Rare H Boyd Concertina For Sale

[H Boyd Concertina]

Rare H Boyd Concertina with case for sale. Purchased in 1999 from Chris Algar of Barleycorn Concertinas. Have handwritten invoices and notes from Chris to Gene. Concertina has metal ends with H Boyd in the metal work on the end. Label says Lechenal & Co, Patent Concertina, Manufacturers, London. 48 metal buttons, metal ends, 5 folds. No professional work done on the concertina since purchase in 1999. Concertina played by Gene, my late husband until 2006. Serial # 45843 pictured. Gene understood it was made in 1890. Kept in case, in heated and airconditioned home. Listed on http://www.ebay.com/itm/191654066174?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1558.l2649 PayPal payment only. See Post #48 for detailed description of instrument by Cnet member Lawrence Reeves.

Edited August 7, 2015 by H Boyd Concertina

[JimLucas]

Rare H Boyd Concertina with case for sale. case.jpgC8.jpgC6.jpgC5.jpgC7.jpgC6.jpgC4.jpgC3.jpgC2.jpgC1.jpgPurchased in 1999 from Chris Algar of Barleycorn Concertinas. Have handwritten invoices and notes from Chris to Gene. Concertina has metal ends with H Boyd in the metal work on the end. Label says Lechenal & Co, Patent Concertina, Manufacturers, London. 48 metal buttons, metal ends, 5 folds. No work needed or done on the concertina since purchase in 1999. Concertina played by Gene until 2006. Kept in case, in heated and airconditioned home. Pristine condition. $4000. Free expedited shipping.

 

You seem to have neglected to mention: Who is Gene, and what's your relationship to him?

[Wolf Molkentin]

I was thinking everybody knew, except myself...

[H Boyd Concertina]

Gene was my late husband. He passed in March of 2006.

[JimLucas]

Gene was my late husband. He passed in March of 2006.

 

Then not the Gene I knew, since he's been active more recently.

 

Sorry for your loss. I hope you find a buyer. I wish I could buy it, but I simply don't have the funds.

[Mike Franch]

Sorry for your loss. I hope you find a buyer. I wish I could buy it, but I simply don't have the funds.

Echoing Jim's sentiments. Although it's been several years, it must be poignant to sell his instrument.

 

A question for the list: would this be a New Model, or some other Lachenal model. Or would there be unique features for this retailer?

[H Boyd Concertina]

I do not know the year when this concertina was made, but according to my memory of what Gene told me, this concertina was around 100 years old when he bought it in 1999. I would rather the instrument be played and enjoyed than to be kept silent in storage. This is the link to the retailer where Gene originally purchased this concertina. http://concertina.co.uk/

 

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6/13/2015

I did just find Gene's handwritten note in his concertina file which has these numbers on it. Looks like notes from a phone conversation. My belief is that 1890 is the year this instrument was made based on this note.

 

Cryptic as it is here goes: stopped at 8621 Chris Algar

0080

 

45000

@ 1890

5-fold

bowing valves, lever

 

flatwork r hand side

flatwork charged BOYD

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6/14/2015

I emailed Chris Algar to see if he could make sense of these numbers. He said, "I can’t really make a lot of sense of it. The 45000 could be an approximation of the serial number but I don’t know what it is-you can’t see it on the outside-although it would be on the inside.

If it was 45000 it would be more like 1900. It does have 5 fold bellows, and bowing valves.

I wonder if the word is “fretwork”-that does have “Boyd” set into the fret. As for the other numbers-they make no obvious sense to me. Sorry! Chris"

Edited June 14, 2015 by H Boyd Concertina

[Laitch]

If this is the concertina that was owned and played by the contradance caller in down Durham, NC, it's got a very good vibe, indeed!

[H Boyd Concertina]

Thank you!

Edited June 11, 2015 by H Boyd Concertina

[Mike Franch]

I would rather the instrument be played and enjoyed than to be kept silent in storage.

I hope my survivors would do the same. Instruments should be played.

 

You mentioned you have paperwork from Chris Algar. I presume you'll include it when you sell the instrument. That will tell the purchaser about one link in the chain of ownership. I hope you'd consider including a few words about your husband and how he used the instrument. That it was used by a contra dance caller and musician would add to the new owner's joy, I'd think, and might be the beginning of a chain of documentation. Some of us know when our concertinas were made, sometimes down to the day and month, but have no idea of their subsequent history until they came to us.

 

It would be nice if we all let people know about our link in the chain. Our instruments speak, but they won't tell that story!

[H Boyd Concertina]

Gene was playing this concertina on his front porch when I visited him at his home for the first time! Many fond memories are associated with this instrument and the concertina has much life in it yet to be lived through the next owner. I'd be happy to include what I have that is associated with the concertina. I believe there are some music books as well. There's a simple book about english concertinas and there's a fiddle book that I believe he used to teach himself songs.

[H Boyd Concertina]

Gene was famous in the contradance world. To this day, people are dancing "Gene Hubert dances" every night of the week all over the world.

At the time of his memorial dance, it was said that he wrote more contradances than anyone since the 14th century and was called the "King of Flow".

He taught himself to play the concertina, as he did a dulcimer that he made from a kit....just for fun. Gene was not famous for playing the concertina, but he thoroughly enjoyed playing it at home. He practiced regularly. So...that is some of the history of the owner.

[Geoff Wooff]

A question for the list: would this be a New Model, or some other Lachenal model. Or would there be unique features for this retailer?

As far as I know these Boyd Lachenal's are New Models with personalised Fretwork. The stories of Harry Boyd being such a good customer he could demand that his ordered instruments be made by the best workers are probably true.

 

I have worked on several Boyd Lachenals and they all had good reeds and a very bright tone. Worth more than a ordinary metal ended New Model ??

Edited June 11, 2015 by Geoff Wooff

[Laitch]

Gene's dances seem well-known among UK contradance societies.

For the contradance callers in the forum who understand dance figure lingo, here are some of them.

[H Boyd Concertina]

I thought I would post a link to Gene's picture here. This was his concertina. If anyone can tell me how to find the serial number, I would appreciate the assistance. It is not in the paperwork, and I have not located the serial number on the instrument.

 

http://www.susanmichaels.tv/dance/happy-birthday-gene-hubert/

Edited June 22, 2015 by H Boyd Concertina

[Tradewinds Ted]

Sometimes it is visible without opening it up, on the opposite end from the makers label, but I don't see it there in your pictures. The serial number might be written on the action board, inside one of the ends, if you are willing to carefully remove the six small screws that hold the end plate in place. (You may need to remove the screw on theend of the thumb strap as well, I can't tell) If you try this, I suggest opening only one end at a time; if the first one has no number then close it up again before trying the other end. Not absolutely necessary, but a good idea because it prevents juggling so many parts.

 

I know I've danced many of Gene's contradances over the last 30 years or so, and heard them called wherever I Iived, in the midwest, both coasts, and England. I met my wife at a dance, and I would expect some of his dances were called that evening. I don't expect that I ever met Gene, but anyone who has danced to his dances would be honored if they could play his instrument. I couldn't, as it is an English system concertina, and I play Anglo, and I'm not buying right now anyway, but I hope it ends up with someone who appreciates it.

 

Best wishes to you.

Edited June 12, 2015 by Tradewinds Ted

[H Boyd Concertina]

Thank you Ted, I don't think I'll open up the concertina, but that is good information. I definitely don't want to juggle any parts!

I appreciate your kind words. Gene's legacy of contradances brings people together in joy to this day and forever as long as people are dancing on this earth. I know the concertina will end up with someone who appreciates it.

[Chris Drinkwater]

Even if a serial number for this concertina is found, it would be difficult to accurately date it from the serial number because the Lachenal records, unlike the Wheatstone ledger records, have not survived and any attempt would be a guesstimate.

 

Chris