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Looking for a concertina maker in Italy for a video project


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I'm planning a trip to Italy this fall for a couple of months of eating delicious food, meeting cool people, and making a few videos.  On this trip, I'm planning to spend some time in Castlefidario, where there are a few accordion makers still in business.  I have brought my concertina along on previous trips, and it's been a bit of a conversation starter.  While the word would appear to have an italian origin, the instrument is mostly unknown.  

 

I'd really like to find the Stagi or Bastari factory and shoot some video there.  I assumed it was made near Castlefidario but no one in the neighborhood that I have spoke with has any idea about Stagi.  Does anyone know where they are located?

 

Thanks,

david

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Maybe I can help? When I was looking for buttons for my Hohner brand Anglo, ( made in Italy).. I was given following address ( spare buttons sent to me free of charge in Stagi bag!

 

Brunna Musica

Via Squartabue

62019

Recanati (MC)

Italy

There may be some spelling errors, but that is where mine were sent from.

Hope that helps?

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8 minutes ago, SIMON GABRIELOW said:

Maybe I can help? When I was looking for buttons for my Hohner brand Anglo, ( made in Italy).. I was given following address ( spare buttons sent to me free of charge in Stagi bag!

 

Brunna Musica

Via Squartabue

62019

Recanati (MC)

Italy

There may be some spelling errors, but that is where mine were sent from.

Hope that helps?

 

I don't think Brunner exists any more. The Stagi brand is now owned by this company, Concertine Italia, also based in Recanti:

https://www.fabbricaconcertine.com/eng/index.html

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Thank you all.  I found an email address for the company and wrote them, but have not heard back.  I'm considering contacting the local or regional government and asking for a referral.

 

Street View shows the Bünner Musica location active in 2019.  I wonder if they were/are a German company?  The umlaut may be a clue.

Edited by department of WackyIdeas
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The address I was provided with, of which I detailed earlier in this topic, was provided to me by a music company. ( In UK).. some years back now. And for some reason apparently I was told that " Mr. Brunner, is a bit strange ( odd)!"

As to why I was told this I do not know; but those were not my own words!!!

But if they were good enough to send me bag full of buttons for free then: I hope it bodes well in that case for your video project.. of which I would myself be interested in seeing the factory ( if still active).. on film.

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  • 1 month later...
On 5/12/2022 at 7:40 PM, SIMON GABRIELOW said:

The address I was provided with, of which I detailed earlier in this topic, was provided to me by a music company. ( In UK).. some years back now. And for some reason apparently I was told that " Mr. Brunner, is a bit strange ( odd)!"

As to why I was told this I do not know; but those were not my own words!!!

But if they were good enough to send me bag full of buttons for free then: I hope it bodes well in that case for your video project.. of which I would myself be interested in seeing the factory ( if still active).. on film.

I have made reservations to stay near Recanati in Ancona for two weeks in September.  I have made contact with the manufacture through their facebook page and they told me to write to a different email address.  I did, describing the project, but have not received a reply for two weeks.  I also wrote to the Sindaco (mayor) of Recanati and they were unfamiliar with the company, which is odd, because it is a very small city.  It's an enigma on top of a mystery.  I hope that I will be able to visit their fabbrica and do some video.   If not, there is an accordion factory in the same city, and several others nearby in Castelfidardo that may be open to a visit and a video

 

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On 5/10/2022 at 3:16 PM, SIMON GABRIELOW said:

Maybe I can help? When I was looking for buttons for my Hohner brand Anglo, ( made in Italy).. I was given following address ( spare buttons sent to me free of charge in Stagi bag!

 

Brunna Musica

Via Squartabue

62019

Recanati (MC)

Italy

There may be some spelling errors, but that is where mine were sent from.

Hope that helps?

I looked up the address on google maps, and there seems to be another unrelated business in that building.  

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How odd; there being difficulty in locating the Brunna company ..

Perhaps Mr. Brunna was indeed eccentric ( as was hinted to me by music shop years back).. and he no longer runs it?

Sounds like a great project anyhow, to see the musical stuff being made. The address I was then provided with was functioning. ( Long time back)! Because I was sent buttons for free by company ( under Stagi name)... That was in 2011!

Best of luck with the project.

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20 hours ago, SIMON GABRIELOW said:

How odd; there being difficulty in locating the Brunna company ..

Perhaps Mr. Brunna was indeed eccentric ( as was hinted to me by music shop years back).. and he no longer runs it?

Sounds like a great project anyhow, to see the musical stuff being made. The address I was then provided with was functioning. ( Long time back)! Because I was sent buttons for free by company ( under Stagi name)... That was in 2011!

Best of luck with the project.

I have found that the computer mapping in Italy is not perfect with regard to identifying the actual locations of businesses, especially in very rural areas (like Recanati), is often absent or incorrect, so maybe not such a surprise.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Hi I'm Simona, the new producer of Concertine in Italy.

Brunner Musica company is closed in 2018 year.

NOW, the only producer is : CONCERTINE ITALIA SRLS in Italy.

We are in Recanati ,  we are working and our concertinas's brand is :  STAGI E BASTARI.

The new brand will be : Concertine ITalia

Our site is : www.concertineitalia.it

our contact is: concertineitalia@gmail.com

All the best to you!!!  Regards, SIMONA

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  • 2 months later...

I was very fortunate to visit Concertine Italia yesterday.  It is a very interesting place.  Every part of the instruments are made in the shop, except for the reeds and reed blocks (those are supplied by a nearby accordion factory).  The entire staff is just two full time people.  They have some vintage tools from the Stagi/Bastari factory but also use modern tools including a laser cutter, to produce their instruments.  There is also a part time woodworker who comes in to make the wood parts, and another part time worker who applies the finish to the wood ends.  They make their own bellows, and all the mechanical parts, mostly using vintage tools.  The raw materials include wood, leather, brass, and aluminum.  

 

I was surprised that Japan is a major market for Concertine Italia, and that the most popular models are the Hayden system.  Their products include an adorable small chromatic concertina (A-18) that is, if I understood correctly (il mio italiano non è perfetto), mostly used by circus performers.  

 

I was very lucky to have been able to make this visit and shot a bit of video which I hope to turn into a YouTube in the future, but I will give Concertine Italia the opportunity to review it before I post it to make sure what I say is accurate.  

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That sounds like an interesting visit to the Italian makers themselves; and nice to hear that they still have a lot of hand finishing techniques, combined with modern methods, of which to my mind there is no problem with combining up- to- date methods, along with good old fashioned tools also.

I will certainly be interested in your film when it is completed.

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