Auction of concertinas problem

[Alan Day]

I have come across a number of concertinas at auction where the end, or ends have been taken off and then either the reed pan/s or ends replaced in the wrong position, thus making the instrument unplayable . This dramatically reduces the value of the instrument and the person who did it buys the concertina at a reduced rate. Or the purchaser gets an unplayable concertina with no idea what the problem is. I have come across this so many times it cannot be a coincidence .

I have one in my possession at the moment purchased for me by my Sister from a person who initially got it from an auction.

[Geoff Wooff]

Such  action cannot  be  countenanced !   Alan,  a  post like this  is  a fine  warning  to  beware  but  also  spreads  the  idea.  Of  course  people  have ben  getting up to  tricks like this,  unfortunately,  since  auctions  began.

[Seán Ó Fearghail]

I know of one particular concertina that was sold at the same auction house 3 different times... Each time the new owner opened it up and realised that all the reeds had been swapped out for very poor brass reeds, it went back and they sold it again.. And made their seller's/ buyer's fees.. 3 times.... 

[Mike Acott]

Well bought up Alan I came across such a scheme at a auction in East anglia, I did replace the pans in the right position  and warned a member of the staff; whether the acted on my discovery I do not know, and i didnt go to the auction. 

Mike