Quantities of Jabez Austin Concertinas

[Duncan Luddite]

G'day All,

 I was wondering if there's information out there giving (even a rough estimate) of how many concertinas Jabez Austin may have made?
I have number 196, and many years ago a chap posted one on this forum numbered 357. That is the highest numbered one I know of. I understand that George Jones' (J.A's apprentice who took over the business under his own name when Austin died 7 years after setting up) factory burned down which may have destroyed all the old ledgers. Did Jones mention anything about J.A's output in his memoirs?

 I'm trying to get a rough idea as to when mine was made: If No.357 was the very last one (Highly unlikely   ), and they made a consistent number each year (also dubious), then mine would be from the last half of 1853.

Cheers all.

Duncan

[4to5to6]

Very nice 32 button English!  Nice job on restoring the case or did you make a new one?  The side handle is a great idea.

 

There are a few Jabez Austin references on the concertina museum’s website:

 

https://concertinamuseum.com/SiteS4g.htm

Very interesting.  Please let me know if you have found out anything more about him.

 

[Stephen Chambers]

I can only add that I have a 48-key rosewood-ended baritone by Jabez Austin, #173, and that I can confirm what George Jones said about Jabez Austin's death, because I got a copy of his Death Certificate. (Cause of death - Anasarca ascites.)

 

 

 

Edited October 31 by Stephen Chambers
Edited to add cause of death

[Duncan Luddite]

On 9/6/2025 at 2:58 AM, 4to5to6 said:

Very nice 32 button English!  Nice job on restoring the case or did you make a new one?  The side handle is a great idea.

 

There are a few Jabez Austin references on the concertina museum’s website:

 

https://concertinamuseum.com/SiteS4g.htm

Very interesting.  Please let me know if you have found out anything more about him.

 

Sorry I hadn't replied earlier; have had a lot on my plate.
   The JA didn't come with a case, so I made this one from thick pine ply, lined with 3mm hardwood ply with the cotton velvet applied to that. The outside was stained with brown leather dye and sealed with Shellac. I fitted hardwood 'splines' (I think that's the correct term) across the edges to strengthen them.
   I side mounted the handle to the case (with rubber feet on the bottom) when it was pointed out (thankfully early on in the building process) that the old style of upright case was fatal to the leather valves. It has copper 'curves' at both ends of the handle so that it won't have sharp bends at the mounting rivets, when carried, which would greatly reduce the lifespan of the handle (and replacing it would be very difficult as the heads of the copper rivets are hidden, and recessed, inside, under the velvet to protect the concertina). The curves were dipped in Shellac before mounting to stop tarnishing between them and the leather.

   I also made an insulated soft bag to go around the hard case, for our hot Australian summers. It's an inner and outer shell of heavy canvas, sandwiching in an 8mm layer of wool blend felt. I call it 'the Marshmallow'  

Edited November 3 by Duncan Luddite
Punctuation.

[Duncan Luddite]

I've also seen the ones on https://concertinamuseum.com/SiteS4g.htm.

Once I'd found Austins stamp inside the concertina, I went on a hunt and found http://www.concertina.com/makers/index.htm#williams-minor-makers

and got more information about Jabez, though the links from there don't seem to be working today.

Apart from those two locations, and comments in these forums, I haven't been able to find out anything more about him and his production.

[4to5to6]

I just acquired a Jabez Austin 48 key treble in original condition with case.  I’ll add details and a photo in a few days.

.

Edited October 31 by 4to5to6

[wes williams]

That second link went to here but it won't tell you anything new

[Duncan Luddite]

On 10/31/2025 at 12:21 PM, 4to5to6 said:

I just acquired a Jabez Austin 48 key treble in original condition with case.  I’ll add details and a photo in a few days.

.

Wow! Looking forward to seeing that!
What's the serial number on it please?