38 button Jeffries Anglo

[Bill N]

Not mine, but spotted in an out of the way shop, and told the shop owner I would let folks here know about it.

 

I'm visiting family in Claremont, Southern California, and popped into the venerable Folk Music Centre, where I noticed some dusty concertina cases behind the counter.  2 were English, but one was a 38 button (with a drone) metal ended  "C. Jeffries, Maker, 23 Praed St, London".  The bellows and ends were in nice shape.  Straps were perished. Couldn't play it as there were a lot of stuck-open pads, and the right hand reed plate was not in the proper orientation, but they let me take an end off, and the reeds were in remarkably fine shape, and absolutely untouched. No evidence of any post-factory tuning at all.   There were a few worm holes in the reed plate, but no sign of active infestation or frass.  With so many reeds sounding it was hard to tell the tuning, but  I suspect Bb/F - a tuner on the left hand Bb button read A.  The strap thumbscrews were stubborn, and my wife was waiting, so I didn't open up the action board for a closer look, but didn't see anything glaring through the fretwork.  Just a lot of loose and curling valves and loose and dried up pads I think.

 

The lovely shop owner told me that she had acquired all 3 concertinas a number of years ago from the widow of a local collector and player.  She'd originally intended to send it to the Button Box for restoration (didn't know they had closed), but would now consider selling it as is.  

 

www.folkmusiccenter.com

Edited January 18 by Bill N
clarification