Calling All Mini Concertina Owners. :)

[Richard Morse]

Here's a photo of Noel Hill's miniature (used with permission) that I took about 10 years ago at the Northeast Squeeze-In.

 

[cnrobinson]

These make my 48 key Wheatstone piccolo (13th June 1912, 25612) seem quite bulky. But they are novelties, 'squeaky' is a real concertina!

 

Chris

[bellowbelle]

I will have to take a moment to get more specifications about this concertina, which I did recently play while my other one was waiting for a repair:

 

my Stagi miniature English concertina

 

Or:

 

Maybe this link will work if the other one above does not. However, it won't show the caption under the pic, which is:

 

The inset gives an idea of the size difference between the mini Stagi and my 'real' concertina, my Morse Albion English.

 

I'm not near the concertina at the moment. Of course, if this is enough info, then fine, but....I'll come back later and add details!

 

EDIT ADDED 1/31/06:

Added to the photo's description, so now it says: The inset gives an idea of the size difference between the mini Stagi and my 'real' concertina, my Morse Albion English. The Stagi 'mini' has 18 buttons, and the end-width across (point to point of the hexagon) is five inches.

Edited January 31, 2006 by bellowbelle

[rmerris]

For more than two years, I have been researching an article on miniature concertinas, which will cover the instruments and the performers who played (or still play) them. I have collected considerable material that will take me some time yet to draft. (I have been writing an economics book at work that, though having swamped me, is almost completed. Then, the miniature concertina is the priority.)

 

In the meantime, I will send photos of a couple of the more interesting instruments to Morgana for her posting.

 

Incidentally. if you look closely at the miniature (i.e., semi-miniature) at Bob Tedrow's website, you will notice that MERRIS is stamped on one end and TEDROW on the other.

 

Bob and his family are good friends--so much so that they named one of the family dogs for me....well, just the middle name. Thomas Randall Tedrow is a handsome and well-behaved canine. They do not need to invoke "Randall, quit chewing up that rug" or other chastisements.

[Guest]

Dave - not fussy - it is my fault for not getting it right the first time

 

Bellowbabe - thanks the photo, it's a great one.

[bellowbelle]

..................

Bellowbabe - thanks the photo, it's a great one.

 

Hmm....well, after looking at your website with the miniature concertinas, and seeing the one a few photos above mine, the one with this description:

Stagi English concertina. 12 cm (4.72 inches) across the flats, weight 600 grams (1.32 lbs).

 

...I am inclined to think that mine is the same, maybe (?). I am never extremely technical, just grabbed a tape measure and measured as accurately as I could, etc.. As for the weight of mine, well...I don't own a scale that measures anything over about 4 ounces (...can't bear to know my own real weight! )

 

So, for the sake of uniformity, if you wish to call mine the same, fine, though I realize that maybe they really are not, anyway. (I'm assuming that the other Stagi owner is more technical, perhaps!)

 

And, as for my handle being 'Bellowbabe...' That's kinda cute, almost wish I'd thought of that instead ....but, it's actually 'Bellowbelle!' But, again... 'Whatever!'

 

EDIT ADDED:

Oooops...now I get it! The 4.72 inches is 'across the flats,' not point-to-point. So, it most likely IS the same-sized concertina, but, we both measured differently.

Edited February 2, 2006 by bellowbelle

[Guest]

Thanks Bellowbell, page corrected.

 

[All these photos are giving me a serious case of concertina envy ]

Edited February 2, 2006 by Morgana

[Guest]

Just a quick note to let you know I've just added some fabulous photo, very kindly submitted by Randy Merris and Dave P.

 

Cheers

Morgana

[kiminca]

Morgana,

 

Nice job, and fun to look at.

 

 

Kiminca

[Guest]

Thanks Kiminca, glad you enjoyed it

 

I've just added some more fabulous photos from Dave Prebble of his Lachanel miniature, and also some great photos from Phillipe Sosman of his Dipper Miniature.

 

(I want both! )

 

Cheers

Morgana

[Guest]

Hi all

 

Just another update to let you know that I've just added some photos of Miniatures by Jones, Haxton and Richard Evans.

 

Cheers

Morgana

www.ptollemy.com

[Stephen Chambers]

... one photo of two concertinas. The first concertina is described as 'Wheatstone McCann duet system 16" * 16", reputed to be the largest concertina in the world'. The second is described as 'Miniature concertina 2" x 2", reputed to be the smallest concertina in the world'.

Chris,

 

The large one used to sit on (former Secretary of the ICA) Jim Harvey's sideboard, where I saw it several times in the early '70s. He told me that it was built triple-reeded, but was much too heavy to play & Tommy Williams had robbed it of its reeds for spares!

 

I have recorded three 2"-miniatures from the post-1909 Wheatstone ledgers ...

25500	2"   8b  Miniature  hex
30524	2"	   Miniature  hex   NP
33898	2"   8b  Mig			  metal ends  gilt spray

Jim,

 

There must have been at least one more made, because I've got it!

 

Described as:

 

32151 N.P. Hex 8 Keys

 

It was sold to a performer named as Miss Lynda Martell (her stage name; she was actually Lady Linda Lyvedon, a Peeress) on the receipt, where it is described as a "Miniature English Concertina 8 Keys. 8 fold bellows. Nickel plated ends steel reeds Sg' case. £4 - -". Interestingly the receipt is rubber stamped 25th January 1930, though the date in the ledger is 18th February 1929.

 

She also owned the 61-key Crane duet #31253, and a normal sized (12-key?) miniature, all of which were sold by Sotheby's on 4th July 1985.

 

A January 1937 review of her act says:

 

She appears as Miss Linda Martell, the comedy girl with her concertinas. She performs extremely well on these instruments, one being the size of two tea cups placed together - her smallest being only 1 1/2 inches [

sic

] across - on which she plays Scottish airs.

 

...

 

She will be present at the Coronation in her full peeress's robes.

 

Maybe these tiny 2" models should be described as sub-miniature? (Or should we save that name for the 4" to 5" ones, like the 5" 24-key Wheatstone, #32900, that Ken Loveless took on the submarines with him? Though I would normally call those semi-miniatures.)

 

Morgana,

 

I'll send you a photo of #32151, when I get a chance.

[JimLucas]

Maybe these tiny 2" models should be described as sub-miniature?

Microatures? (Nanoatures we save for the day somebody builds a concertina with one button on each end?)

 

(Or should we save that name for the 4" to 5" ones, like the 5" 24-key Wheatstone, #32900, that Ken Loveless took on the submarines with him?

A-pun, my word, sounds right to me!

 

Though I would normally call those semi-miniatures.)

Shouldn't that name be reserved for the 18-wheelbutton ones?

[Guest]

Thanks Stephen, that would be great.

 

[And nice to see you back at C.net ]

[Stephen Chambers]

(Nanoatures we save for the day somebody builds a concertina with one button on each end?)

Many moons ago I toyed with the idea of getting a hexagonal doorbell made, complete with fretwork and one button in the middle (and I seem to recollect that Neville Crabb might have made one for the shop - or is my memory playing tricks on me Geoff?). So would that count as a 1-key solid electric mini-concertina?????