Photo of Historical Concertina needed

[Dr. P]

Hello All,

 

I'm currently working on a book about archaeological material culture of Louisiana, and many of the square-topped accordion reed frames have been recovered here in 19th century contexts. I'm writing to ask if anyone might have a high resolution photo of such reeds in an original historical concertina, radially-arranged.  Of course, I'd need your permission to include this photo in my book, and it should be a photo of an instrument that you own or which you have the rights to share.

 

I appreciate your assistance!

 

D.P.

[Dr. P]

PS these are the style of reeds for which I need photos.  The reeds with the curved tips on their cases are not found here for some reason.

 

 

[Leah Velleman]

Is this the sort of thing you mean? I didn't take the picture, but it's been put in the public domain, so you're allowed to use it. The original is at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Concertina_MET_MIDP2003.380(10).jpg, along with a bit more information and an approximate date. 

[Dr. P]

Leah, you're a godsend!  Thanks so much for finding this image.  I had no idea where to look!  I appreciate you!

[SteveS]

Square-ended reeds were also found in flutinas - a precursor to the diatonic button accordion (melodeon in UK).

Many pictures taken in US around the time of the Civil War feature sitters holding a flutina as a prop.

Could it be that these square-ended reeds belong to a flutina?

Early Wheatstone concertinas also featured square-ended reeds - but how prevalent were they in US?  

I've never seen a photo with a sitter holding a concertina (that's not to say they don't/didn't exist).

 

Edited July 10, 2023 by SteveS

[Clive Thorne]

Just to point out that the old ones dug out the ground appear to have had the reeds riveted, where as the photo of the concertina has clamping plates, so a more better matching photograph may be out there somewhere.

[Dr. P]

18 hours ago, SteveS said:

Square-ended reeds were also found in flutinas - a precursor to the diatonic button accordion (melodeon in UK).

Many pictures taken in US around the time of the Civil War feature sitters holding a flutina as a prop.

Could it be that these square-ended reeds belong to a flutina?

Early Wheatstone concertinas also featured square-ended reeds - but how prevalent were they in US?  

I've never seen a photo with a sitter holding a concertina (that's not to say they don't/didn't exist).

 

Nice catch!  I bet you're right.  The reeds look to be exactly the same, and given Louisiana's history with the accordion I bet you're right.

[SteveS]

Here's a link to flutina reeds
File:Flutina-reeds.JPG - Wikimedia Commons

The OP appears to me to be more likely flutina reeds than concertina.

Edited July 11, 2023 by SteveS

[Stephen Chambers]

French accordions, and their flutina variant, were the dominant style of accordion from the 1830s up until the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71 - but, following their defeat, French goods and styles went out of fashion, whilst Germany came to be unified under the Prussian King as Emperor (Kaiser), manufacturing and trade were encouraged, and German accordions (which came to be known as melodeons in the British Isles) took over.

 

Those German accordions were taken up by Louisiana musicians in later years, to become known as the Cajun accordion.

[Clive Thorne]

Am I correct in that the main difference between a Flutina and melodeon is that the Push and pull notes are reversed?

[SteveS]

1 hour ago, Clive Thorne said:

Am I correct in that the main difference between a Flutina and melodeon is that the Push and pull notes are reversed?

Yes they are - I was thinking to make new reed pans for a flutina I have so that it plays

like a melodeon.

Edited July 12, 2023 by SteveS

[Stephen Chambers]

1 hour ago, Clive Thorne said:

Am I correct in that the main difference between a Flutina and melodeon is that the Push and pull notes are reversed?

 

That's only the beginning.

 

A French accordion, or a flutina, also has individual reed-frames slotted into a reedpan, like a concertina (both deriving from Cyrill Demian's Accordion of 1829).

 

Additionally, strictly speaking, the flutina was a variant of the French accordion that had the pallets boxed-in inside it, to produce a softer, more flute-like, tone (think in terms of the early pencil-fret Aeolas that Wheatstone's made in the late 19th century).

[Clive Thorne]

Thanks Stephen. Every day a school day!

[Stephen Chambers]

1 hour ago, Clive Thorne said:

Thanks Stephen. Every day a school day!

 

I like to learn something new every day, the problem these days is remembering it... 😕

[Theo]

On 7/10/2023 at 6:52 PM, Dr. P said:

PS these are the style of reeds for which I need photos.  The reeds with the curved tips on their cases are not found here for some reason.

 

 

These reeds have the remains of a single rivet to secure the tongue.  I think (but not sure) that early Wheatstone concertinas with square end reed frames usually had two screws and a clamp bar to secure the tongue. If I’m correct it’s more likely these reeds are from a French accordion.

[Dr. P]

Thank you all, I GREATLY appreciate your help and expertise!