Can Anyone Identify This One?

[A.D. Homan]

I'm wondering whether anyone can tell me anything about this concertina:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...item=2573941830

 

Thanks,

Andy

[wes williams]

I thought about buying it, so haven't replied til now. I think its a German made anglo - this is suggested by the unusual positions of the screws. The chamfered edges are very like those made by Hess, although I haven't seen anything like

the same in what they made.

 

But it looks very nicely made for a German construction instrument. Anybody else any ideas?

 

best wishes ..wes

[Paul Groff]

Wes,

 

I'm with you -- thought about bidding on it, suspect it is German, and agree that there is some lovely and unusual workmanship here. I love the fretworked sides of the action case! If someone who reads this forum obtains the instrument, I'm sure we would like to know the results of a close examination.

 

Paul

[A.D. Homan]

Thanks for the responses.

I wasn't interested at all in buying the instrument; I had never seen that fretwork pattern and just wanted to educate myself on what it is.

Andy

[goran rahm]

Not much to add really only that it resembles some German ones I have had

apart from the eccentric location of the end screws...completely new to me.

I would not speak about "workmanship" regarding the fretwork in such case however...it use to be fairly crude but ok.

From my common viewpoint an interesting ( and practical) feature with these German variants is that the keyboard (as seen) is located further towards the 'top' than on Anglos and consequently the handbar/handle is more in the centre of the end. This gives a much better balance of 'bellowsing' and a steadier control of the instrument in general. Interesting to compare for those who haven't. The very

cheapest German ones use to have the handle right in the middle by the way .. and then the keyboard rows are parallell with a top 'edge'. (it is all rotated 30 degrees). In my view a considerably better idea than the 'Anglo concept' which

evidently emanated from the 'English'. With the rotation it would...when practised on the 30+ key Anglos.... be easier to avoid the common jamming of pads and mechanism for the 'top' end. Better still using a 4 or 8 sided shape.....

 

Goran Rahm

[Paul Groff]

Dear Goran,

 

All is relative... I meant " lovely" in comparison to most small German concertinas. Reminded me of the linear/right angled fretted designs sometimes seen in furniture. (Is this an "arts and crafts" style? I confess I do not really know the taxonomy of the periods of antique furniture.)

 

Did you notice that the SIDES as well as the ends of the action cases were fretted -- this is sometimes seen in English made "anglos" and I have most often (though still rarely) seen it in Lachenals and some early metal ended Crabbs and Jeffries (such as the John Crabb [?] that Scan Tester once owned). I wonder if this is the reason for the unusual location of the endscrews -- so they would not be visible through these fretted sides of the endcases.

 

Paul

Edited November 26, 2003 by Paul Groff

[goran rahm]

Did you notice that the SIDES as well as the ends of the action cases were fretted -- this is sometimes seen in English made "anglos" and I have most often (though still rarely) seen it in Lachenals and some early metal ended Crabbs and Jeffries (such as the John Crabb [?] that Scan Tester once owned). I wonder if this is the reason for the unusual location of the endscrews -- so they would not be visible through these fretted sides of the endcases.

 

Paul

 

Sounds reasonable...I can hardly think of any 'technical' motivation for it otherwise ....and for looks....? a bit odd too....

There are instruments with more endbolts than one/side though evidently made by

anti-leaking and anti-warping freaks...well good idea in my view as well as re-inforcement of the endbolts sites on wooden ended instruments.

The side openings theoretically may be introduced for 'wider spread of sound' but that is a dubious idea. Of course IF you wish absolutely as little influence from the ends as possible you make the ends as open as possible all over....Having a halftight wooden endplate and halftight fretwork on the sides makes no acoustic sense...just for looks in that case.

 

Goran Rahm