DDF

Or perhaps they were instruments commissioned for bands? Who knows?

This may be of interest.It is a George Jones made instrument No 7338, I guess slightly younger than yours. Having solid Indian rosewood ends it has not fared quite as well as yours.It plays fine but the broad reeds are a bit mellow and I'm not that keen on the staggered top row.They were very attractive instruments though.I bought this one about 35 years ago at a local cattle market where they also used to have a few lots of goods and chattels.The vendor put a few instruments in that sale and said they were from a local de-funked village band. I would guess mine dates from around 1880 and yours a little earlier,that's only a guess though.Regards, David.

This sale is nothing to do with me but I personally would say that case is probably better than the original.

As it happens to be sat beside me this is what satinwood looks like on the outside of a box.

A few more for anyone interested in these comparisons.Measured from the same points that Mike used. C Jeffries- metal ends- 31 bone buttons-Bb/F- 1890-73mm C Jeffries- metal ends- 31 metal buttons -C/G-1890 -74.7mm G Jones- Rosewood ends- 34 metal buttons -C/G-1890- 75.6mm Nickolds- metal ends -30 bone buttons-C/G- 1890 -75.5mm Wheatstone Linota- metal ends -36 metal buttons-C/G -1917 -73.8mm

Hello Roger, I don't have any pictures of the making of them but here's a few low res photos of them made. The chamber wall slots I cut on a lathe with a slitting saw and the dovetailed slots on a pin guided router table.The dovetails i made slightly undersize then fitted the reeds with a chisel as they varied somewhat in proportions.Regards David.

Hello Roger, The reed pan is a conventional style radial set up. The bellows card is archival quality rag board and the construction again is along traditional lines. I am happy to open it and take pictures of the reed pans if you still would like me to?Regards David.

There you go Richard. I leave that up for a few days as it was recorded on a cheap phone and my recording skills are only slightly worse than my musical skills! Regards David.

Thanks ,I made radial chambers the wood came from a locally felled sycamore tree.Good luck on your search, only go for one that was a good box to start with to save lots work ending in a disappointing result. regards David.

Thanks, I asked my grand children what they thought I should design in to the end and they came up with all sorts of ideas,elephants ,dinosaurs,tractors etc. Just post xmas I was out checking the state of the local frog spawn progress(it has been in rapid decline around here) and it occurred to me the button area on a concertina resembles a mass of spawn. so the design was born mother frog watching over her brood with a pond snail looking after my air button. I'm now glad I took a chance and bought that rough duet, although the reeds were the only usable parts in it.

The ends are fret sawn german silver.I'm afraid the photos are rather poor as it is dull and rainy here today and I took the with a phone.

Hello, A few years back I showed this awfully butchered large duet concertina.I hoped the reeds left in it would be reasonable quality and they appeared to be. I have finally got around to making them a new home. it was quite a challenge squeezing them in but I'm pretty happy with the resulting 32button D/G.Apart from a bit more tweeking it is starting to play /sound better than I was expecting.Sorry no idea why some of the pictures are rotated? regards David.

Hello Ross, Just a thought which I'm sure Greg or yourself will already be aware of? I had owned mine for decades and had it apart numerous times also it had been in to Andrew Norman for new bellows and light touch tuning. The previous owner had it lightly re fettled by Colin Dipper. Nobody ever could put a serial number to it though. A few years after receiving it back from Andrew I had a spring break.When I split the action enclosure to replace it I noticed (beneath a strongish light) a serial number, difficult to spot but just about readable. I have enclosed an image of the left hand(bass) end showing the impressed number. Might be worth a check on yours with a bright light or a uv lamp?Regards David.

Mine is a C/G but also has the bone thumb rest and a bone air button and I would say they are some of the best models.

I have used a thick shellac mix for valves and it seems to work fine I don't think it would be the best for "pad assembly" or pad attachment.