Jump to content

Grey Paolo Soprani button-box at ebay


conzertino

Recommended Posts

There is an old grey Paolo Soprani accordion at ebay

 

It is being sold by a charity so someone can do good and get one of these rare beauties!! I am lucky to own one...

 

That's a really odd-looking concertina. Is it one of Guran's 'let's improve the design of the concertina by throwing away absolutely everything that makes it a concertina' jobs?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There is an old grey Paolo Soprani accordion at ebay

 

It is being sold by a charity so someone can do good and get one of these rare beauties!! I am lucky to own one...

 

That's a really odd-looking concertina. Is it one of Guran's 'let's improve the design of the concertina by throwing away absolutely everything that makes it a concertina' jobs?

It claims it's an accordion, Steve. I used to play them but I saw the light. However I can therefore confirm that it is no accordion because it doesn't have a piano keyboard. I can only think you are right in your supposition.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There should be a few members here, who look above the rim of a concertina-box ;-)

 

This litte gem ( it is in fact an "Irish" button-accordion ) is known to the knowing as the "holy grey" and should fetch considerably more than a Jeffries anglo in similar condition... I think the last one sold at ebay for about 7.500 pound a few years ago...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

However I can therefore confirm that it is no accordion because it doesn't have a piano keyboard.

 

Looks like a pretty normal button accordion to me! Well, "pretty" is perhaps the wrong word - mother-of-toilet-seat is a finish I could do without. However, although it's tacky on concertinas, it's quite normal for accordions. :P

 

BTW, what has a piano keyboard got to do with it? Don't all European free-reeders have buttons, except for two - the PA and the harmonium?

 

Cheers,

John

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Humorous (?) remarks aside, this is far from the first time an accordion of one type or another has been presented for sale here, and plenty of our members (though not me) play both accordions and concertinas. I believe Robert (conzertino) is mainly giving a heads-up in case another of our members is interested. I expect he's done the same on melodeon.net, though I haven't bothered to check.

 

Looks like a pretty normal button accordion to me!

And how many concertina-naive individuals can tell the difference (especially from a single photo) between a top Jeffries or a Boyd English and a run-of-the-mill Lachenal or even a Stagi? For that matter, how many would recognize that amboyna wasn't just a variety of mother-of-toilet-seat? (By the way, do they still make toilet seats with "that" finish?)

 

It's a serious post about a serious listing.

If you're not interested, why not leave discussion to those who are?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For that matter, how many would recognize that amboyna wasn't just a variety of mother-of-toilet-seat? (By the way, do they still make toilet seats with "that" finish?)

 

Hmmm, a toilet seat in amboyna veneer with gold fittings. Sure makes a certain part of my anatomy smile:-}

 

 

Alex West

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

If you're not interested, why not leave discussion to those who are?

 

OK, if you really don't get it, allow me to explain.

 

The posting is nothing to do with concertinas. So one has to suspect that the only reason for putting it here must be that the poster wants us to know that he's already got one of these deeply unexciting things. It's fair game on both counts.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ello Ello Ello -- knowledge is power - when everyone gets to know that there is a Jeffries laying under some rubbish in my local charity shop then I am absolutely sure I ain't going to get a good deal on it and it will go way beyond my means. So worthwhile thinking whether you tell anyone before the sale is over. Or just tell your mates whom u know may want something.

 

If this IS a grey Paolo (as opposed to the other part of the family (Settimio) and it is from the right period, then some professional Irish players (it is Italian by the way, not Irish) will pay a bomb even for such a "melodeon (Frenchies call 'em accordeon diatonique -sans accents) in bad condition.

 

 

It is allegedly about the sound and reeds why some players think it is so good.

 

They would deduct it against tax from their gig income.

 

So the delicate issues to be tackled is when to keep your bellows shut and play shtum (no recrimination Conzertino, but you can see how the price is leaping up!) (Dont tell anyone but Dirge confided to me over chish and fips at ECMW where Chas and Dave feed with Del Boy, that he Dirge buys his instruments like painting by numbers - the more buttons the more desirable :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

 

I could well have bid on the Leggit-Quick-before-the-Fuzz-Crabb=us harmoniumn but I thought best leave it alone and let our our smart-eye of this Parish have the pleasure of getting a solo bid win -- and now we are having lots of interesting chat generated by his 5.50 acquisition.

 

I had a killing on a mini accordion with keyboard last year, in its original cardboard box. No one had spotted it and I won it for peanuts with only bid. It cost me more in fuel to go saaf of the rivah Thames to collect it. Although I even kept those costs down as it easily fitted into my mobike backbox, and no congestion charge to pay.

 

By killing I mean I ended up with absolutely atrocious rubbish - there I was - chugged to the maximum and not as smart as Ithough.

The young lady who had put it up for the charity shop had hyped it unknowingly with all kinds of antique attributes. I always say everyone can grasp music if they are able to talk in normal cadences. But she may have been the exception that proved the rule when it came to 'plays well'.....

 

Fortunately it was peanuts( think it was a 10er)! I am keeping it as a (free) prize for some weekend event for the most adventurous tunemaker.

Edited by Kautilya
Link to comment
Share on other sites

There is an old grey Paolo Soprani accordion at ebay

 

It is being sold by a charity so someone can do good and get one of these rare beauties!! I am lucky to own one...

 

 

Thanks Conzertino for bringing this to our attention. I have passed on the link to a couple of contacts who have been looking for one of these for some time.

 

Geoffrey

Edited by Geoffrey Crabb
Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

If you're not interested, why not leave discussion to those who are?

 

OK, if you really don't get it, allow me to explain.

 

The posting is nothing to do with concertinas. So one has to suspect that the only reason for putting it here must be that the poster wants us to know that he's already got one of these deeply unexciting things. It's fair game on both counts.

Some of us are interested in both concertinas and accordions, of one sort or other. The obvious reason for posting it is, as Geoff and others said, as a heads up for those who may be interested. I doubt the OP has a Paulo Soprani, they are megabucks boxes. See the listing,it's over £4.5k and very few concertinas get there.

But, just for clarity, I have several concertinas and even more melodeons/button accordions. I find both interesting.

This forum is noted on Melodeon.net as being snobbish. I used to defend it, having a foot in both camps. I am finding that harder to do.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

This forum is noted on Melodeon.net as being snobbish. I used to defend it, having a foot in both camps. I am finding that harder to do.

Not to worry - there are more melodeonised tina players here than you might imagine - for those who did not know, Paolo (not Paulo Malcolm) is a name to conjure with, and you also know now to buy the next gray you see for the 20 quid asked or it will end up over five grand like this one.......

 

In the meantime, just feel the reeds vibrating (slightly different setup on this first video_) tho all are not what they might seem (e.g. Grey for green)

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GVkzXUQa2k

and perhaps here

 

 

on the right?

 

reed mix a bit too complicated for me to grasp but intrestin'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHDZ6NEvVf0

 

and

http://comhaltas.ie/music/detail/comhaltaslive_242_4_billy_mccomiskey_plays_button_accordion

 

other players like lots of whistles and this one can play along very nicely with a range of tinas from the tenors to the big basses such as Dirges

http://acclab.com/accordionlab/mall/preown/PaoloSBC/paolosbc.htm

 

This sounds like a familiar fellah - anyone heard him play his Elite II? :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

 

and, irresistibly, hear the richness of this (it's a modern Folk )

Edited by Kautilya
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...