Lachenal "Presentation" English concertina

[paaudio]

This might be of some interest to those looking for historical/unusual/"concertinas with a story" ..... (I'm an anglo player so I wouldn't know!!)

 

https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auction-catalogues/gorringes/catalogue-id-srgo10210/lot-d908d6f6-bdcf-44bd-b6c6-ac1300b4f5c4?utm_source=auction-alert&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=auction-alert&utm_content=lot-image-link

 

"A 19th century Louis Lachenal Presentation cut brass inlaid thuya concertina, number 12378, with forty eight glass buttons, five-fold leather bellows, scroll fret-cut ends, one mounted with a silver plaque, inscribed "Presented to Rt. Carter of E. Division by E. Lachenal for his activity in bringing to justice two men for breaking and entering her warehouse Nov 9th 1868", in its thuya veneered hexagonal case, case lacking carrying handle"

[robert stewart]

Here's a question for the wood experts:  is "thuya"  or thuja, as in the Lachenal listing, the same as Lignum Vitae?

I worked on tuning a set of uilleann pipes made from Lignum Vitae some years ago...a very hard aromatic wood that cracked easily

as it was curing...but was good thereafter.

 

thank you,  RJ

[alex_holden]

33 minutes ago, robert stewart said:

Here's a question for the wood experts:  is "thuya"  or thuja, as in the Lachenal listing, the same as Lignum Vitae?

I worked on tuning a set of uilleann pipes made from Lignum Vitae some years ago...a very hard aromatic wood that cracked easily

as it was curing...but was good thereafter.

 

No, they are quite different:

https://www.wood-database.com/thuya/

https://www.wood-database.com/lignum-vitae/

[Geoff Wooff]

According  to  Wikipedia   Thuya  (or  Thuja)  is  a  fast  growing  evergreen  that  is  a popular  hedging   tree.  I  cannot imagine  Lignum Vitae  growing  quickly.  

 

The  wood  veneer  on this  concertina , and  its  case,  looks  more like  a  Walnut burr.

[Sprunghub]

I think it does actually looks like Thuya Burr, although, all credit to the person who catalogued it if they are right, for knowing, unless it came with a note!  Seems that 'back in the day' the burr was created by cutting back tree's in Morocco to create the ornamental burr.   It is brighter than Walnut burr ?  

[robert stewart]

On 8/13/2020 at 5:10 AM, paaudio said:

This might be of some interest to those looking for historical/unusual/"concertinas with a story" ..... (I'm an anglo player so I wouldn't know!!)

 

https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auction-catalogues/gorringes/catalogue-id-srgo10210/lot-d908d6f6-bdcf-44bd-b6c6-ac1300b4f5c4?utm_source=auction-alert&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=auction-alert&utm_content=lot-image-link

 

"A 19th century Louis Lachenal Presentation cut brass inlaid thuya concertina, number 12378, with forty eight glass buttons, five-fold leather bellows, scroll fret-cut ends, one mounted with a silver plaque, inscribed "Presented to Rt. Carter of E. Division by E. Lachenal for his activity in bringing to justice two men for breaking and entering her warehouse Nov 9th 1868", in its thuya veneered hexagonal case, case lacking carrying handle"

There is surely a story here..."E Lachenal" and her warehouse...so she was a member of the family, and presumably it was the Lachenal warehouse?  Then there is Rt (presumably Robert?) Carter of "E Division"...is that military or police?  (on a dark and stormy night, international concertina thieves climb the roof  of the Lachenal warehouse, then rappel down to kick through a high window. They are seeking high end concertinas to bury in a time capsule, and then wait for the prices to rise. But they reckoned without trusty Robert Carter, a concertina lover, and unrequited admirer of Ms Lachenal.

[Stephen Chambers]

On 8/15/2020 at 4:56 PM, robert stewart said:

There is surely a story here..."E Lachenal" and her warehouse...so she was a member of the family, and presumably it was the Lachenal warehouse?  

 

Louis Lachenal died on 18th December 1861 aged 40, and the entries in the Post Office London Directory show that the business was then carried on by his widow, ‘Lachenal Elizabeth (Mrs,) concertina maker’, until the name of the firm changed to ‘Lachenal & Co.’ in 1874. 

 

Quote

Then there is Rt (presumably Robert?) Carter of "E Division"...is that military or police? 

 

Robert Carter (Detective E 117),  E Division (Holborn) of the Metropolitan Police.

 

 

 

Edited September 4, 2020 by Stephen Chambers