Wheatstone English...signed by Percy Honri?

[robert stewart]

On Ebay today is an antique EC, Wheatstone, that appears to have the name Percy Honri in pencil on the inside.

If this is a genuine signature,  wasn't he one of the great concertina players?

 

Any thoughts on research and proof?

[JimR]

If you search for Honri using the forum Search box you will find much information about Mr Honri.

[robert stewart]

yes, I am aware of the sizable historic content on Honri. there are some great old short films of him playing a huge Duet, and also some dramatic movies in which he acted and played.

I was thinking more of any research or document evidence regarding his signature. Many of the great Duet players also played, or started with,

the English.

 

RJ

[Stephen Chambers]

It sounds unlikely in that Percy Honri was famous for playing the Maccann duet concertina, not the English system.

 

I have seen duet concertinas that were marked with his name (in the possession of his grandson Peter Honri), and I have several autographed photographs of him, but what I can't find is the eBay auction - whilst the provision of a link is very important in these circumstances...

[robert stewart]

eBay item number:

254323888867  is the Ebay number    https://www.ebay.com/itm/C-WHEATSTONE-Co-1852-53-CONCERTINA-ENGLISH-48-BUTTON-SN-4126-LONDON/254323888867

 

[robert stewart]

The signature is one of last few in the photos.

[Jody Kruskal]

Does it look like this?

 

https://images.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?p=images+Percy+Honri&fr=yhs-iba-1&hspart=iba&hsimp=yhs-1&imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.vam.ac.uk%2Fmedia%2Fthira%2Fcollection_images%2F2006AK%2F2006AK9378_jpg_ds.jpg#id=9&iurl=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.vam.ac.uk%2Fmedia%2Fthira%2Fcollection_images%2F2006AK%2F2006AK9378_jpg_ds.jpg&action=click

 

Edited August 14, 2019 by Jody Kruskal

[Stephen Chambers]

54 minutes ago, robert stewart said:

eBay item number:

254323888867  is the Ebay number    https://www.ebay.com/itm/C-WHEATSTONE-Co-1852-53-CONCERTINA-ENGLISH-48-BUTTON-SN-4126-LONDON/254323888867

 

 

Thanks for that, eBay wouldn't show me the listing because of the seller's settings, seeing that I'm not in the United States.

 

The writing does look similar enough to what I remember of Percy's (especially the H that looks more-like a reversed N) that I'll dig out the samples I have for comparison, though his usual autograph seems to have been more florid.

[robert stewart]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/C-WHEATSTONE-Co-1852-53-CONCERTINA-ENGLISH-48-BUTTON-SN-4126-LONDON/254323888867?hash=item3b36e292e3:g:GMgAAOSwb91dSzxj

 

I think this should work.....

[robert stewart]

Looks like my previous Ebay link, just posted, should work for everyone on the list. The instrument has certainly been played a lot, whoever may have played it.  The inverted H looking like an N is distinctive.

Are there any other comparative signatures?....the stage sig is certainly more florid, but with several similarities to the one in the auction. Variety Artistes often developed a florid signature for signing programs or autograph albums.  My guess would be that  the signature on the inside of the EC  might be an owner's safety signature....proof of ownership? Presumably Honri did not repair instruments?   RJ

[Irene S.]

I was about to make the suggestion that the autograph was a more florid/flamboyant version of the signature inside the instrument... very similar features such as slant of the writing, various loops etc. but see that it has already been suggested. ?