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Jeffries Cranes - ?


danersen

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This is probably way, way up there in the "whatever is he thinking" or "just what is he smoking" category, but, nothing ventured ...

 

Jim (Lucas) mentioned "a 59-button Crane made by Jeffries" in another post.

 

I am curious how rare/plentiful these were/are/may be.

 

If anyone has an inclination to part with one so it can join two of its Jeffries duet siblings in Colorado, I'd love to arrange for a reunion.

 

In any case, I don't recall a thread devoted to Jeffries Cranes, here.

If there is, perhaps someone could point me to it.

If not, please opine.

 

Be Well,

Dan

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DAN - I share your curiosity on this one. I have never heard of a "Crane Jeffries" but if such a thing exists I would be competing with you in the market to get one.I have several Cranes, Wheatstone and Lachenal, and they are superb instruments. But , I have to say, one of the best instruments I ever heard was a Jeffries system duet ( which might be what you are referring to ), not to mention the extraordinarily good Jeffries Anglos that ITM players fight to get their hands on. If such a thing as a Jeffries Crane exists and there is more than one out there, I would appreciate it if you could help me track one down.

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Me too! But I suppose I should be happy to play and own what I believe to be the earliest Crane made by Wheatstone, no. 26228 from 1913.

 

I've seen 2 Jeffries Cranes in my travels. One in Liverpool owned by a collector, from whom I bought a swag of melodeons on a visit to UK about 12 years ago. He wouldn't part with the Jeffries though...

 

The other was in Bath about 30 years ago, owned by a dealer and part time book seller. However, it was spoken for prior to him showing it to me.

 

And of course I have heard about Jim's Jeffries Crane. I think he even linked it to a photo somewhere on this site, but I can't find it just now.

 

So that's at least 3....I'm sure there must be more out there...somewhere!

 

Incidentally, also while I was living in Bath, I saw the only Jeffries English I've ever come across. Belonged to an elderly American gentleman, just visiting UK as a tourist, and happened to bring his concertina with him. That one was just magic!

 

No sightings of "unusual" Jeffries in Oz thus far, though there are more than a fair number of Jeffries anglos in circulation.

 

Edited to add this link to Steve Phillips' excellent site showing a Jeffries Crane. http://www.craneconcertina.com/details.php?indexnum=46

(Hope you don't mind me jumping the gun, Steve; I'm sure you would have eventually posted this yourself....)

Edited by malcolm clapp
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Hello Dan,

 

I played Jim's Crane Jeffries in Sweden - about 5 years ago.

I don't know if it had 55 or 59 buttons but I remember well that it's a very fine instrument with the responsive Jeffries reeds...

After that I searched for a 55+ Crane made by Jeffries but no success.

Concertina dealers in UK confirmed that these instrument are very hard to find...

 

Best wishes,

Marien

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After that I searched for a 55+ Crane made by Jeffries but no success.

Concertina dealers in UK confirmed that these instrument are very hard to find...

 

They're rare enough that iwould seem they were only special order instruments, though maybe more "common" than Jeffries-labeled Englishes or Maccanns. I.e, instead of 3-5 of the E's or M's that I've heard of, I've heard of maybe 8-10 of the Cranes and actually seen one other than my own.

 

A question perhaps for Geoff Crabb, though: Since Crabb is reputed to have made some Jeffries instruments, at least in the early days, is it possible that some or even all of the Jeffries-labeled Cranes were really made by Crabb?

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Slightly off topic, but here's a clip of Sydney based Crane player Ralph Pride using his Crabb for song accompaniment.

As ceemonster said, a pretty Jeffries-ish sound.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c45qO8vTqJQ

And following that link you come across this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSelMln3hAY

 

I have a friend with a metal ended Jeffries Bros english pitched in G, so a sort of tenor, with 4 fold bellows and no papers.

Edited by Graham Collicutt
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Hello all. i am not a regular user of the forum but with all the comments about Jeffries Cranes i thought i would try and show a picture of the one i play. It is a 61 button ( including the air button) . I have just changed my profile image to show the jeffries Crane.

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"Never heard of him"

 

Decent enough bloke. Honest as the day is long (summers above the arctic or below the Antarctic circles). Master concertina and melodeon repairperson. Excellent musician and all around good guy (occasional midlife walkabouts not withstanding) Free with an encouraging word but not one to indulge in self importance.

 

I think that covers it. I could go on for a few more complimentary paragraphs but I believe he has an idea of the esteem he deservedly garners in certain circles.

 

Oh yes, nice playing and arranging on "Over the Rainbow".

 

Greg

Edited by Greg Jowaisas
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After that I searched for a 55+ Crane made by Jeffries but no success.

Concertina dealers in UK confirmed that these instrument are very hard to find...

 

They're rare enough that iwould seem they were only special order instruments, though maybe more "common" than Jeffries-labeled Englishes or Maccanns. I.e, instead of 3-5 of the E's or M's that I've heard of, I've heard of maybe 8-10 of the Cranes and actually seen one other than my own.

 

A question perhaps for Geoff Crabb, though: Since Crabb is reputed to have made some Jeffries instruments, at least in the early days, is it possible that some or even all of the Jeffries-labeled Cranes were really made by Crabb?

 

Jim,

 

If I remember well, your crane has black polished wooden ends and a slight bow pattern of the buttons in one, whereas the Jeffries Cranes with metal ends that shop up in this discussion look like Crabb made with the V pattern of the rows. Custom made I suppose, the question is who made it? The sound of yours is different (compared to reeds of my big Crabb which are sounding great by the way) - it maybe related to the wooden ends or would it suggest another maker of the reeds?

 

Best wishes, Marien

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