42 Button Jones Anglo

[chrism]

I've recently acquired a 42 button Jones Anglo -- there's a few things I'd be grateful for help with:

 

I'd like to date it: -- the S/N is 15381 -- in this site & elsewhere I've found a S/N 15266 dated as 1884 and another S/N 16340 dated 1885 -- Am I right to date mine as 1884 or 5 ?

 

The layout is that given in Jones' patent 9314 dated 23rd June 1884 -- so it must have been made quite soon after the patent was granted. Is it known if he made many of these? -- I've never seen another -- could mine be one of the very first ?

 

It is wooden ended (fretwork still intact) and bone (or ivory ? -- how might I tell ?) buttons. Nearly all of the buttons have numbers engraved on them -- corresponding to the numbers given in the patent layout. The two that have no numbers I'd guess were replacements at some time -- they're a different colour and also slightly larger (2/10s of a millimeter greater diameter) so they tend to stick. It'd be nice to replace them -- any suggestions for a source ?

 

I think the bellows are original -- and in very good nick -- I suspect it hasn't been played much. Should I give the bellows any kind of dressing before playing it a lot ?

 

Chris

 

It came with a box. There's no marking on this but it's distinctive -- hexagonal shaped, side opening (not at all like the top-opening boxes that are quite common) -- the hinge runs along the middle of one flat and the top of the opposite flat also hinges up. It's a little tatty but sound. My guess is that it was original with the concertina but how to be sure ?

 

There's a baffle within the action box -- the material of this has the texture of baked heavy paper. Should it be like that ? If I removed the baffles from both ends what might that do to the sound ?

[JimLucas]

The layout is that given in Jones' patent 9314 dated 23rd June 1884 .... Is it known if he made many of these? -- I've never seen another....

I believe (at least?) two other examples have been discussed here in the past.

 

Unfortunately, I'm having trouble getting the Search facility to restrict itself to relevant posts, so I can't easily point you to the more informative Topics.

 

The one I had for a while seemed designed for someone with larger hands/longer fingers, which is why I let it go. I liked the layout.

Edited August 26, 2011 by JimLucas

[michael sam wild]

I'm just about to post one on eBay. Nicely restored.