Dating A Lachenal From The Serial Number

[David Clarke]

Thank you Stephen,

The serial  number is very clear - 54982.

Unfortunately, the photo I have of the concertina 

is too large to send. I will take another photo

and reduce its size, and try to send it again.

Many thanks,

David 

[David Clarke]

9 hours ago, Stephen Chambers said:

 

Welcome aboard David!

 

There's a bit more to it than that I'm afraid, in that Lachenal's had more than one number sequence, for different types of concertinas, plus there's a potential ambiguity about Anglo serial numbers because of the huge number of them (more than 200,000!) that they made.

 

Also, there's potentially a bit of a trade-off in information in that you can help us with the dating project by describing (or, better still, photographing) the instrument you have.

 

So, if it's an English-system concertina (4 rows of buttons, usually totalling 48 in number), #54982 would have been made towards the end of 1912, whilst if it's an Anglo-system (2, or 3, rows of buttons, usually totalling 20, or 30, in number), #54982 would have been made in 1879, though there could be a lead digit 1 that's not immediately visible unless you look carefully for it, in which case the date for #154982 would be 1897.

 

[David Clarke]

9 hours ago, Stephen Chambers said:

 

Welcome aboard David!

 

There's a bit more to it than that I'm afraid, in that Lachenal's had more than one number sequence, for different types of concertinas, plus there's a potential ambiguity about Anglo serial numbers because of the huge number of them (more than 200,000!) that they made.

 

Also, there's potentially a bit of a trade-off in information in that you can help us with the dating project by describing (or, better still, photographing) the instrument you have.

 

So, if it's an English-system concertina (4 rows of buttons, usually totalling 48 in number), #54982 would have been made towards the end of 1912, whilst if it's an Anglo-system (2, or 3, rows of buttons, usually totalling 20, or 30, in number), #54982 would have been made in 1879, though there could be a lead digit 1 that's not immediately visible unless you look carefully for it, in which case the date for #154982 would be 1897.

 

[David Clarke]

Hello Stephen,

I hope the photographs will be okay.

concertina.docconcertina.docconcertina.docconcertina.docconcertina.docconcertina.doc

concertina (1).doc

[DickT]

Mystery solved.

 

On 11 Aug David Robertson mentioned a serial number query from June 2019 for a 56 key ET Edeophone. He now has a 48 on his bench with the same serial no. The confusion was caused be me; in my query I gave a sn of 39825 for my Edeophone, it should have been 39823.

[Leonard]

12 hours ago, DickT said:

Mystery solved.

 

On 11 Aug David Robertson mentioned a serial number query from June 2019 for a 56 key ET Edeophone. He now has a 48 on his bench with the same serial no. ....

It was Dave Elliott's bench, not David Robertson's.

Edited September 9, 2022 by Leonard
Adding the second 't' in Elliott

[DickT]

My mistake.

[Paul Read]

Lachenal 30-button, rosewood-ended 6-fold bellows, steel reeds 130021.  I'm guessing 1892 based on info in previous responses?  Thanks.

[Stephen Chambers]

1 hour ago, Paul Read said:

Lachenal 30-button, rosewood-ended 6-fold bellows, steel reeds 130021.  I'm guessing 1892 based on info in previous responses?  Thanks.

 

Close, but 1893 according to the most recent tweak of the estimates.

[Stephen Chambers]

On 9/9/2022 at 7:20 AM, David Clarke said:

Hello Stephen,

I hope the photographs will be okay.

 

Thanks David, plenty good enough to tell that it's a basic 20-key Anglo with mahogany ends. It may have brass reeds, which was the cheapest option, or steel reeds, which are better - if they're steel it will be stamped into the strap handle on the right-hand side.

[Paul Read]

4 hours ago, Stephen Chambers said:

 

Close, but 1893 according to the most recent tweak of the estimates.

Thanks Stephen

[RogerT]

Hello, I’ve got a 48key steel reeded Lachenal EC with brass inlay, serial #16812. Are you able to date this for me please? 
picture attached.

thanks!

[wes williams]

Roger,

We'd estimate 16812 as circa 1871.

[RogerT]

15 minutes ago, wes williams said:

Roger,

We'd estimate 16812 as circa 1871.

Thanks v much!

[Sprunghub]

Could you advise/confirm on a Lachenal made, 32k ( all note reeds / no whistles, duck calls etc ); full width, fairly simple fret pattern metal ends, 5 fold bellows, steel reeds with bone buttons, ser. no. 104785.  A relatively 'close' number previously advised as being from April 1888? but may have been subject to revision.   Tia.      

[Stephen Chambers]

2 hours ago, Sprunghub said:

Could you advise/confirm on a Lachenal made, 32k ( all note reeds / no whistles, duck calls etc ); full width, fairly simple fret pattern metal ends, 5 fold bellows, steel reeds with bone buttons, ser. no. 104785.  A relatively 'close' number previously advised as being from April 1888? but may have been subject to revision.        

 

The latest revision indicates 1889 for #104785.

[Sprunghub]

Many thanks.....

 

[Mike Acott]

Can any one give a date for Lachenal no 23503 a48 key Amboyna, raised ends brown bellows (recently replaced).

Mike