples. The woodscrews, instead of end-bolts, are typical of these, and of early examples of the 2 guinea "People's" English concertina.

And I did it, yet again, on one only last night... As a matter of fact I do Shay - in the meantone tuning that Jeffries used Eb and D# are two different notes, with around half a semitone between them, and you'll find the reeds are stamped accordingly. So, though Bb was the norm there, some players/original purchasers preferred to have an Eb in addition to the D#.

The data says early in 1894 for that one, so perhaps it was second-hand when it was sent to South Africa?