Instrument Identification

[seanb]

Hi.

 

I'd appreciate some help in identifying an instrument that I recently "inherited". It's an English baritone concertina. It has no obvious manufacturer markings that I can see. Nor a clear serial number although there is what looks like a number etched on the wooden case. I've taken the end off, but there are again no obvious markings on the inside. The white pegs have note names etched into them. It's in what I think is the original (mahogany?) box. Still in quite nice condition and seems to play ok (but then I'm a guitarist so what do I know :-).

 

I've put some photos of the instrument (inside and out) up at:

 

http://potato.cs.man.ac.uk/seanb/concertina/

 

I'm interested in getting any info I can about it. Ideally a manufacterer and an idea of date of manufacture. I'd also like a rough valuation for insurance purposes (although I appreciate that that's difficult to do without really seeing the beast).

 

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

Sean

[Paul Read]

Stephen will probably be able to give you a more definitive answer, but those look like George Case papers to me.

 

Paul

[Stephen Chambers]

... those look like George Case papers to me.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Agreed Paul, the fretwork was the first thing that made me think George Case, and the papers confirmed it, though I would expect there to be several serial numbers on an instrument of his, in fact they commonly have different numbers on the ends, reed pans and bellows frames. It would therefore date from the 1850's.

 

... seems to play ok (but then I'm a guitarist so what do I know :-).

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Giulio Regondi, the greatest concertinist of all time, was also a guitarist, so there's hope for you yet !

Edited October 16, 2005 by Stephen Chambers

[seanb]

... those look like George Case papers to me.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Agreed Paul, the fretwork was the first thing that made me think George Case, and the papers confirmed it, though I would expect there to be several serial numbers on an instrument of his, in fact they commonly have different numbers on the ends, reed pans and bellows frames. It would therefore date from the 1850's.

 

Yes -- as you can see on the pictures there are two numbers (2141 and 1643) stamped on the end, while the number 2032 appears inside. I guess those are some kind of serial number.

 

Anyway, thanks -- that's been useful. At least I now know where (and when) it came from. Now all I need to do is learn to play it....

 

Sean

[allan atlas]

FOLKS: to add to what Stephen said about the concertina-guitar relationship: a number of women who are listed in the Wheatstone ledgers and known to have been "professional" concertinists were also guitarists. . . .they are listed in various issues of the Musical Directory, Register and Almanack as "Professors" of both concertina and guitar. . . .off the top of my head. . . . Catherina Josepha Pelzer (later Madame R. S. Pratten) and a Mrs Arthur Stone come to mind. . . .as does Elizabeth Mounsey, who was best known as an organist at St. Peter's, Cornhill. . . . .also listed in the Wheatstone ledgers is a Madame Panormo, certainly a member of that famous guitar-making family. . . . also in the ledgers: the Duchess of Wellington and Lady John Somerset, both of whom were patronesses of Miss Pelzer in the early days of her career. . . . .REMEMBER: women had fairly few options in terms of the instruments that were available to them. . . .there was the piano, harp, guitar, and concertina. . . . . .there are many intersections between the concertina and guitar circles..................allan

Edited October 18, 2005 by allan atlas