Miniature Imitation Anglo on eBay

[Squeezebox Of Delights]

Just saw this on eBay, and decided to post it here because it looks quite interesting. It appears to be a very convincing German imitation of an English-built miniature Anglo, of which I have never seen the like. If it wasn’t out of my price range I’d consider getting it just to have a look! Has anyone experienced one of these instruments before? Is it as unusual as it seems, or am I just not very experienced in imitation Anglos?
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RARE-SMALL-ANTIQUE-SOPRANO-20-KEY-ANGLO-SYSTEM-CONCERTINA-IN-CASE-GERMAN-MADE/373338999692?_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D225120%26meid%3D2f0ca6c949ac418ba3d5581c784d2a1f%26pid%3D100675%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D15%26mehot%3Dnone%26sd%3D373338999692%26itm%3D373338999692%26pmt%3D0%26noa%3D1%26pg%3D2380057&_trksid=p2380057.c100675.m4236&_trkparms=pageci%3A0323ce75-2a3a-11eb-a42b-3a8adefe8b65|parentrq%3Adf6f66941750aaa30a56fe77fff379b0|iid%3A1

[gcoover]

There are no photos of the insides, but there's a good chance it has "popsicle-stick" levers on a metal axle, gang-mounted reeds on long lead plates, and the bellows might even be paper and not leather. It looks very similar to a 30-button German Anglo I bought several years ago (and was I ever surprised when I opened it up!).

 

Gary

[Pistachio Dreamer]

There were a lot of these cheap imitations made, though I've not seen the slightly smaller size. It makes sense given the reeds on shared plates don't take up a lot of space. Four end screws and the button angle and material are the giveaways, along with the leather tooling in this case too. This will definitely be prettier on the outside. Since the insides are somewhat important for the function as an instrument, in my opinion it's overpriced, and it's likely to be in a strange key and not at concert pitch. You may be able to get a restored 20k Lachenal with brass reeds for a similar sum, which would sound and play a whole lot better, but it is cute and collectable nonetheless.

[Squeezebox Of Delights]

23 minutes ago, Pistachio Dreamer said:

There were a lot of these cheap imitations made, though I've not seen the slightly smaller size. It makes sense given the reeds on shared plates don't take up a lot of space. Four end screws and the button angle and material are the giveaways, along with the leather tooling in this case too. This will definitely be prettier on the outside. Since the insides are somewhat important for the function as an instrument, in my opinion it's overpriced, and it's likely to be in a strange key and not at concert pitch. 

 

Yeah, I have seen a good few pretty little Anglos like this, but no miniature ones. I wonder why? It’s kind of a shame it is so expensive, because no-one in their right mind is going to pay that much for an old German concertina.

[Pistachio Dreamer]

When I first started messing around with concertinas I bought a few of these, and for my first scratch built instruments I cut the reeds from the combined reed plates to mount individually as per a modern hybrid. The reeds are so small I managed to get a 30k in the same size box as the 20k you've spotted there. You can then build a traditional action around it and nice bellows. Possibly a waste of time but it got me started anyway!