Torres Strait Anglo

Thanks for that David Barnert, had I known sooner I'd have weighed in to alert ebay sooner. I "reported" the listing to ebay, a most unsatisfying experience.

I confirm that I own this concertina and have it in my possession. The photos on that listing, and the text, would seem to be copied directly from the ebay listing through which I purchased the instrument. The ebay-generated post-auction email that confirmed my purchase was sent on the 30th of July 2012. The person who sold it to me emailed as "Neil Connor", which is consistent with wording on an invoice from "The Button Box" that was (and still is) inside the wooden carry case. Since 30th July 2012 the instrument has not been traded or offered for sale.

Ah, yes, those endplates are beautiful. The left hand side says something like "Made especially for Capt Geo Salley, Gloucester Pt. Virginia" and the other side has a lovely engraving of a galleon approaching land, with the word "Godspeed" curved along the margin. I'll be pleased to post a photo of them, I'll be home in hopefully a few days, & able to do it then. Meantime here's all the rest of the photos I have of it. The last one is the national anthem of the USA being played, the day this thread was started. It plays beautifully on this particular concertina. Perhaps an appropriate tune for the occassion. (Though I know the tune by its former name, and use the lyrics that preceded its reincarnation as a national anthem).

Dan, thank you very much for this post. I'm the fortunate purchaser of the Dipper Shantyman F/C. Not sure when winter is for you (when you say you saw it come up for sale last winter) it was July 2012 when I purchased the Shantyman. I'm thrilled to learn some of the provenance of the instrument. I've typed it into a word document, printed it and it is folded inside the concertina case, for the next owner to read (once I've passed on that is!) I love the Shantyman, it is a sublime pleasure to play it. I'll never willingly part with it, but wouldn't mind anybody else playing it, especially if they are better than me - which would be most players, I'm not particularly good, merely able to spring for the purchase of a nice instrument. I've attached a couple of photos of the Shantyman at its new home in the southern hemisphere (well, just in the southern hemisphere, I'm only a few degrees south). The photo in the first comment (when I was still learning how to add photos) and one of these is of the concertina being admired by a stuffed local animal in the pub, and one of it adorning a statue of another local animal (I sometimes sit on the turtle head & play). The concertina is very much appreciated, and when I'm gone, it will be sold - hopefully to someone who also very much appreciates it.

Hmm, I remember a couple of "Englishes", a possible duet or two, a couple of Anglos, some violins, a guitar or two, a piano accordion, a couple of people picked up fluts or something now & then, there were a couple of what I presume are melodeons (I've never seen one in the flesh) and of all things, a saxaphone! I had a great time, & they even played two tunes I'd heard before: "Running Bear" and "Joe the Boat is Going Over" (at least, that's the name I know them by.) By & large it was somewhat of a cacophony, & if it wasn't for the fellow down the far end with the Melodoen (are they melodeons?) and the saxaphone, it really would have been a sound one couldn't have taken for more than a quarter of an hour of so. I've now experienced something I've only read about on this site, the phenomenon of a concertina sounding much different to the player than it does to the audience. I actually didn't recognise the sound of the concertina to begin with. I did have somewhat of a hankering to hear (for once in my life) a lone anglo played - English style, without any other instruments accompanying. This can be something to look forward to if I ever again get near to a "session". "Pub sessions are not that rare" Says Geoff Woof. Hehe, perhaps in England they're not! I've been in plent of pubs in my life, and until I lucked onto this site, I'd never heard of the phenomenon! I've experienced one session once, a couple of thousand km from home, thanks to another member of this site. But it was a totally different to the session at the Horseshoe. And that's another thing, that Horsehoe Arms pub is rather difficult to find. I near wore out a set of shoe leather looking for the place. Nobody that I asked directions of had heard of it, and I only came to the place by accident, I'd given up & was shortcutting back to London Bridge station when it appeared in front of me. There's about 10 acres there with more pubs to the acre than I've seen in my life! Popping in to a session wasn't the reason I was that far from home, and it was pure chance that Sunday afternoon was free, so I took the opportunity. I was there a week, and spent most of the time ensconced in the Hilton in Mayfair, or at the suburbs of Lancaster Gate, Wood Green, Cockfosters, or Guildford, deep in intense meetings. Guildford was my favourite, as it ...er.. dare I say so.. it felt more English, and possessed a much more pleasant and depressurised ambience. I'm most grateful that my ancestors were convicted and transported, as the weather was most unpleasant.

Don't know the player's name, it was a bloke though. I'm not all that outgoing, especially when on someone else's patch. However, it was great to see something I've never seen before (music session) and that I may never see again. One wonders did the players realise their playing that afternoon was being listened to by someone for whom that session was the only time in their life they'll hear or experience one? (session that is).

22 players at the November session, 7 of them playing concertinas of various types. Most interesting for someone who unexpectedly happened to be on the opposite side of the world for a couple of days (as you do). A thrilling and novel experience to see a session in a pub (something I'd never heard of before joining this forum) Have seen only other session in a pub (courtesy of a member of this forum) but it was nothing like "The Horseshoe". Even managed a few seconds of conversation with a couple of players, one was rather shocked that I knew about the session, & had a fair bit to say about how "private" they like to keep it (so I more or less didn't bother anyone after that).

Um...er.... yea...er.. um... okay! There is unlikely to be a Morris Dancer within a thousand miles of me. I've never seen Morris dancing, or a Morris dancer, & don't ever expect to. You're 100% correct though: The finer nuances of various ..er... styles are certainly lost on me, it's all "Morris Dancing" to me, & likely always will be.

Thank you Peter. Brilliantly fixed! (I had a go myself, but.. er... the results weren't all that good.....)

Hmm, this 6/8 tune still has a 5-beat bar in the third part, about the 6th bar.

No contact? Its only been a day or so, some of us have jobs that take us away from computers & such stuff for a time. The buyer may have had to put to sea or something, right as the auction ended.

We all miss Leo's weekly roundup. A marvellous effort! One of the highlights of my week is listening to, & watching, the entire set of videos. David Barnert & others: A sense of foreboding is within me also. It has been growing since the second consecutive weekly roundup did not appear.

Believe it or not, I'm finding Curtissimo's Frolick quite a challenge on the Anglo. Even transposed into C major doesn't help one bit! It looks so simple as sheet music, but boyo-boy-o-boy does it cause neural pain when I try to play it. The best I can do is the pace of one crotchet per second.

Another tune I'm learning. I quite like this one. Thank you very much for posting it!