Crabb 31 Key Anglo For Sale

[gavdav]

just listed my much loved but little played 1889 (john?) Crabb Anglo. This really needs to be played, but as I'm playing guitar and cittern every hour that god sends, the little box never gets out. its a superb instrument and needs to go to a good home, hence me listing it here and not ebaying it!

 

The insurance valuation in 2002 was £3-3.5k, I'm after £2750 (yes, i'm in the U.K.)

 

its a truly lovely, amazing instrument, but it shouldn't be sat in a box, as it all too often is.

 

Ad duplicated here:

 

"Stunning Condition, fully restored and in modern concert pitch, this is a professional level instrument. Serial number is 8340, dated at 1889.

 

Nickel silver ends, dark (ebony??) frames, bone buttons.

 

The instrument has 6 fold gold tooled black leather bellows, "Jeffries Pattern" bellows papers, a very fast action and a loud but warm tone. The ends are unstamped as was common at this period of manufacture but the endplates are of the typical, familiar Jeffries pattern. Externally the concertina is indistinguishable from Jeffries concertinas of the same period, but is stamped with the Crabb mark on one of the soundboards.

 

The instrument has 31 keys (30 plus left hand Bb drone), and was fullly restored in 2002 by A.C. Norman and Co. who placed an insurance value of £3000-3500 on the instrument at that time.

 

At some point in the instruments history a small wooden bush was added to the wind key/air button. this has been sympathetically restored by Andy Norman and actually improves the instrument's playability. Other changes from original condition are a small piece of wood missing from the right hand handrest, some minor wear to the gold tooling on the base of the bellows. These are all very minor for an instrument of this age.

 

With the combination of fast action and open tone, it is equally suitable for players wanting to play in the English or Irish styles, and would make a superb instruemnt for song accompaniment.

 

Everyone who has played the instrument has loved it, and it usually gets mistaken for a Jeffries. The instrument is provided with a fully blocked, foam lined, padded custom made modern aluminium edged flightcase.

 

I'm very reluctant to sell, but need to do work on the house and this is not the most session friendly key, and this quality instrument deserves to be played far more frequently than I manage.

 

Digital photographs available on request. Please note price is in GBP.

 

£2750, postage to be negotiated."

 

 

 

thanks

 

Gavin

Edited October 14, 2003 by gavdav

[Bill Keaveney]

With a Bb drone, I presume that this is a Bb/F instrument, but you never mentioned the keys(?)

[gavdav]

yes, apologies, the instrument is in Bb and F. I listed the instrument on the old buy/sell board which seems to be still up and running, and listed the keys in the advert heading, with pasting across to this group as well I simply forgot.

 

would also consider trade in part for a three row D/G Castagnari melodeon (dony, mory, handry etc.)

 

Gav

Edited October 18, 2003 by gavdav