Mystery 30-key Anglo

[david robertson]

I wonder if I might beg a bit of help with identifying this one? 

 

It has Crabb/Jeffries style fretwork, gold tooling and papers, but is unmarked apart from the serial number 8863.

I wondered if it might be an early George Jones, but it lacks the typical keyhole-shaped pivot posts. These are quite slim, and unusually sharp-pointed.

 

The bush-boards, too, are cut out much more neatly than anything I have ever seen in a vintage Crabb or Jeffries.

 

It's clearly an instrument of some quality, though the condition is not so much distressed as suicidal. It's the first time I've ever seen an attempt to save completely wrecked bellows by lining them with a plastic bag!

 

Any ideas as to its origins will be most gratefully received.

[Geoffrey Crabb]

Hi David, from the Crabb number records, 8863 was made in 1911 by my grandfather, Henry Thomas Crabb (1856 -1930).

The presence of a blank right hand oval cartouche is a mystery. Perhaps it was originally intended for direct sale but may have been diverted to supply a dealer (possibly  Ball Beavon who applied their own stamp). Unfortunately, no sales records exist so the buyer is unknown.

 

Geoff 

[david robertson]

Thank you so much, Geoff. Stupid of me, but because of that blank cartouche, I hadn't even looked at your records! Thanks again, David

[malcolm clapp]

I vaguely recall from some years back a discussion/suggestion about fitting an internal bladder (plastic bag?) to damaged bellows. Sadly, I can no longer find the thread.