Alex West Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 (edited) This instrument came up at auction today, number 30389. The auctioneer's estimate was £100-£150. It just went under the hammer and was knocked down at £3,800, so £4,248 including buyers premium and VAT. This must be a record for an Aeola surely - even if it needs no work doing? Admittedly it's rare, one of only 4 made in 1924, but this is close to what it cost (in real terms) when it was made! Alex West Edited as wrong phot attached Edited October 27, 2011 by Alex West Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveS Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 (edited) This instrument came up at auction today, number 30389. The auctioneer's estimate was £100-£150. It just went under the hammer and was knocked down at £3,800, so £4,248 including buyers premium and VAT. This must be a record for an Aeola surely - even if it needs no work doing? Admittedly it's rare, one of only 4 made in 1924, but this is close to what it cost (in real terms) when it was made! Alex West Edited as wrong phot attached Staggering - and to think that John Nixon's Aeolas sold at auction a few weeks ago at a fraction of this - and they were probably in good fettle since they were played regularly. Edited October 28, 2011 by SteveS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saguaro_squeezer Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 That's a handsome price. Perhaps it's going to a collector. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spindizzy Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 This instrument came up at auction today, number 30389. The auctioneer's estimate was £100-£150. It just went under the hammer and was knocked down at £3,800, so £4,248 including buyers premium and VAT. This must be a record for an Aeola surely - even if it needs no work doing? Admittedly it's rare, one of only 4 made in 1924, but this is close to what it cost (in real terms) when it was made! Alex West Edited as wrong phot attached It looks like a large beast - with the handstraps as well. The ledger has a 56key bass baritone a few serial numbers later, but doesn't say anything about that number (unless it's on an earlier page) presumably it's a tenor treble at least. But that's certainly a high price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ptarmigan Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 ... presumably it's a tenor treble at least. But that's certainly a high price. Aye & I'd say it's an even higher price, if it's only an extended Treble! Cheers, Dick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Jowaisas Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 Ledgers indicate a model 18 which is an extended treble. Greg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Wooff Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 It is an Extended Treble and yes the price is high but, it is probably a similar situation to that found in the property market. In Real Estate you have 'Location Location Location' as the watch word... with Antiques, collectables and musical instruments it is usually 'Condition Condition Condition' that governs value. John Nixons instruments were well used and thus for the player they might have been half worn out. This one does look as if it has been used a good deal (broken thumb straps and the black colour has faded off the wrist starps) but perhaps the overal condition, either for a collector or for a player , is excellent for its age. There are many of us today who play Concertinas that are between 80 and 120 years old and we are used to the way they play but are they really playing the way they did when new ? If we wanted a new Aeola like this one it would cost more than the auction price and we would have to wait for two or more years. In the end this price could be just due to a 'bidding war'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ptarmigan Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 ... 'Location Location Location' Yes, I was wondering what part of the country this auction was held in & if it would make any difference to the final price paid, if the auction was in London or John o' Groats? Cheers, Dick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex West Posted October 28, 2011 Author Share Posted October 28, 2011 The auction for this particular concertina was near Derby, roughly in the middle of England. I understand there were at least 3 phone bidders but one of them (me!) pulled out quite early in the bidding. I'm not sure whether the instrument sold in the room, to a phone bidder or to an internet bidder. I haven't tracked all of the ebay and auction house sales this year, but from the sample I have, hammer prices have seemed fairly consistent and predictable whether the auction is in the south or north of England or in Scotland. Prices in the US do seem to have been slightly lower. I'd reckon that with the increase in phone and internet bidding and the increasing availability of information about forthcoming auctions, prices have become more consistent? Happy to have data which shows other trends. This instrument does seem to be an anomaly - fetching a lot more than recent auction house Jeffies anglos and almost as much as ebay Jeffries (where buying costs are less) Alex West Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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