How many Jeffries?

[Jim Besser]

As a matter of curiosity, I'm wondering if anybody knows how many Jeffries - all systems, or just Anglos, all the different iterations of the company - were built?

[Stephen Chambers]

There's no way of telling, seeing that they seem to have kept no records (perhaps not surprising when you consider that Charles Jeffries senior signed his marriage certificate with an X), and didn't put serial numbers on any of their instruments...

[Jim Besser]

1 hour ago, Stephen Chambers said:

There's no way of telling, seeing that they seem to have kept no records (perhaps not surprising when you consider that Charles Jeffries senior signed his marriage certificate with an X), and didn't put serial numbers on any of their instruments...

 

Thanks;  that's interesting.

 

I keep thinking of Jeffries as scarce, but  it occurred to me that I really don't know what that means. 

[gcoover]

For Jeffries Duets (C. Jeffries and Jeffries Bros), the best guess after conferring with Chris Algar is maybe 200-300 max, if even that.

 

There are at least a handful of Jeffries Englishes and Maccanns and Cranes that have turned up, plus one mini.

 

As for Anglos, not a clue!

 

 

Gary

[JimLucas]

9 hours ago, gcoover said:

For Jeffries Duets (C. Jeffries and Jeffries Bros), the best guess after conferring with Chris Algar is maybe 200-300 max, if even that.

 

I have one of those, which really should find a new home.  And I believe that Wim Wakker converted a couple to a totally different system, while the "grapevine" (rumor mill?) has it that "many" (how many?) were later converted to anglos (and maybe even "a few" conversions the other way).

 

9 hours ago, gcoover said:

 

There are at least a handful of Jeffries Englishes and Maccanns and Cranes that have turned up, plus one mini.

 

Yep.  One of the Cranes is mine.  Sorry, it is not looking for a new home.

[gcoover]

Yes, that's the best estimate for the original number of Jeffries Duets - some have undoubtedly fallen by the wayside over the years and countless others have undergone conversion therapy into Anglos. The saddest one I know of is a sweet little 27-button mini JD only recently Anglofied and now being offered at a really exorbitant price even with a button arrangement that is still far from standard. 

 

How many buttons is your Jeffries Duet, and what is the home key? With the upcoming Jeffries Duet tutor there might actually be a decent market for it!

 

Gary

[wunks]

If anyone has parts for these such as fret ends, reed pans, action boards etc. or an instrument that's been stripped for it's reeds, I'd be interested for a custom re-build project.  I'm in central NY State.  PM me if you have something that might be usable.  Thanx.

[Mike Acott]

One point to this thread is that a large no of C Jeffries  were made by John and Henry Crabb, Geoff Crabb had a C Jeffries anglo of mine which had stamped on the edge of the air buttoseat

the words J Crabb maker in a place where Jeffries would never have seen them.

Mike Acott

[Paul Woloschuk]

On 2/20/2020 at 9:48 PM, gcoover said:

For Jeffries Duets (C. Jeffries and Jeffries Bros), the best guess after conferring with Chris Algar is maybe 200-300 max, if even that.

 

Gary

 Gary,

'Big Nick' Robertshaw told me after I had contacted him about my JD that he knew of only twelve players worldwide, and that I was the thirteenth!
In 2006, there was a post here on C.Net asking for JD players to say how many instruments they owned, and I believe it came to about 21 instruments between 16 players.

Edited March 6, 2020 by Paul Woloschuk

[wunks]

I can add two instruments ( safe in their cases for 50+ years ) and one player ( resisted the siren's call for 50+ years).....?