Jeffries concertina

[Tone]

Hi all,

 

I have my great grandfathers concertina. It's got the makers name C Jeffries on one end of the concertina. I also have the original receipt by Charles Jeffries dated June 26th 1889 for £7-7s-0d which states it is a 39 button concertina in the key of C. The receipt is signed by C Jeffries. It has it's original bellows with gold pattern which are in very good condition considering their age and the original hand straps are still attached. All the buttons seem to work and when I play to my great grandfathers notes it sounds lovely. It has it's original case & key which is also in good condition. I am after a bit of advice really. I am considering selling the concertina and wondered where was the best place to advertise it. I also wondered what kind of price I should be asking for it as I have no idea about concertina prices. I will attach a couple of photo's so you can see what I have exactly.

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Tony

 

[Ken_Coles]

For heaven's sake man, consider learning to play it! Most of us would give our eyeteeth (whatever those are) to have such a family legacy, no matter our musical talent or lack thereof.

 

It's worth a mighty fortune, so contemplate your moves deliberately. Maybe we can make a (very happy) player out of you!

 

Welcome aboard.

Ken

[L'Albatroce]

Gorgeous instrument. Does anyone know how common these bits of Jeffries memorabilia are? Are there many receipts that he signed floating around concertina-collecting circles? It seems like that would make the instrument even more desirable. I agree with Ken though, if you ever had any beginnings of an inkling to play concertina, give it a try. But if not, there are plenty of people who would be happy to take it off your hands .

Edited December 17, 2009 by L'Albatroce

[Greg Jowaisas]

Tony,

Very nice looking Jeffries. How coool to have the bill of sale from Mr. Jeffries himself. History to die for!

Do consider learning to play. Your grandfather would be proud.

 

Here is a link to some comments I made about a 50 button Jeffries last week:

http://www.concertina.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=10471

 

Yours is a very desirable anglo. Take your time. Explore all options before deciding what is best for you and your concertina.

 

Regards,

 

Greg

[Ralph Jordan]

Tony.

Thank God you called in here. You have a very valuable and desirable imstrument there. Can't really guess, but we are talking thousands of pounds probably. And couple that with the written provenance...Wooo!

Luckily, all the people on this board, while being insanely envious (!) wouldn't dream of trying to rip you off.

I'm so glad you came here, and not E Bay.

I'm not a Jeffries Anglo player, but, keep looking, and there will be one along in a minute!!!

 

If you really want to sell it (and the documents)......

 

1. Hold out for the highest bid

2. Try and make sure it goes to someone who's going to play it. A lot of concertinas become "Trophies"...Stuck on a shelf and then forgotten. Which really annoys me!

Anyway, Happy Christmas, thanks for looking in, and let us know what happens in the end.

Ralphie

 

(actually, I've just had another look at the photos, and it's nothing special really....but, I'll take it off your hands for a tenner?. No call for this sort of instrument nowadays...I'd be doing you a favour, honest guv!)

Edited December 17, 2009 by Ralph Jordan

[Roger Digby]

Interesting to see another receipt. It doesn't differ in any significant way from my Jeffries Brothers one of Oct. 1920; in fact the printed section is identical. The main difference is that mine has the signature and the 'received with thanks' written across a one penny postage stamp. I wonder if this indicates export. I remember when records imported from America had to have a stamp stuck to the label to indicate that import duty had been paid. This carried on into the 1960s.

The original post mentioned value and nobody has yet taken the can-opener to this one yet so I'll jump in without any fear of being trampled by a rush of Angels.

Tommy Williams said he'd never seen a bad Jeffries, but Steve Dickinson wouldn't agree. Personally, whilst acknowledging a range of quality, my view is that they are never less than good/very good. They seldom have the softer end of the dynamic range that a Wheatstone can often offer, but the brightness and attack - and, yes, sheer volume - are what make them famous.

Alex West, who might fill in details if he reads this, emailed me last week about two vary battered instruments that went in auction last week for an awful lot of money. One was so out of tune the auction house couldn't work out the home key! I have also recently heard of two 30 button ends (no bellows) in poor condition that changed hands for £5000. I'd guess rebuilding will bring the cost up to £7000 with no indication at all of how it will eventually sound. I've also heard anecdotes of 30 key Anglos - not just Jeffries - going for more than that in Ireland.

You can argue that these prices are excessive and probably throw in a few other choice adjectives as well, but you can't change the fact that they are market-driven and that people are paying them, with Jeffries Anglos seemingly leading the steady and steep increase.

Judging by the very brief description given in the original post, I would suggest that this instrument will change hands at £7000. Personally I'd rather the owner knows this than risk him selling it more cheaply to someone who'll turn it over for a quick profit.

Of course learning to play it himself is the best advice, but that's been said already.

Best wishes,

Roger

[tombilly]

Yep, learn to play it, keep it in the family and pass it on in time.

£7000 or whatever sounds like a nice little bonus but palls into insignificance against the satisfaction of playing an instrument that your great grandad played and one that you might be able to hand onto another family member when your time comes. You can't put a price on that.

[Alan Day]

There are a number of Concertina Historians on this site who would be very interested to have any details of your Great Grandfather and the type of music he used to play,

You will regret it forever if you sell this part of your family history.

Al

[Tone]

Thanks for taking the time for the reply's. I would dearly love to play and keep the concertina. I do have a book which my great grandfather wrote all the songs he played in. He could not write music so on every page he has drawn the full range of buttons and shows which buttons to use and when. Hence why I was able to get a tune out of it. Still right now I could do with the cash for a business I started last year so I will have to think long and hard about selling it. The business I started is restoring old English fusee clocks and selling a few. I've done many jobs over the years from a milkman to IT consultant but this job gives me a lot of enjoyment. When I am in my little workshop with some music playing in the background I almost feel like I have stepped back in time, that is until someone spoils the moment by ringing my mobile phone. Very hard decision that I will not take lightly. If I had children to hand it on to I would not even consider selling it but I don't. When I die I would probably end up donating it to a museum if I keep it. If anyone is interested in anything I have for historical research please feel free to contact me.

 

Thanks again,

 

Tone

Edited December 17, 2009 by Tone

[chiton1]

I do have a book which my great grandfather wrote all the songs he played in. He could not write music so on every page he has drawn the full range of buttons and shows which buttons to use and when. Hence why I was able to get a tune out of it.

 

I personally find your grandfather's little book more fascinating than his concertina (although they make a fine ensemble!). It would perhaps be good thing if at least a photocopy of this book (with some biographical data about your grandfather) went to the Horniman Museum or to one of the more serious collector's/historians of our little concertina community.

[JimLucas]

Thanks for taking the time for the reply's. I would dearly love to play and keep the concertina. I do have a book which my great grandfather wrote all the songs he played in. He could not write music so on every page he has drawn the full range of buttons and shows which buttons to use and when. Hence why I was able to get a tune out of it. Still right now I could do with the cash for a business I started last year so I will have to think long and hard about selling it. The business I started is restoring old English fusee clocks and selling a few. I've done many jobs over the years from a milkman to IT consultant but this job gives me a lot of enjoyment. When I am in my little workshop with some music playing in the background I almost feel like I have stepped back in time, that is until someone spoils the moment by ringing my mobile phone. Very hard decision that I will not take lightly. If I had children to hand it on to I would not even consider selling it but I don't. When I die I would probably end up donating it to a museum if I keep it. If anyone is interested in anything I have for historical research please feel free to contact me.

Hi, Tone.

Welcome to this group of friendly fanatics!

 

You say you want to learn to play, but you need money for your business. Note that if you sell the instrument to further your business and then make enough money to buy one in the future, it won't be the same one.

 

But about that money:

• Depending on how much you need, could you possibly get a bank loan, using the concertina as security? I understand that interest rates are quite low at the moment. Finding a bank that would take a realistic view of a loan against such an instrument might be difficult, but one hopes not impossible. I know a couple of people who have gotten bank loans to buy very valuable concertinas (one did it twice), and neither is a professional musician. (Are none of our Concertina.net members bank officers? We seem to have just about every other profession.)
  
• There are definitely folks here who would be interested in any historical papers and other information about your great grandfather, and especially his music notes. I'm one of them. And we would love to see them put up on the web for free access. But if they were transcribed to standard musical notation and published -- either in book for, as CD-rom, or on the web -- I'm sure quite a few of us would purchase copies. (Could we also talk some libraries into doing the same?) I recommend you contact our member Dan Worrall (if he doesn't contact you, first), who did something similar by transcribing from recordings of William Kimber (harder than from written notation), regarding how this might be done and whether it might actually be profitable.
  
• Even if publishing the music wouldn't be profitable in itself, perhaps you could get a grant from some foundation to fund the publication... even making it available for free on the internet (e.g., on Concertina.com). My hope, you must see, is that there would be some profit from such a venture, which you could use to back your business.
  

By the way, the market for these instruments is pretty hit and miss, especially in today's economic times. If you were to sell on eBay, you might indeed get £7000, but it could also be as little as £4000. (Probably still rather more than you suspected when you contacted us.)

 

Considering the business you've settled on, there may be a corollary danger in your keeping the concertina and learning to play it:

• Concertinas are wonderful mechanisms. You might get seduced into repairing and restoring them, too. Maybe even try to make your own one day?
  

[michael sam wild]

I too reckon you could get a lot of fun working on concertinas as well as clocks. they require similar skills and qualities. Best of luck with wahtever decision you make. I have let a lot of good instruments go in the past when life demanded it! If you are not going to play it i'd like to think it went to a player not a collector.I love my Jeffries.

[hjcjones]

Please don't leave this to a museum. Musical instruments should be played, and despite its age this one should have plenty of life in it yet. Instruments in a museum are dead. Far better to pass it on to someone who will play it, either by offering it for sale via concertina.net or through a reputable dealer - again, someone this site will be able to recommend suitable dealers.

 

Please also leave clear instructions what is to be done with it, otherwise your executors may assume it's a piece of old junk and throw it out.

 

I understand the temptation to convert this to cash, but I hope you will be able to resist this and will enjoy the instrument, especially with it's connection to your grandfather, for many years to come. If possible, try to learn to play it. In any case, please keep in touch with this forum - we'll be fascinated to learn more about your grandfather and his music.

[davidcorner]

Interesting to see another receipt. It doesn't differ in any significant way from my Jeffries Brothers one of Oct. 1920; in fact the printed section is identical. The main difference is that mine has the signature and the 'received with thanks' written across a one penny postage stamp. I wonder if this indicates export. I remember when records imported from America had to have a stamp stuck to the label to indicate that import duty had been paid. This carried on into the 1960s.

There used to be a stamp duty on receipts.

Every time you wrote a receipt, you had to pay tax on it, and you did that by sticking on a postage stamp, then signing across it.

The stamp duty had risen to two pence until it was abolished at decimalisation in 1971.

[Paul Read]

Interesting side issue is that the man himself called it a 39-button model. There has been some debate in the past re terminology and a lot of people would have called it a 38-button concertina.

[Tone]

Interesting side issue is that the man himself called it a 39-button model. There has been some debate in the past re terminology and a lot of people would have called it a 38-button concertina.

 

If you count the buttons there are 39 that can not be denied. If the man who made the instrument in the first place called it a 39 button concertina who are we to argu with him? What does it matter one button does not make a noise? There are still 39 buttons on the instrument in total. That's like saying to ford you can not call that car a 3ltr as it is only 2993cc really. I reckon sherlock would agree with this deduction

 

Anyway enough putting the cat amongst the pigeons. I will endeavour to scan the book containing the music and put it somewhere we folk who are interested can download it for free. I will also put a little page together about the family history with this concertina and put it where it can be viewed by folk who are interested in prior ownership. As for selling it I have to fight the demons in my mind that are stopping me from just putting it up for sale. I did have a idea it was of some value as I read a article in a antique mag a few years ago who said a Jeffries 39 button concertina had made £1000 at auction. I didn't realise how sort after they were 10 years on. If I do keep it I will get it looked at and serviced ready for me to start scaring the neighbours as I learn it. I do already play the piano, bass guitar, lead guitar, Spanish guitar, drums, sax and on occasions the harmonica & spoons so I reckon one more set of strange noises coming from my house wont matter.

 

Cheers,

 

Tone

[Paul Read]

Hi Tone,

I was always in the 39B camp but I suspect this may kick off the discussion again!

[SteveS]

Enjoy the 'tina if you do decide to take it up - and I for one think you ought to.

Many of us seasoned players here would have loved to start playing on a top-end box such as yours - many of us started out on low-end vintage instruments.

Welcome to the concertina fraternity.

Steve