Are These Initials Common In Lachenal Fretwork..?

[Chris Ghent]

This picture is of a 5" 20 key Lachenal. We were discussing installing a c# pair and suddenly noticed the letters in the fretwork.

[Takayuki YAGI]

I once saw these initials(M&Co) listed on ebay in 2008, slightly different but similar. I didn't bid on it but it was a semi-miniature too.

Edited July 25, 2017 by Takayuki YAGI

[Greg Jowaisas]

I've had a number of L&Co instrument pass through my hands. Several were 20b and I still have a 30b. All were rosewood and semi-miniatures.

 

I wish I had seen the one Takayuki san mentioned. Murdoch & Co?

 

Greg

[mike byrne]

This is my 5'' 20 key with B S & S in the fretwork

(Barnett Samuel and Sons)

[Chris Ghent]

I had assumed L&Co referred to Lachenal but the existence of other initials might suggest L&Co was another firm with coincident initials. I didn't note the serial number but from memory it is 94,000 plus a few.

 

Could they have been a personalised gift for, say, firms that had bought large numbers of concertinas from Lachenal?

[Geoffrey Crabb]

I've had a number of L&Co instrument pass through my hands. Several were 20b and I still have a 30b. All were rosewood and semi-miniatures.

 

I wish I had seen the one Takayuki san mentioned. Murdoch & Co?

 

Greg

 

More probably Metzler & Co.

 

Geoff

[Ex Libris]

@ Mike - I have owned a Barnett and Samuel and Sons, Lachenal Concertina. You may know this already, but this company eventually became Decca.

 

http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Barnett_Samuel_and_Sons

 

Regards,

 

Jeremy

[Bill Crossland]

And another Barnett and Samuel labelled Lachenal semi miniature

[mike byrne]

I need that label in my Barnett Samuel.

Edited August 15, 2017 by mike byrne

[David Barnert]

It’s interesting that all the pictures on this page also show a “dummy” hole for an air valve button on the right, in the mirror image location to where the actual air valve button is on the left. Maybe I don’t spend enough time around Anglos, but do all Anglos have that?

[Bill Crossland]

Pretty much every one I've repaired/dealt with has the reflected air button hole on both ends

[Anglo-Irishman]

Neither of my Anglos has the "mirrored" air-button-hole. One is a Dallas-Crabb, the other a Stagi. Both 30-button, both metal-ended.

 

Could it be that the "spare" hole appears only in concertina models that were offered optionally with/without a drone? The ends could all have been sourced with the extra hole on the left, which would have actually been used only when a 31-button instrument was ordered.

 

Cheers,

John

[mike byrne]

I bought this concertina because it had my Christian name initial in the fretwork.

I have not found out who the maker was yet.

Suggestions welcome.

[David Barnert]

It’s interesting that all the pictures on this page also show a “dummy” hole for an air valve button on the right, in the mirror image location to where the actual air valve button is on the left. Maybe I don’t spend enough time around Anglos, but do all Anglos have that?

Pretty much every one I've repaired/dealt with has the reflected air button hole on both ends

Neither of my Anglos has the "mirrored" air-button-hole. One is a Dallas-Crabb, the other a Stagi. Both 30-button, both metal-ended.

 

Could it be that the "spare" hole appears only in concertina models that were offered optionally with/without a drone? The ends could all have been sourced with the extra hole on the left, which would have actually been used only when a 31-button instrument was ordered.

 

Since I posted the other day I’ve been looking at lots of pictures of anglos. Found lots that don’t have the mirror hole and lots that do, including some modern ones:

 

Suttner

 

Concertina Connection Clover

 

Geuns

 

My guess is that these instruments duplicated the fretwork patterns that existed in vintage instruments.

[Roger Hare]

Main question is to do with the 5" semi-miniatures which were the start point for this thread.

 

Clearly, these small instruments are a lot more common than I realised. I have a 30-button,

Bb/F, 5-3/8" ax the flats, but nothing smaller. Just how common are these 5" models?

 

Aside: Reflected air button hole is an interesting artefact - I just checked my collection - the

reflected air button hole is present in:

 

30-button Bb/F semi-miniature Lachenal - 5-3/8" ax the flats

26-button G/D Lachenal - 6-1/4" ax the flats

2x20-button C/G Lachenal - 6-1/4" ax the flats

 

Would I be correct in thinking that it is generally not present on later (cheaper?) Lachenal

instruments - the ones with the simpler fretwork pattern, and 'red mahogany' ends?

 

What is the 'usual' position for drone/novelty buttons? I have a 30-button G/D with a drone

on the left-hand end in the same relative position as the air button on the right-hand end...

 

Roger.

Edited August 18, 2017 by lachenal74693

[Bill Crossland]

Your chance to own one: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/162637618080?ul_noapp=true

[Roger Hare]

Your chance to own one: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/162637618080?ul_noapp=true

 

Thanks for pointing that one up. I don't do eBay much any more but in any case,

when that sale ends, I will be totally unable to monitor it (on a boat w/out WiFi). Pity...

 

I notice though that the instrument has a fitted case (the instrument will only fit in one

position), and that not only does it have the reflected air hole on the RHE, but it has

'dummies' on the LHE also. I now see my 5-3/8" semi-miniature has these on the

LHE too.

 

Thanks.

 

R

[Bill Crossland]

I know from making replacement ends that the pattern usually matches fairly closely( but in reverse) both ends, with some variation on the positioning of the note buttons. Perhaps all the ends were made to one common fretwork pattern, then paired up and one end reversed before finishing and finalising the position of the buttons.... Hence frequently four positions for the air button/drone and two reflected ones......