Dating A Lachenal From The Serial Number

[Mike Acott]

Wescan you give a date for a Lachenal Baritone ser no is 12814. 

Regards.

Mike

[wes williams]

Mike - We would estimate 12814 as circa 1867.

[Eleanore Rea]

I've just bought this Lachenal Rosewood Domed wooden end 48 button treble EC serial number 43903 and wondered if anyone can tell me how old it is and a bit more about its history. I'm new to concertina playing. 

 

Thank you in advance!

[wes williams]

We'd estimate it was made circa 1905. You can find a Lachenal price list from this date here.

[Eleanore Rea]

17 minutes ago, wes williams said:

We'd estimate it was made circa 1905. You can find a Lachenal price list from this date here.

Thank you Wes. Interestingly the case that came with it is leather but that seems to be associated with the Ebony wood range. Do you know how the domed ends were described at the time? 

[wes williams]

Your concertina is a 'New Model' and Lachenal would build a concertina to any customer specification. A slightly later price list here  (c.1916?) shows that rosewood ended models were introduced.

[Eleanore Rea]

Thank you Wes! That looks like the one. 

[JohnBeaumont]

I’ve had my Lachenal for nearly a year now, and I’d be very interested to learn approximately when it was made.  

 

I think its number is 87525 (see photos).  I bought it from Barleycorn and I don’t have the original case because it was supplied without it, so there’s no dating information from that.  I understand the original case wouldn't have had space for the increased bellows.

 

I’ll try and send more photos.

Edited July 24, 2024 by JohnBeaumont
Wrote would instead of wouldn't

[JohnBeaumont]

Here’s some more photos; one with the address of the manufacturer while the other clarifies the number ‘2’ in the serial number.  Looking forward to finding out more about this instrument!

 

 

Regards

John

Edited July 24, 2024 by JohnBeaumont
Removal of correction because error is now edited out

[wes williams]

Hi John,

87525 doesn't fit in our series of numbers for Lachenal English as they only go up to around 60700, although we do have one confirmed as 87733 which is probably mis-stamped. I think your last two pictures probably show '3' as the first number, and 37525 would be estimated as circa 1899. The picture showing the reed pan with '8 Little James St.' also points to roughly this date as their later addresses were '4 Little James St.' and  '4 & 6 Little James St.'.

Edited July 24, 2024 by wes williams

[JohnBeaumont]

Thanks Wes, that's great to know.

[LR71]

 

32 button C/G, bone air button and drone C, Bb/Bb button on left and right I think (friend's instrument).  I thought this had two serial numbers at first, one on each side:  188102 and 122102, as the left side stamp has 122 in one pan and 102 in the next, markings are faint, the last digit is crammed into a corner.  But I think what looked like 188 is just a more forcibly stamped 122. 

 

Stamped J.CRABB/EST 1890/etc on the bottom of one of the pans.

 

What is considered the golden age of Lachenal?

[wes williams]

We'd estimate 122102 as c. 1892

[wes williams]

Matt Heumann wrote: Would appreciate a manufacturing date for Lachenal Edeophone 56-key Treble #35875

 

Mike Acott wrote: I have another Lachenal anglo number for you ,it is 52091, many thanks .

 

Matt: 35875 is estimated as circa 1897

 

Mike: 52091 is estimated as circa 1879. Number of buttons please?

Edited August 26, 2024 by wes williams

[Matthew Heumann]

Thank-you very much Wes, you're truly a great contributor to our concertina historical knowledge. Sorry I posted the request in the wrong thread, mistake noted for future.

[hjcjones]

Here is my F/C 30 button baritone anglo, serial no 156054, Can you please advise the date?

l

[wes williams]

We estimate 156054 as c.1897

[juris]

On 8/22/2024 at 6:23 AM, wes williams said:

Matt Heumann wrote: Would appreciate a manufacturing date for Lachenal Edeophone 56-key Treble #35875

 

Mike Acott wrote: I have another Lachenal anglo number for you ,it is 52091, many thanks .

 

Matt: 35875 is estimated as circa 1876.

 

Mike: 52091 is estimated as circa 1879. Number of buttons please?

Hello Wes, I thought the Edeophone was only introduced around 1890. Is 1876 a typographical error? Sincerely, Juris