Daniel Hersh Posted January 11, 2021 Posted January 11, 2021 It's a pretty distressed concertina at https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ANTIQUE-VICTORIAN-MAHOGANY-CONCERTINA-FOR-REPAIR-RESTORATION/393088369781 . Am I right in thinking that this is a Jones based on the design of the wooden ends and the action as shown below? ?
Takayuki YAGI Posted January 11, 2021 Posted January 11, 2021 The fretwork reminds me of Jones too. But 7 buttons in a row looks unusual to me. In the photo above the 6th button has riveted action but 7th one (and air button) have hooked action. So this might be a result of a modification.
Peter Smith Posted January 11, 2021 Posted January 11, 2021 (edited) It does look a bit like a Jones but somewhat different. I had a look in the concertina museum collection but couldn't find anything matching the concertina on Ebay. 7 hours ago, Takayuki YAGI said: The fretwork reminds me of Jones too. But 7 buttons in a row looks unusual to me. In the photo above the 6th button has riveted action but 7th one (and air button) have hooked action. So this might be a result of a modification. Looking at the fretwork pattern, it appears that a few buttons have been added to both ends, as you say. Looks like a 30 button Anglo with additions! From what I can see in the fretwork pictures, the levers in the main section of the ends are riveted action. That would suggest a better quality anglo but dreadfully abused! An interesting project for whoever wins it. Edited January 11, 2021 by Peter Smith Additional info
Takayuki YAGI Posted January 11, 2021 Posted January 11, 2021 It might be a 42-key chromatic anglo described in Jones' 1884 patent. http://www.concertina.com/jones/index.htm
Daniel Hersh Posted January 12, 2021 Author Posted January 12, 2021 (edited) 5 hours ago, Takayuki YAGI said: It might be a 42-key chromatic anglo described in Jones' 1884 patent. http://www.concertina.com/jones/index.htm It's possible. There are good pics of one of those put up by Jim Lucas at http://www.nonce.dk/Jones-42/ . Edited January 12, 2021 by Daniel Hersh
Peter Smith Posted January 12, 2021 Posted January 12, 2021 It just happens that I own a 42 button Jones 'Perfect concertina' restored by Andrew Norman last year (& am thinking of selling it!). The concertina on Ebay measure 205mm across the face (flat to flat) according to the seller, whereas my Jones 42 button measures only 6.75 inches or 172mm across the flats. The fretwork is also quite different - see below. If the Ebay anglo is that large across the face, could it be a baritone or bass? Peter
nkgibbs Posted January 12, 2021 Posted January 12, 2021 It’s certainly a weird beast. Did German makers ever use riveted posts?
d.elliott Posted January 18, 2021 Posted January 18, 2021 I can see three different action designs, so the concertina has been seriously messed about with. Given the fretting etc. I would ask if this is a viable instrument for repair
nkgibbs Posted January 18, 2021 Posted January 18, 2021 This weird (eg air button connecting to a reed!) beast has just been sold for £450! Please, if the new owner is on C.net, put us out of our misery and reveal what is inside it !
Oberon Posted January 20, 2021 Posted January 20, 2021 I would have assumed it was a Jones, too, as the fretwork seems similar to a number of their anglos. One of the rivet posts also has that keyhole shape that I've seen in Jones concertinas, but since this is a right Frankenstein, who knows whats original? The amount it sold for in this condition makes me wonder if someone knows something we don't. This jeffries here has simpler fretwork, could it be some bonkers jeffries? Probably not, but one has to tick all the boxes.
Early Doors Posted May 6, 2021 Posted May 6, 2021 I was the eventual owner. The sale was a bit of a disappointment - it was an absolute butchers shop inside, but then i got interested in trying to work out the story of the machine, which was lots of fun. In short it was a jones - there is a stamp on the reed pans. however the reed pans have slots for 26 reeds and the machine has more than 30 keys. There were a LOT of additional reeds. It had been heavily modified at some point - there was a stamp from Envoy Worthington (a concertina repairer and member of the salvation army here in the Uk many years ago.) He had converted it to double reeds (so a lot of extra holes made in the reed pans), and turned it into a duet (I think - I'm not sure what it started as - there is really no way to tell.) The reeds bolted on had all been retuned, so I had to do a lot of leg work to try to work out the plan - it is mostly a double reeded duet, with some 'chord' buttons using the top and bottom notes of the triads. My guess is he converted it to use as part of a salvation army orchestra - he would have wanted to emphasise volume (for playing out in the street) and would have wanted notes and chords to accompany hymns. The levers are mostly riveted posts, with some spring held ones added in odd places to make the most of the space and get the most buttons in. After that it seems, based on what else i found, to have been sold to a merchent seaman, dropped in the sea and then repaired on the boat by a plumber using a pocket knife and whatever he had to hand - but thats another story...
Richard Mellish Posted May 7, 2021 Posted May 7, 2021 Some more questions now arise How on earth were all those extra reeds squeezed in? Can you post some pictures? And ---- what do you plan to do with it now?
Early Doors Posted May 7, 2021 Posted May 7, 2021 They were squeezed in efficiently and somewhat brutally. I have some photos - prepare to gasp in horror
Early Doors Posted May 7, 2021 Posted May 7, 2021 Given that I can't possibly make it worse it is going to be my 'long term project' to see if I can restore some sort of instrument. A long, LONG term project... 1
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