Earliest Octogonal Aeola 23036

[Konzertina-123]

This concertina which was for auction today and ended for only GBP 680 (!) appears to be probably one of the oldest known octogonal Wheatstones, with an unusual fretwork. Has anyone won this auction ?

 

http://www.greatwesternauctions.com/catalogues/gs310312/lot0493.html

[Geoff Wooff]

I had thought about bidding for this Aeola but then the price might have risen to £1000 and that would be a high amount because I only buy Concertinas to play and that one needs some serious work done to the wooden ends. For a Collector or Museum it would be fine and if it is one of the first Octagonal models then that might have been its destination.

 

The ends of this one are 'de-laminating' or the Ebony Veneer has become unglued and cracked. This would take quite a bit of work to repair nicely and then perhaps the 'Patina' of age would be lost.

 

The fact that the Ebony Ends are in bad shape might also suggest that there will be other woodwork problems to correct due perhaps to adverse storage conditions at some point in its long life.

 

Incidentally, why do you think this would be one of the first Octagonal models... I realise the number puts its manufacture date just before 1900... ?

Edited April 1, 2012 by Geoff Wooff

[Chris Drinkwater]

Well, unfortunately, the serial number of this concertina, 23036, means that its record is in the one volume of the ledgers covering the period January 1892 to May 1910, which is missing, presumed lost or destroyed, so we cannot check up on it. However, as approximately 200 concertinas on average were made between these dates, I would date it as having been made around 1901. Looking at the ledgers, it would appear that English Aeolas, not necessarily octagonal, make their first appearance in the Production Ledgers from September 1889, some 11 years before the date this one was manufactured. So, not one of the earliest Aeolas, but perhaps an early octagonal one!

 

Chris