New Jeffries Jug cases

[Roger Digby]

A while ago I asked a leather worker and antique restorer, Peter Ward, who has a workshop here in the village, if he’d have a go at rebuilding a battered old Jeffries Jug case. I put ‘before and after’ photos in the ICA newsletter.

Since then he has restored other jugs for Mike Acott and also repaired rectangular Wheatstone cases.

He recently made a new jug case from scratch and I attach some pictures. It is a very good replica, slightly larger than the originals because the sides are lined with padded panels, but these are ‘extras’ and a case could be made in original size without these additions. He is also able to produce a jug which is strengthened with steel reinforcement and should be proof against the most careless Roadie.

I’ll bring the prototype along to the EATMT Trad Music Day in Stowmarket at the beginning of September so anybody there will be able to see what a good piece of work it is.

Peter’s prices are £395.00 for a basic jug, £450.00 for the slightly larger padded jug and £475.00 for the steel lined option.

You can reach Peter via email at rpeter.ward@virgin.net

If you mention concertina.net when ordering a contribution will be made to this website.

 

Best Wishes,

Roger

[michael sam wild]

Thanks Roger I've been meaning to ask you for his address for ages !

[Mike Pierceall]

I would think that only the well-heeled among us would be able to afford one of these, and perhaps, if you own a Jeffries, that is the "case." Mike

[Paul Read]

A very nice item but as discussed in the past on here, you would really want to store the instrument on it's side, not on end. Probably OK for transport but I much prefer the Hardigg cases for storage and protection - and very cheap in comparison. I would see this more as a nice item to own and a fine piece of workmanship.

Edited August 20, 2010 by Paul Read

[Greg Jowaisas]

I can't speak for Roger but i suspect there is an element of "visual thrill" to the jug case as well. The distinctive shape and material says, "Jeffries inside". Any of us who looked upon their first Jeffries by opening such a case or the lucky person who spied this kind of a case in the back of a second hand shop with an unknown treasure inside has known a special thrill.

 

However once the initial thrill has worn off the practicality of the old case presents itself. Many of the old Jeffries cases allowed only one orientation of the concertina for a proper fit. Get that wrong and your Jeffries could be stuck in its case with you tugging at the bellows to dislodge it! One minor incident like that was enough for me to abandon the original leather jug case and start making my own conventional cases.

 

I'm sure Pete Ward has avoided this flaw and his cases look very well crafted indeed. For those seeking to recapture some Jeffries nostalgia or who are looking for a very distinctive case it looks like Pete has provided a quality choice.

 

Greg

[michael sam wild]

I've got a couple of old ones , how much do people think they would cost to restitch, could a saddler, cobbler etc do it?

 

 

Could I do it myself?

[Claws]

I've got a couple of old ones , how much do people think they would cost to restitch, could a saddler, cobbler etc do it?

 

 

Many years ago I took an old Jefferies case to a saddler who made an almost exact replica for, IIRC, £32. What I should have done was have it made just slightly longer, to avoid the situations already described. However I knew no better then. It's weathered well!

[michael sam wild]

How did so many concertinas survive and still play if the box es were stood up on the polygonal base, if it's such a problem? Or is it really?

[RP3]

Michael, in addition to the possibility of the concertina getting stuck in the case, there's a more important issue of valves. When sitting upended in a jug case, one set of valves lies nice and flat while the other set is being tugged on by gravity and may ultimately develop a set that keeps them from resting snugly against the reedpan. So storing a concertina on its sides instead is a better -- if still not perfect -- option. But yes, the case does look neat.

 

Ross Schlabach