Jump to content

Lachenal With Anglo Hand Rests But English Reeds.


Hoges

Recommended Posts

I have just bought a Lachenal & Co sight unseen at an auction (why do I do that? :unsure: ) It has anglo hand rests so I thought "Anglo" but the reed layout is English. The buttons look anglo ish and there is a hole for an air v/v which judging by the wear may have been used at one point, but it could not have been on the valve plate that is now fitted?

 

Serial No 2733 Right hand rest marked STEEL REEDS : ENGLISH MAKE: TRADE MARK and the other side of the rest has Patent No 4752.

 

My intention was to refurbish this one and use it until my Kensington arrives in the spring. Now really not sure what to do with it. Any suggestions?

 

Pete Hogan post-11879-0-77380100-1441968173_thumb.jpgpost-11879-0-60995500-1441968182_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What you have bought there Pete is a Duet. A 39 key MacCann by the look of it. These are the smallest size of MacCann duet and unfortunately do look like an Anglo from a distance.

 

These smallest duets have a value though it won't be very much I'm afraid. So, hoping you did not pay too much for your 'anglo'...

 

Best of luck with learning the duet, it is worth doing.

Geoff.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What you have bought there Pete is a Duet. A 39 key MacCann by the look of it. These are the smallest size of MacCann duet and unfortunately do look like an Anglo from a distance.

 

These smallest duets have a value though it won't be very much I'm afraid. So, hoping you did not pay too much for your 'anglo'...

 

Best of luck with learning the duet, it is worth doing.

Geoff.

Thanks Geoff,

 

I didn't pay lots for it and it is in very original condition as far as I can tell. It needs new valves and some pads, the bellows look good but leather is a bit crispy. Should keep me busy for a while.

 

Thanks for the reply.

 

Pete.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have just bought a Lachenal & Co sight unseen at an auction (why do I do that? :unsure: ) It has anglo hand rests so I thought "Anglo" but the reed layout is English. The buttons look anglo ish and there is a hole for an air v/v which judging by the wear may have been used at one point, but it could not have been on the valve plate that is now fitted?

 

Serial No 2733 Right hand rest marked STEEL REEDS : ENGLISH MAKE: TRADE MARK and the other side of the rest has Patent No 4752.

 

My intention was to refurbish this one and use it until my Kensington arrives in the spring. Now really not sure what to do with it. Any suggestions?

 

A bit of explanation. When you say "the reed layout is English", I presume that you mean each button sounds the same note in both directions, which is the case with the "English concertina". But the "English" is more significantly characterized by a particular layout of the buttons and notes, not just a single note per button. As others have noted, what you have is a Maccann duet, on which each button also sounds the same note in both bellows directions, but where the layout of buttons and notes is quite different from an English. There are even different kinds of "duets", with layouts of the buttons and notes that differ radically from each other.

 

Best not to buy another concertina until you learn more about the differences. But since your Kensington is on order, and if the wait isn't too long, I would suggest (as Geoff also suggested) that you work with your little Maccann. Even if it's not your ideal, it should give you practice with various aspects of playing that are shared by all concertinas and will (I hope) keep you from going stir crazy in the meantime. (Well, that worked for me ;): I found a cheap 20-button Italian anglo to keep me busy until I managed to get an English of my own, and it was enough, though it didn't convince me to switch to anglo as my main squeeze.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

I have just bought a Lachenal & Co sight unseen at an auction (why do I do that? :unsure: ) It has anglo hand rests so I thought "Anglo" but the reed layout is English. The buttons look anglo ish and there is a hole for an air v/v which judging by the wear may have been used at one point, but it could not have been on the valve plate that is now fitted?

 

Serial No 2733 Right hand rest marked STEEL REEDS : ENGLISH MAKE: TRADE MARK and the other side of the rest has Patent No 4752.

 

My intention was to refurbish this one and use it until my Kensington arrives in the spring. Now really not sure what to do with it. Any suggestions?

 

A bit of explanation. When you say "the reed layout is English", I presume that you mean each button sounds the same note in both directions, which is the case with the "English concertina". But the "English" is more significantly characterized by a particular layout of the buttons and notes, not just a single note per button. As others have noted, what you have is a Maccann duet, on which each button also sounds the same note in both bellows directions, but where the layout of buttons and notes is quite different from an English. There are even different kinds of "duets", with layouts of the buttons and notes that differ radically from each other.

 

Best not to buy another concertina until you learn more about the differences. But since your Kensington is on order, and if the wait isn't too long, I would suggest (as Geoff also suggested) that you work with your little Maccann. Even if it's not your ideal, it should give you practice with various aspects of playing that are shared by all concertinas and will (I hope) keep you from going stir crazy in the meantime. (Well, that worked for me ;): I found a cheap 20-button Italian anglo to keep me busy until I managed to get an English of my own, and it was enough, though it didn't convince me to switch to anglo as my main squeeze.

 

 

I played the Jeffries belonging to the Abingdon Morris Men for many (25) years so I do have some knowledge of Anglos! What I meant by "English" was the same note in and out.

 

I had heard the names "duet" and "McCann" mentioned but until now never saw one!

 

I shall restore this one as loving as possible and then see if I stand any chance of playing it !!

 

Pete

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I played the Jeffries belonging to the Abingdon Morris Men for many (25) years so I do have some knowledge of Anglos! What I meant by "English" was the same note in and out.

 

I had heard the names "duet" and "McCann" mentioned but until now never saw one!

 

I shall restore this one as loving as possible and then see if I stand any chance of playing it !!

Good to hear. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello Pete,if you happen to have more time than sense you could always try something I did recently.I have had a couple of those 39 key McCanns around for years and have often thought of trying to do something with them other than let them get split up for reeds.Earlier this year I spent many a happy hour tinkering with the identical model to yours and ended up with this.post-536-0-63031400-1442008222_thumb.jpgI learnt a lot but wouldn't really recommend it as the end result still only has quite low grade Lachenal reeds.Regards David.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Going back 55 to 60 years i went to a Morris Ring meeting at Abingdon. The musician for the Abingdon Morrismen played a Duet concertina. I'm pretty certain it was a Maccann Duet but I didn't know much about duet concertinas at that time. The name "Francis" springs to mind but I could easily be wrong. So a playing duet concertina for the Abingdon Morris Men would be continuing an old Abingdon tradition.

 

Inventor.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Going back 55 to 60 years i went to a Morris Ring meeting at Abingdon. The musician for the Abingdon Morrismen played a Duet concertina. I'm pretty certain it was a Maccann Duet but I didn't know much about duet concertinas at that time. The name "Francis" springs to mind but I could easily be wrong. So a playing duet concertina for the Abingdon Morris Men would be continuing an old Abingdon tradition.

 

Inventor.

Hi Inventor,

 

That would be Francis Fryer who was a musician with the side, before my time sadly, but I have heard many stories of him from the older members of the Team. There is only one chap alive now who would remember him but he was only a boy at the time and is not a musician so probably would not know.

 

There is an extensive photo record which has pictures of Francis in, I will have a look and see what he is playing.

 

Hoges

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Roger,

 

I think the photo is a gentleman called Len Bardwell, Major Fryer was a much more upright man and had a moustache in the photos I have seen of him.

 

Stuart Jackson, who would remember him has just gone on holiday today, as luck would have it, I will confirm with him in a couple of weeks when he returns.

Pete.

Edited by Hoges
Link to comment
Share on other sites

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...