Rock Chidley Baritone

[Bassconcertina.net]

9 hours ago, alex_holden said:

 

You're replying to a seven year old topic and Steve never said the instrument was for sale.

 

6 hours ago, SteveS said:

I parted with the instrument about 5-6 years or so ago.  I wish I had another available.

You are right but he did sell it on another post, but your not wrong that this is seven years old.

[Geoff Wooff]

On 9/24/2021 at 8:33 PM, Bassconcertina.net said:

Come on! Id literally take any bass concertina on the face of the planet at this point. but nobody wants to sell.

You are  looking for  a Bass ?  I  know  someone  who    wants  to  sell  one,  but I  don't  think  they are  currently  on this  forum.  PM  for  details.

[fred v]

I bought a Chidley baritone a number of years ago but Barleycorn didn't know the maker. I opened it up just the other day and found the following stamped inside:

135 High Holborn

serial #2362

Doing some research I found this web site:

https://www.scatesconcertinas.com/pdf/ROCK CHIDLEY Concertina Maker.pdf

 

And this:  http://www.concertinas.org.uk/others.htm#Chidley

Mine is a 48 key and octave lower than my Wheatstone treble or tenor (not sure of the difference). It's not a fast player but has a nice sound and was fully restored with new bellows.

I would appreciate any comments,

Fred V

Edited September 27, 2021 by fred v

[SteveS]

I'm surprised Barleycorn didn't know the maker.  Rock Chidley concertinas have one typical diagnostic - there's a bird's eye cut into the fretwork on each side - look below the little finger rests.

Edited September 28, 2021 by SteveS

[Stephen Chambers]

 

On 9/24/2021 at 2:35 PM, SteveS said:

From memory, I believe the lowest note was C, making it a C bass.

I no longer have the instrument.

 

That it turned out to be a bass (of cello range), and not a baritone, makes this instrument much more interesting and historically important; since Charles Rutterford was the bass player in Richard Blagrove's Quartet.

[d.elliott]

On 9/28/2021 at 9:36 AM, SteveS said:

I'm surprised Barleycorn didn't know the maker.  Rock Chidley concertinas have one typical diagnostic - there's a bird's eye cut into the fretwork on each side - look below the little finger rests.

Yes I use the same tell-tale  of the birds head, beak and eye, although I don't know when they first started using it, or even why.