Strange 26 button Anglo #7813

[nkgibbs]

Good evening,

I have recently acquired this 26b Anglo in pretty poor condition (please see photo).

My suspicions are that it is a Jones but would very much welcome your views. 

Some quirky features:

• the reed pan is set diagonally to the keys
• not a common fretwork design
• the air button pad (on a 'trap door' arrangement) locates onto two holes rather than a single, bigger hole.
• the action board is glued below the edges of the end rather than recessed into them.

The offset accidental row buttons (only on the right end) and the riveted lever pivots look like Jones and the stamped serial number (7813) and its location also point this way.

What do you think?

Best wishes,

Neil

 

Edited April 2 by nkgibbs
typo

[Stephen Chambers]

I''d reckon it was made by George Jones, experimenting with the layout to keep all the levers straight - which is how they operate most efficiently.

 

In that respect it reminds me of a German-made "Anglo" that we discussed years ago.

[Stephen Chambers]

He's also moved the centre of gravity forwards, by moving the hand rail, and the button array, forwards to make the instrument balance better in the player's hands, and this has necessitated putting the name oval in the centre of the fretwork.

[nkgibbs]

Stephen,

Many thanks for your sage observations on this concertina. 
It certainly has some features that I have not seen before. Do you think that this was a ‘prototype’ that never reached mass manufacture? I wonder why not if it had the advantages that you describe. Have you encountered any similar examples?

Best wishes,

Neil
 

[Takayuki YAGI]

On 4/2/2025 at 6:13 AM, nkgibbs said:

• the reed pan is set diagonally to the keys
• not a common fretwork design
• the air button pad (on a 'trap door' arrangement) locates onto two holes rather than a single, bigger hole.
• the action board is glued below the edges of the end rather than recessed into them.

I own earlier Jones (#1312 26 button semi-miniature), however, it does not have the features mentioned above. So yours may be a prototype.
The trap door arrangement reminds me of Henry Harley. So it might be a German origin...

[Stephen Chambers]

1 hour ago, Takayuki YAGI said:

The trap door arrangement reminds me of Henry Harley. 

 

It's common and perfectly normal on George Jones instruments.

[Takayuki YAGI]

4 hours ago, Stephen Chambers said:

It's common and perfectly normal on George Jones instruments.

Oh I didn't know that. Thank you for letting me know.