Dating A Lachenal From The Serial Number

[Triplem]

I have a 28 Key Lachenal & Co. Patent concertina, London. It has one additional key on one side for a total of 29.

The serial number is L32475  I don't play the concertina and know nothing about them. It belonged to my late wife. Any information you can provide is much appreciated. Thanks, Mike Miller

[robert ballard]

I am restoring a 20key anglo Lachenal with #121609 on inside and was wondering about date?

[Donny Duck]

Hello all the people. I am new to concertinas. I just got my first one last week. I was wondering about it's history. It is a Lachenal 20 key anglo #42070

[George Atkinson]

On 6/3/2017 at 1:21 PM, Dowright said:

I should have indicated that, if you send me a serial number and description for your Lachenal concertina, I will gladly provide an approximate of the year of manufacture. It will be a while before I complete my article on Lachenal concertinas and the estimated manufacture dates.

I have just examined a concertina that has been in the family for at least 70 years. 

The label states" Lachenal & Co, Patent concertina Manufacturers, London. The serial number is 17472.

It has 15 bone keys on each side with a single one by the handle on one side.

There are  6 bellows. Markings on one of the handles "Steel Reeds", other markings "English"   "M A K"

I know nothing about concertinas, would appreciate any information as to origin/date/value.

It is in a wooden box, the shape of the concertina, the box is marked "Viceroy" made in Saxony.

Many thanks for any help.  George Atkinson 

[wes williams]

On 3/23/2021 at 4:31 PM, George Atkinson said:

I have just examined a concertina that has been in the family for at least 70 years. 

The label states" Lachenal & Co, Patent concertina Manufacturers, London. The serial number is 17472.

It has 15 bone keys on each side with a single one by the handle on one side.

There are  6 bellows. Markings on one of the handles "Steel Reeds", other markings "English"   "M A K"

I know nothing about concertinas, would appreciate any information as to origin/date/value.

It is in a wooden box, the shape of the concertina, the box is marked "Viceroy" made in Saxony.

Many thanks for any help.  George Atkinson 

Hi George,

Something doesn't quite add up here. The text on the label and the handles (MAK is actually Make) suggests an instrument made after ~1878. We would expect this date to have a serial number around 47000 upwards, so the number you supplied doesn't accord. In the past we've found that often one digit of the serial is hidden behind the fretwork, so could you check it very carefully. If the number was 117472 we'd be looking at a date circa 1890, 17472x would be circa 1905.

[JudeMuso]

I live in South Australia, have a family heirloom Lachenal Anglo student concertina 22 button in excellent condition, serial No. 42759 and would love to know date of manufacture?  An ancestral name Miss Yeatman is on the Wheatstone index, 3 payments (purchase order 969) in 1853.  I would love to connect this with the antique instrument I now have, in good working order.  I have tried to link in to this forum but can't seem to connect.  Please advise.  Thanking you.  Judy Pearce

[wes williams]

Dowright has previously dated anglos 36768  as circa 1874 and 46951 as January 1878, so circa 1876 is a good guess.

[wes williams]

To catch up with date requests since last November:

English

Syncopepper: 29161 circa 1889

tealeaf:  36736 circa 1898, 10104 circa 1865

 

Duet

Mike Hulme 4455 circa 1926

 

Anglo

Triplem: L32475 (probably 132475?) circa 1893

robert ballard: 121609  circa 1892

Donny Duck: 42070 circa 1876

 

[michelle]

Hi , this Lachenal has been in my family for many years , I would love to find out a bit more about it the date , the type of wood etc 

The number is 127594

It had some restoration work done 7 years ago

I have attached some photos . 

Many Thanks 

[Stephen Chambers]

13 hours ago, wes williams said:

Triplem: L32475 (probably 132475?) circa 1893

 

Or does it say R32475 in the other end Triplem? (The R and the L signify Right and Left.)

[wes williams]

Michelle - 127594 was made circa 1892

 

Mike Miller (Triplem) If the first figure was an 'L' as Stephen suggests above - which means you got it from the inside of the instrument - 32475 would be circa 1874.

[googe]

Hi all, thanks for adding me. I have inherited a lachenal concertina and I am trying to age it with no luck, lots of conflicting info online. Its got two numbers on it, one says patent #4752. The other number says 4035. Thankyou for any help.

[wes williams]

googe - the patent number 4752 applies to all Maccann system instruments. The serial number 4035 dates this instrument to circa 1923. A fuller description of the instrument (number of buttons, etc) would  be useful to us.

Edited May 13, 2021 by wes williams

[googe]

1 hour ago, wes williams said:

googe - the patent number 4752 applies to all Maccann system instruments. The serial number 4035 dates this instrument to circa 1923. A fuller description of the instrument (number of buttons, etc) would  be useful to us.

Thanks mate, really appreciate it. Its 48 button, has got steel reeds engraved on it. Such a beautiful old instrument. Amazing condition for age and sounds good. 

[Theo]

I count 46 buttons in the photos rather than 48

[d.elliott]

googe

Adhesive labels onto the polish will damage it and reduce the instrument's value/ saleability

[Richard Mellish]

6 hours ago, d.elliott said:

googe

Adhesive labels onto the polish will damage it and reduce the instrument's value/ saleability

While that is probably true, how important is it relative to playability by its current owner?

[d.elliott]

Richard, it would be nice to be able to see through our finger tips, and have finger tips that can also read. What I offered was a statement based upon experience. perhaps the player had not realised the risk?

Edited May 17, 2021 by d.elliott