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The Largest Concertina in the world?


Alex West

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Anyone know what it fetched?

 

 

It fetched £2400, although the auctioneers website hasn't been updated yet, to include the hammer price. The estimate was £2000-4000. See description below.

 

Interesting and unique massive concertina made by C. Wheatstone & Co., to celebrate their centenary, with McCann duet system and steel reeds, eighty metal buttons on foliate pierced metal ends and ten-fold bellows, inscribed on both sides "Property of Phil Goldman", 16" x 16", case

*This concertina is reputed to be the largest concertina in the world and once belonged to the famous bandsman Phil Goldman. More recently this instrument has been in the collection of Ruth Askew and is illustrated in a biography about her entitled 'A Maid and her Music, Memories, Melodeons and related reed instruments of Ruth Askew' by Paul Marsh, see page 102*

Estimate: 2000-4000

 

I wonder who bought it?

 

Chris

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Anyone know what it fetched?

 

 

It fetched £2400, although the auctioneers website hasn't been updated yet, to include the hammer price.

 

I still don't understand. Is that the actual price paid, or the amount before the auction house added on their "buyers' premium" for unspecified services to the purchaser?

 

I wonder who bought it?

 

Chris

 

Well I'd have thought it's another novelty item like that midget duet recently, and probably sold as a curiosity rather than a musical instrument. If I'm right there's a fair chance its owner isn't even a concertina player let alone a Maccanic.

 

I'd want a lot more assorted 'normal' duets before I tied up money in this, and I have more chance of playing it than many; it seems to give away more than it offers.

Edited by Dirge
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This is certainly not the largest concertina in the world.That honour belongs to a Wheatstone Duet Maccann which was last seen by me(one end only) at The Pontrefract Concertina Convention in 1976.There was some misunderstanding between Tommy Williams and Jim Harvey(the then ICA Secretary)as to who owned it so they agreed to have an end each!I am not sure who had the bellows.It measured about 3 1/2 feet across the flats.The ends were made of aluminiam.It was made for a music hall artist who,not surprisingly found it too large to play.

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The Corsham instrument is numbered 32190, Duralumin Octo 84 key 16" Special. A few pages later is 32,454, an Octo duro Double Bass 18" with 16 keys. Can anyone point to the biggest?

 

The instrument may be making a guest appearance at the next Royal Concertinas if its owner can find a wheelbarrow.

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  • 3 weeks later...

The beast sings again - in the hands of a rather good player too.....

 

Despite minor fratching, Messrs Wayne and Davies now appear to agree that this was the bisected concertina spotted at the Pontefract convention of 1976. Sterling work by Colin Dipper and Marcus Music at some point in the interim have reunited the two ends and replaced three buttons and actions. Evidence in the Wheatstone ledger of the bass instrument two inches larger in diameter remain one of life's little mysteries, unless someone out there knows better?

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The beast sings again - in the hands of a rather good player too.....

 

Despite minor fratching, Messrs Wayne and Davies now appear to agree that this was the bisected concertina spotted at the Pontefract convention of 1976. Sterling work by Colin Dipper and Marcus Music at some point in the interim have reunited the two ends and replaced three buttons and actions.

 

My, that's large. Is it a bass or contrabass, or just a giant treble?

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Maybe this will work.....

 

 

post-168-12714345963811_thumb.jpg

 

Howdy:

If that's a whopper what do you call this???????????

Better have some big fingers!!!!!!!!!!!

AND a large lap!!!!!!!!!!

 

Have fun,

Perry Werner

Edited by Perry Werner
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