Wheatstone? 30 Button Model 2a

[John Dorian]

Hi everybody-- as I'm sure you can see, I'm a newbie. Anyway, I'm trying to figure out the value of a *maybe* Wheatstone concertina. An adult friend of the family loaned me her concertina (I'm 18), which she inherited from her Dad or soemthing... she's considering selling it on Ebay, and loaned it to me because I was interested (I play the accordion a little bit; classical piano is my forte). Anyway, I sorta figured out the notes on the piano, and all that useless jazz, (and it's confusing, but that's beside the point.), and it seems to correspond with the wheatstones 30 button C/G concertina button layout at this site within concertina.net: http://www.concertina.net/ms_finger_layouts.html

I haven't double checked this thoroughly, though, but that's what I seem to remember. Anyway, I'm confused because the concertina itself has a small metal tag on each end saying "May Fair / Made in England" on it, with a serial number of 1392 stamped on the wood on the bottom. However, the concertina's case has an old flier for Wheatstone accordions in it, and it looks exactly like one pictured under "Anglo-Chromatic Models", Model No. 2A. From my very meager research here on this site, that would be a ridiculously early serial number. like in the 1800s. The concertina doesn't look that old, and plays very well, from what I can tell, which is probably more than what a complete newbie to the bellows-ed instrument niche would be able to tell. It appears to be Rosewood, and it is in excellent condition overall, aside from a very small amount of corrosion around the metal hardware on the leather straps. The case is fairly nondescript, also excellent condition, and of a tan and brown stripey-ish patterned persuasion. So argh. I don't know. I'm very confused. Please take pity on me and help me out heh.

 

I actually like the concertina more and more as the days go by, but alas, it is not mine. If it IS a Wheatstone, you're all probably drooling by now, from what I've seen already in this forum Anyway, I'd like to know if this is indeed a wheatstone, or a knockoff or something, and what a price range for resale might be. (i'm supposed to help this friend know what to write in the Ebay description, and a reserve price) .

[JimLucas]

...the concertina itself has a small metal tag on each end saying "May Fair / Made in England" on it, with a serial number of 1392 stamped on the wood on the bottom.

The May Fair was a brief attempt by Wheatstone to produce a cheaper entry-level concertina. For a bit more about it, see this Topic.

 

However, the concertina's case has an old flier for Wheatstone accordions in it, and it looks exactly like one pictured under "Anglo-Chromatic Models", Model No. 2A. From my very meager research here on this site, that would be a ridiculously early serial number. like in the 1800s.

Since it wasn't marketed under the Wheatstone name, it makes sense that they used a completely new run of serial numbers.

 

It would almost certainly be valued lower than a Wheatstone Model 2A, which would have been the cheapest non-MayFair 30-button anglo from Wheatstone in the same period. I think the 2A was selling at the time for 2-3 times the price of a May Fair. For an additional note on value, see this post. I hope some of the other posters here can give you some more up-to-date pointers on the value, but it's not astronomical.

[Paul Read]

you're all probably drooling by now, from what I've seen already in this forum

 

I'm not sure anyone's ever drooled over a May Fair - it would go rusty

Edited April 2, 2006 by Paul Read

[Daniel Hersh]

I believe that a Mayfair Anglo sold within the last few months on eBay in the $700-$900 range. Not sure, though, and I no longer have access to the listing.

 

Daniel

 

...the concertina itself has a small metal tag on each end saying "May Fair / Made in England" on it, with a serial number of 1392 stamped on the wood on the bottom.

The May Fair was a brief attempt by Wheatstone to produce a cheaper entry-level concertina. For a bit more about it, see this Topic.

 

However, the concertina's case has an old flier for Wheatstone accordions in it, and it looks exactly like one pictured under "Anglo-Chromatic Models", Model No. 2A. From my very meager research here on this site, that would be a ridiculously early serial number. like in the 1800s.

Since it wasn't marketed under the Wheatstone name, it makes sense that they used a completely new run of serial numbers.

 

It would almost certainly be valued lower than a Wheatstone Model 2A, which would have been the cheapest non-MayFair 30-button anglo from Wheatstone in the same period. I think the 2A was selling at the time for 2-3 times the price of a May Fair. For an additional note on value, see this post. I hope some of the other posters here can give you some more up-to-date pointers on the value, but it's not astronomical.

[Theo]

One sold on ebay for 330UK pounds in Feb 2006

[Daniel Hersh]

Which is $570 at today's exchange rate--a bit lower that I said in my earlier post.

 

Daniel

 

One sold on ebay for 330UK pounds in Feb 2006

[Dirge]

Make sure it doesn't leak, especially from the bellows, that all the notes sound cleanly both ways, tell 'em the truth, that it's a lowly regarded bottom -level model but you're willing to take it on as a learner instrument and offer £200 cash to take it straight off their hands without all the fuss and tedium of advertising it. Concertina playing involves a willingness to tie up lumps of money in your instrument, unfortunately. You just have to be sure you paid a fair price that you can get it back when the day comes to move on. Start learning and while you do so talk to anyone you can about better instruments, then you can trade up in a controlled manner.

 

Incidentally concertinas are usually mendable but it gets expensive and the cheaper the model the more chance there is that that a serious repair will be uneconomic, hence the caution to make sure yours is basically sound.

[John Dorian]

Okay... well thanks for all of your fast replies, everybody. They help a lot.. I would never be able to find such concise info re: this accordion otherwise. And Dirge, are you trying to get me to buy the accordion off of my friend? Also, how much leakage is bad? I hold it up by one end, and the other side will fall.. oh I dunno.. roughly 1 cm per second. It plays pretty well, but the lowest note, I think it's a G on the left hand side, is hard to get going without sounding a bit like a frog. Other than that note, there doesn't seem to be any problems with it. My friend says her father had it refurbished, but I don't know when that was. The bellows looks really good. And Dirge, I can't tell if you're being sarcastic or not about it being a bottom-level instrument. She said something about she was gonna sell it unless I wanted it or something.. but there were other people talking and I couldn't really continue the conversation =( Anyway, thanks again to all.

JD

[Paul Read]

And Dirge, I can't tell if you're being sarcastic or not about it being a bottom-level instrument. She said something about she was gonna sell it unless I wanted it or something.. but there were other people talking and I couldn't really continue the conversation =( Anyway, thanks again to all.

JD

Hi John,

 

He's not being sarcastic. These May Fairs were pretty basic. OK as a starter though if the price is right.

[Dirge]

Thanks Paul, that's what I was trying to get over but in a lot more words!