conzertino

I’m selling a lovely ebony-ended Aeola. It comes with a bit of a story: about a year ago a friend urgently wanted such an instrument. So I advertised and asked around. Due to import-duties of almost 25%, GB was no option. I finally found one in need of complete restoration, as it obviously had been played a lot. So I sent it to David Robertson. By then my friend changed his mind… The shipment back to Germany was a disaster. It took 7 weeks, the parcel was lost for a while and in the end I had to pay the import-duties after all… However David did a phantastic job ( as usual ) and the instrument looks and plays as good as new! It has 56 keys ( extended up ), but the same size as a 48 key one. The serial number is 25380, which dates it to 1911. Like most of the earlier instruments it has five fold bellows, which are as good as new. It comes in it’s original black leather-box. The lock doesn’t work, but a new strap makes it safe for use. The price is 3400Pound or 4000€. Cash and carry welcome!

There is a Boyd concertina to be auctioned together with a violin... Boyd Can anybody tell from the picture, if it is a Wheatstone or Lachenal Boyd?? I think that the flat buttons point towards Lachenal...

I have an ebony ended and an Amboyna ended 48 key Aeola piccolo plus a rare 24 key metal ended one. They are great little boxes - but I hardly ever play them...

Don't worry. One day - if you stick to it - you wil have a couple of nice ones;-) Here some of my finest Aeolas, the Amboyna gang:

Chirs Algar currently has an early sixsided pinhole Aeola for sale for 2500 Pound... The are usually good fast players with a really soft unique sound... https://concertina.co.uk/stock-selection/english-concertinas/wheatstone-pinhole-aeola-48-key-treble/

In my opinion you can't easily top a good ebony ended Aeola - if you find one!?! Chris Algar usually has a few. I have one out for restoration ( in Britain ) and possible sale... I used a Wheatstone Boyd for many years ( even louder than my M22s ), but eventually switched to an EE Aeola for a softer sound. It has a wider dynamic range and more "body" to the sound while still being quite loud, if required. However individual instruments vary a lot. So make sure to test before buying such an expensive thing... PS: I always "tuned" my main instruments by reducing the spring-pressure to make them really fast...

I had several M21s. As far as I know, they all had original 5.foldes or later replacements... However in the late twenties 6- folders became more common as standard for model 21 and 22... As far as I know, they always were an optional exrta...

Which is the lowest note? Treble or really tenor??

I sold three basses over the years... And I still have that huge ME Aeola-bass plus two ebony-ended double-action Aeola-basses, one down to C, one down to G;-)

Thanks for all your answers. I was in fact wondering, if there is another ES bass ( fingered two octaves below treble ) with metal ends around... I know of large Mccanns that go down to the bass range. I have two ebony-ended Aeola basses, one down to C and one down to G ( both double action ) and a ME bass-baritone Aeola ( down to C ).

By the way, the 30th annual German Concertina-Meeting took place online last weekend. The saturday-evening concert included myself ( ES ), Jochen Riemer ( McCann, Chemnitzer ), Stefan Böhmer ( hard-rock-McCann! ), Rainer Süßmilch ( ES, all that jazz ), Rob Harbron and Dave Townsend. Alistair Andertson didn't make because of computer-problems... Best linup ever!? There should be a detailed report at the next ICA Jounal...

I was just wondering, if anybody has ever seen or owned a bass-concertina with metal ends? Or is this the only one!?!

How about this one;-)

A friend asked me to find him an ebony-ended Aeola ( treble ). Any ideas?? Please pm...

Good luck! They are very rare... I only have this one: