Lost/Stolen - Wheatstone Boyd at Cambridge Folk Festival

[BrendanOC]

Hi there - my first post here after a few years' membership, but in unfortunate circumstances as I'd like to ask you good people to keep an eye open for my dad's Wheatstone Boyd English concertina which we hope is merely lost, to reappear soon, but fear may have been stolen.

 

My dad's name is Michael Ratliff - some of you may know of him from various folk and traditional music circles in the North East of England over the past 60 years. He was attending Cambridge Folk Festival over the weekend and helping with the Northumbrian music workshops, which is why he had his instruments with him, and he set down the concertina (in a small flight case, itself in a blue rucksack) while helping my mam into a wheelchair at the end of Friday night; when he returned to where his stuff was it'd gone. They're now en route back to Newcastle having informed the festival organisers, the police, Chris Algar (from whom it was originally purchased, and who'll recognise it immediately if it should pop up), Alistair Anderson (an old friend, who's played this box many times and will also recognise it), and various others via word of mouth and social media. But no leads yet.

 

The box is a Wheatstone Boyd English concertina, as pictured, in exceptionally good condition. I've never seen or heard another as good and - like any Boyd - it cuts through in a session and always makes its presence felt. My dad's still a gigging musician in his 70s, having started in his teens, so this box is not only his pride and joy but also his means to work, to fundraise for the local hospice with other Northumbrian musicians, and to run the Blue Bell session in Northumberland. I'll loan him my Lachenal Boyd in the meantime but, as anyone who's compared a Wheatstone and a Lachenal Boyd will know, it's not quite in the same league.

We know the serial number, in case somebody comes across a suspect instrument and would like to check. It's only got its original 5-fold bellows but they've been well maintained. The veneer and metalwork is in very good nick, despite this photo not being great. I'll be happy to answer any questions anyone has, and thanks in advance for any help!

Admin: if this isn't in the right place, apologies! I saw a lost/stolen thread but it's closed and I couldn't reply; perhaps this could be added to that?

[Ken_Coles]

I will add to lost/stolen thread. I'm guessing it is a treble? Best and we hope for speedy recovery.

 

Ken

[BrendanOC]

Cheers Ken! And yes I believe so, though I'm not certain about what qualifies as a treble - lowest note is G3 below middle C, though it doesn't extend as high as my 56 key Lachenal (which gets into unnecessarily dog-whistle territory)

Edited July 29, 2024 by echolevel

[Ken_Coles]

That sounds like a standard treble, while the 56 would be an extended treble, but others here are the experts on the terminology.

 

Ken

[Mike Acott]

If I hear anything on our local grapevine I will let you know asap,I wish you a swift return of such a box.

Regards.

Mike.

[BrendanOC]

Thanks very much Mike! 

[seanc]

You may have been instructed differently..

 

But, my initial thought would be to publish the serial number here.

 

Assuming it was stolen for sale as opposed to personal use. Also circulate the serial number and a picture to  outlets somebody might be expected to try to sell it. 

 

 

 

Edited July 31, 2024 by seanc

[BrendanOC]

Ah, I'll suggest that, thanks. Yes - Hobgoblin Music here in the UK have been informed and my dad's trying various pawn shop chains to see if they have systems in place for this. Unless Chris Algar has advised him otherwise, I'll suggest he gives me the serial number to share here.

[BrendanOC]

The serial number is 22794.

 

Here's the most recent photo of it, on the left (the other is Alistair's Wheatstone Boyd of almost identical age and quality but a lot more wear and some new bellows).

 

And a large chain of pawnbrokers in the south of England has been kind enough to spread word to all their branches - they say they'd never normally take a concertina as they're not equipped to evaluate them, but they'd let us know if somebody tried to sell or pawn one matching our description. Fingers crossed!

[seanc]

If the pawn broker chain won’t deal with concertinas. That is good as it is one less outlet for sale. And as they don’t deal in them and if they are uncommon enough it is possible they may actually notice if one walks in and report. Still a long shot,

 

also keep an eye on eBay or Craig’s type sites.

 

Either way, it sucks. Good luck!

 

[malcolm clapp]

Perhaps a bit devious, but maybe a fairly vaguely worded concertina wanted ad in a local (Cambridge?) area newspaper might elicit a response from some ratbag who may have pinched it, or acquired it mysteriously. A customer of mine some years back recovered his stolen Linota by similar means. The asking price was only $100, which he was happy to pay. He reported the recovery to the police, who were somewhat critical of his actions, but at least he got his concertina back.

[alex_holden]

Slightly off topic, but as somebody 'in the trade', though I don't usually deal in used instruments, I occasionally get calls from folks who say they have inherited granddad's old squeezebox and want to know if I can repair and/or value it for them. I don't really know what would be the best thing to do if somebody offered to sell me an instrument that I suspect might have been stolen. Obviously I wouldn't actually buy it. But if the thief offers it to several dealers and none of them are interested, perhaps they would decide it's too hot and get rid of it?

[BrendanOC]

Malcolm - very good idea! And I'm not certain why the police would be critical, unless they were just unhappy that he paid the thieves $100. Even if a kindly person turns out to have found my dad's concertina, he'd happily pay that to have it shipped home!

 

Alex - yes, I'm not sure what the protocol would be. I suppose I'm instinctively averse to confrontation, plus a confrontation might cause the seller to either vanish or realise the value of what they have and be inspired to hold it to ransom. I hope it reflects well on us that we struggle to think like criminals