Can This Jeffries Be Saved?

[Daniel Hersh]

It's here. At least one broken reed, tons of rust on some of the others, bellows crudely patched, big crack in one of the action pans, etc. But it is a Jeffries. I'm not in the market for this, so I'm just idly curious: is there enough left there to restore?

 

Daniel

[richard]

What a sad display!

 

Could one assume since one reed seems to have broken off it might have been poorly re-tuned at some point and have been structurally compromised and subsequently broke in the line of duty? AND that could mean all the other reeds have been seriously man handled and weakened too?

 

Richard

[malcolm clapp]

What a sad display!

 

Could one assume since one reed seems to have broken off it might have been poorly re-tuned at some point and have been structurally compromised and subsequently broke in the line of duty? AND that could mean all the other reeds have been seriously man handled and weakened too?

 

Richard

 

 

I've rebuilt worse! Much worse.

 

I'm sure Chris Algar will make his usual last minute snipe and it will eventually become at worst a Phoenix and at best a good Jeffries.

 

If you want to see a real wreck, see my avater on Frappr here

 

MC

Edited April 7, 2006 by malcolm clapp

[Daniel Hersh]

Yup, that one looks worse. Is Australia particularly hard on Jeffries concertinas?

 

You're probably right about Chris Algar...we'll see.

 

Daniel

 

I've rebuilt worse! Much worse.

 

I'm sure Chris Algar will make his usual last minute snipe and it will eventually become at worst a Phoenix and at best a good Jeffries.

 

If you want to see a real wreck, see my avater on Frapper.

 

MC

[PeterT]

I'm curious as to the approximate dating of this Jeffries.

Fretwork is not open enough to suggest (to me) a very early model, but there appear to be differences up at the top of the frets, when compared with instruments which I understood to be made just prior to 1893.

[geoffwright]

Was that before or after restoration?

[malcolm clapp]

Was that before or after restoration?

 

 

Ouch! That hurt.

 

MC

[Dirge]

What I like is the way Ebay sellers don't hold back with their language. In this state it's a 'fabulous' instrument, and the box is in 'good condition' with a torn hinge and the handle off!

[d.elliott]

I agree with Malcolm,

 

nothing to be frightened of in buying this instrument

 

Dave

[Dave Prebble]

Can this instrument be saved ?

 

Give it to me - I'll save it ! .....

 

..... for ever and ever and ever

 

Dave

[malcolm clapp]

If you want to see a real wreck, see my avater on Frappr here

 

MC

 

 

Please note that my Frappr avater referred to above has been removed as it was used without permission of the photographer or of the owner of the instrument. My apologies to all concerned.

 

MC

Edited April 8, 2006 by malcolm clapp

[wes williams]

I'm curious as to the approximate dating of this Jeffries.

Fretwork is not open enough to suggest (to me) a very early model, but there appear to be differences up at the top of the frets, when compared with instruments which I understood to be made just prior to 1893.

If by 'top of the frets' you mean in the areas around the buttons, its worth considering that the pattern varies with the number of buttons on the instrument. Adding extra buttons over a basic thirty key layout meant that the fret pattern had to be changed slightly to make extra space within the button's solid area of fret. I suspect that this change could have been made by hand with each instrument made, so varies a bit.

[PeterT]

... 'top of the frets' ...

Sorry Wes, I wasn't specific enough. I meant the position which the oval fretted plate occupied on post 1893 models. On the instrument pictured, the fretwork looks more open than others which I've seen from this period. As I'm assuming that fretwork evolved slightly over the years, I'm wondering whether the instrument could be more accurately dated as a result.

 

Regards,

Peter.

[scott fineran]

I just went and had a look at the instrument and it looked to me as though it had had a lot of playing in its day but had been stored away for a long while. The case was in pretty good shape - better than the instrument. The sticking plaster on the bellows didn't really work that well.

 

The thing that would worry me most is the split in the reed plate. Mind you it should not be that hard to fix by a good concertina repairer. I imagine replacing it would invlove replacing all of the parts glued to the board etc also.

 

I couldn't get a single note out of it to get any idea of what key it is in as most if the pads are stuffed and most of the notes sond when the bellows are moved.

 

If I had the spare money I would definately buy it.

 

I did notice that the fret work pattern was different to my Jeffires - also a 38 button C Jeffries, but most of the internals looked the same. - levers and the likes.

 

Other than the board and the bellows, most of the rest looked repairable to me. Most of the pads etc are in there but a few are floating around.

Edited April 10, 2006 by scott fineran

[Chris Ghent]

I had a chat to the owner tonight. By getting him to sound various reeds selected by describing the position in the reed pan, and sounding on the same reed position on my 38 key it seemed clear it was a C/G. His note stamps varied from mine however, not on every reed which would have suggested it was a retuned something else, just on some of them. They were not accidentals, ie the three highest buttons on the left side pull G row were stamped two notes lower than they sounded.

 

Chris

[TONE DEAF]

Hi gang,

the owner of the said instrument here, so come on, stop nattering and get ya bids on.

 

I thought we did rather well the other night on the phone Chris, despite me getting mouth fulls of a 110+ years of bugs and dirt.

 

Common Dirge, why not "fabulous", it is and how many original leather cases does one still find surviving with their instrument. For a piece of sewn leather to have survived this long with original stitching, complete and in virtually one piece is remarkable. I stick by my description of good condition, for it's age, it is!!

 

Seriously though, I note the discussion about it's possible age and it did occur to me that this was possibly an earlier model because of the leather case, would not a wooden case be later? Not sure when Jeffries started up (I am about to find out) but to my way of thinking, leather would have been cheaper than wood, so a new business would be doing it the cheapest way perhaps ??, of course the case could be a ring in but I don't think so. just a thought.

Cheers, Phil.

[Leonard]

I'm sure Chris Algar will make his usual last minute snipe and it will eventually become at worst a Phoenix and at best a good Jeffries.

 

He tried, but that was followed by a last second snipe.

 

Instrument sold for USD 5,350.00 !!!!!

[Daniel Hersh]

Yup...about $1,000 higher than I had expected. It's amazing what people will pay for that Jeffries nameplate now. Anyone have any guesses about the cost of getting this into playable condition? Figure new bellows and what I would imagine to be many, many hours of work on those reeds as a starting point...

 

Daniel

 

 

I'm sure Chris Algar will make his usual last minute snipe and it will eventually become at worst a Phoenix and at best a good Jeffries.

 

He tried, but that was followed by a last second snipe.

 

Instrument sold for USD 5,350.00 !!!!!