Seán Ó Fearghail

Hi Everyone, Has anyone ever identified what Mr. Vickers' ''Jeffries copy' bellows paper looked like, or seen a concertina with them? Best wishes, Seán Picture from the J J Vickers price list...

Thanks Jake. That’s them alright.

They are in a Jeffries as replacement lever. Not 100 percent sure who made them. They are very solid.

Answered thanks

Yes I’ve seen people say both things. Maybe it’s worth a test on some scrap wood to see. I stick with plain shellac when it comes to concertinas as well.

Yes Sandarac goes nicely in spirit varnishes but it makes the varnish a little softer. They often add it to fiddle varnish. It depends on the end result you want.

Are more photos out of the question? Fretwork etc?

Thats fantastic Paul! Thank you!

Wow! that is interesting! Thank you so much for the info Geoff. I wonder why that key was so popular? Anyone have an idea? I'm way too far out of my comfort zone to speculate.

This was also originally tuned to B f sharp.

Thanks Stephen. 🙏🏻

But which one…. 😂 the underside of a few reeds….

Would anyone like to have a guess as to who made this concertina? It is stamped J. Booth all over but I think he might have been a dealer….

I know of one particular concertina that was sold at the same auction house 3 different times... Each time the new owner opened it up and realised that all the reeds had been swapped out for very poor brass reeds, it went back and they sold it again.. And made their seller's/ buyer's fees.. 3 times....

Can I take the opportunity to be cheeky and ask if a picture would be possible? I’m sure others would be interested too…

Recently was discussed here….

I second a vote for Suttner concertinas. They really are fantastic. And when he is in the same country as you, it makes a lot of sense.

Thanks Geoff. I was pleasantly surprised with it. (For once!)

Although they are not too bad actually....

Even though all the rest of the parts are fairly corroded on the outside, the reeds are surprisingly OK! Small bits of rust but I have come across a lot worse. Maybe it didnt live there for long. Or was never played once arriving there. Everything is in very good shape apart from the steel parts on the outside.

And just while we're on the subject... I recently serviced a concertina that was only a few years old.. That now lives in Doolin, (on the Atlantic coast) in an old enough house... The reeds that were closest to where the case closed, were already starting to form rust on them...!!! About 6 of them...

I'll let you know when I get it Geoff..! ?