Found Concertina In Basement

[CM_Canada]

Hi everyone,

 

We found this concertina in our basement. . It is missing 2 keys on one side, and 3 on the other. The leather strap on one side is off.

We have no idea what the value is on this.We were going to toss it....but have been offered $150 - $200 from people who would like to buy it from us... is this a good idea, or are we sitting on something special?

The markings says "Empress Concertina Shutz Marke" and it has a bird imprinted as well.

 

Any thoughts or ideas would be appreciated!

Thank you!

[malcolmbebb]

Hi,

What you have there is called a "German" concertina - manufactured from around late 19th c in Germany, oddly enough, to the present day - but now in China. "German" describes how the buttons and their associated levers are arranged, in simple terms.

 

They were produced, usually cheaply, in their thousands, mostly for export. "Schutzmarke" means trademark, I am far from sure but I would guess 1920s to 1930s for yours. but it could be later.

 

They don't command high prices, they crop up fairly often on Ebay for instance, and while they usually seem to sell, it's not economic to get them restored.

 

"Empress" is a trade mark I've seen on other boxes, but I'm no historian. I think it's a brand rather than a make, could be wrong.

 

My opinion - if I were offered $150 for such a box, I would take it. Quickly.

[Chris Drinkwater]

This looks to me like an oldish, cheap German Anglo concertina - certainly nothing special. And, without, I hope, sounding rude, if you have been offered $150 - $200 for it, in its present seemingly rather decrepit condition, I would take it. It's probably not worth more than $50, as it is.

 

Chris

[CM_Canada]

Thanks everyone!

[Stephen Chambers]

"Empress" and the swan emblem were trade marks of the Brunndöbra (Klingenthal, Saxony) firm Otto Weidlich, who were in business from 1873 up until the late 1940s. They also made melodeons and harmonicas.

 

As for the $150 - $200 offer - take it!