56k Extended Treble Aeola For sale.

[4to5to6]

On 11/27/2021 at 7:35 AM, Christian Husmann said:

Just curious:

in the ledgers you’ll find both Tortoiseshell and Shell, sometimes on the same page.

just two words for the same material or is there actually a difference? 🤔

Christian 

just saw this...  Not sure if this is always the case but at least sometimes “shell” in the ledgers refers to a bakelite plastic made to look like tortoiseshell.  Bakelite was invented in 1907 so it would be interesting to see when the “shell” references began.  “Tortoiseshell” refers to that made from the shell of a turtle of course.  I’ve also wondered if there is are different materials when the ledgers say “ebony” and “black”.  I often suspect that “black” refers to ebonized wood while ebony is the type of wood. https://www.popularwoodworking.com/finishing/ebonizing_wood/

Edited January 18, 2022 by 4to5to6

[Stephen Chambers]

12 hours ago, 4to5to6 said:

Not sure if this is always the case but at least sometimes “shell” in the ledgers refers to a bakelite plastic made to look like tortoiseshell.  Bakelite was invented in 1907 so it would be interesting to see when the “shell” references began.  “Tortoiseshell” refers to that made from the shell of a turtle of course.  I’ve also wondered if there is are different materials when the ledgers say “ebony” and “black”.  I often suspect that “black” refers to ebonized wood while ebony is the type of wood. https://www.popularwoodworking.com/finishing/ebonizing_wood/

 

I don't think it's Bakelite, but rather celluloid, which was originally available only in white, ivory, or tortoiseshell finishes. They started to put it on accordions, moulding it to shape around the woodwork after immersing it in acetone, not long after WW1 (and I have an accordion by, celluloid pioneers, Guerrini Brothers in San Francisco that's stamped "MAY 25 1921" on the reed-blocks), whilst the first recorded "Tortoiseshell" Aeola was #30150 on "Apl 29" 1924 according to the ledgers.

 

They certainly weren't always consistent in the ledger descriptions of instruments, but I wouldn't attach great significance to it - they also used "Gilt Fittings" interchangeably with "Gold Fittings" too, but I don't suppose anybody would suggest that the screws, buttons, and other fittings, were solid gold on the latter... 😲

[4to5to6]

Here is an interesting article on the history of bakelite with mention of celluloid plastics:

 

Leo Hendrick Baekeland and the Invention of Bakelite

https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/education/whatischemistry/landmarks/bakelite.html

 

“Baekeland made the first public announcement of his invention on February 8, 1909.”

 

I can’t give out the serial number as it is not my concertina but it is a 1937 extended treble Aeola described in the ledgers as “shell”.  There is no shrinkage characteristic to say a nitrocellulose pickguard on a guitar so I can’t see it being celluloid.  Nitrocellulose plastic emits corrosive gases (and is highly flammable) which can corrode surrounding metals if left in the case unvented and there is no evidence of this happening here.

 

I contacted the owner to do a non destructive rub test on it to see if it has the typical bakelite smell when heated slightly by rubbing.  I’ll give an update if I get any additional info.

 

It’s a very good representation of natural torteshell and I am sure would fool most.  Photo attached.

 

Edited January 20, 2022 by 4to5to6