I need help with an antique concertina

[Peterson426]

Hello all,

My grandfather recently passed away and we found an old concertina in his things when we were cleaning. I know absolutely nothing about antique instruments, so I'm turning to you. There are 28 buttons on the side with the air valve, and 24 on the other. There are no exterior markings aside from a "made in germany" stamp and a plate that says "concertina" I opened it up and it looks very well made. I also found a stamp on the inside that says "4 18 29" I was wondering if that could be the date. Any information (maker, date, value, etc) you could give me would be extremely appreciated. This concertina is in great shape, if it is from 1929, it appears to been very lightly played and everything is in perfect condition. Thanks

 

 

[Peterson426]

[Peterson426]

[Peterson426]

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Edited July 8, 2011 by Peterson426

[Peterson426]

[Aquarussell]

Hello,

 

I don't have any answers for you, but just so you don't think that you are being ingnored, I wanted to post that the concertina pictured seems to be a Chemnitzer. We here don't know much about Chemnitzers! I am guessing that a lot of people are hoping that someone who knows the answers to you questions will post something.

 

Good luck,

Russell Hedges

Aquarussell

[Leo]

Hi Perterson426

 

The button layout looks remarkably close to these:

http://ciceroconcertina.weebly.com/downloads.html

 

The FAQ has some useful information too:

http://ciceroconcertina.weebly.com/chemnitzer-faq.html

 

They are from a site by one of out members Ted Kloba, but I haven't seen him here for a few months. He's our resident expert. He has a contact page, and I'd bet he'd be helpful with more information. He's close too; in Chicago. I can't help with anything more than that.

 

Thanks

Leo

[tango]

Hello There;

 

This looks like a Chemnitzer to me yes. Is there any other info in/on it that might link it to a factory or manufacturer?

In any case, it looks to be in great condition.

 

All the best with your search!

 

tango

[Peterson426]

I did take off the other side and there was a logo of a bird (eagle maybe) on top of a concertina with the words EINGETRAGENE SCHUTLZMARKE. Is anyone familiar with this logo?

[malcolmbebb]

I think the words are the equivalent of "registered trademark". The style of concertina is still played in Germany but not, AFAIK, much in the UK (not sure about US.

 

If the stamp is a date then it's in US format not European.

 

Pending a visit from a local expert, you might consider looking for a Chemnitzer or German concertina forum who'd probably be more familiar with that style of instrument.

 

Good luck

[Ethan Ham]

Pending a visit from a local expert, you might consider looking for a Chemnitzer or German concertina forum who'd probably be more familiar with that style of instrument.

 

You might want to try concertinamusic.com, it's the site of the U.S. [Chemnitzer] Concertina Association.

Edited July 9, 2011 by Ethan Ham

[MatthewVanitas]

Definitely agree it looks to be a Chemnitzer (see Wikipedia article here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemnitzer_concertina)

 

The style of concertina is still played in Germany but not, AFAIK, much in the UK (not sure about US.

 

Chemnitzers still have some popularity in the US, primarily in the Upper Midwest for polka music. If the OP's grandfather lived in that part of the US (and particularly if he was ethnically Germanic or Slavic), that would make total sense.

 

For a minor example of Chemnitzer being used for other-than-polka in the US, here's a clip by Americana rock band Sixteen Horsepower which features Chemnitzer prominently: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wu_d_tyroMI

 

 

Agree that going to a specifically Chemnitzer site might prove the most helpful (or contacting Ted directly). Out of curiosity, if I'm not prying, is someone in your family looking to restore (if needed) and play it, or just find out what it is and use it as a display piece, or sell it, or which?

[Anglo-Irishman]

I think the words are the equivalent of "registered trademark". The style of concertina is still played in Germany but not, AFAIK, much in the UK (not sure about US.

 

If the stamp is a date then it's in US format not European.

 

Pending a visit from a local expert, you might consider looking for a Chemnitzer or German concertina forum who'd probably be more familiar with that style of instrument.

 

Good luck

 

Malcolm,

The large Konzertina is played very little in Germany nowadays. What is called the "deutsche Konzertina" in German forums is the hexagonal, 20-button version for which Klingenthal is renowned. Players of Chemnitzers or Carlsfelders, if there are any, are individualists, like myself. Players of Bandoneons are mostly tango-oriented. None of the better-known genres of German traditional music include the K©onz©ertina in their canon of instruments, although the diatonic accordions are prominent in Alpine regions and the PA everywhere else.

 

I believe the situation was very different in the early 20th century, when there were more Konzertina clubs in Germany than there were football clubs! Together with the mandolin orchestras, these were part of working-class musical culture. The only Koncertina club that still exists, as far as I know, is the one in the city of Chemnitz, which is obviously a product of local patriotism. (For the duration of the German Democratic Republic, Chemnitz was renamed Karl-Marx-Stadt, so since German reunification the association between a Koncertina system and the name of the city has been restored.)

 

Cheers,

John