Daniel Hersh Posted May 6, 2006 Share Posted May 6, 2006 It's here. Any comments? Daniel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Timson Posted May 7, 2006 Share Posted May 7, 2006 The fretwork, colour and the bellows papers look identical to a 26 button Jeffries I used to own. I think that is the most likely identification. That was (despite its crude appearance) a sweet little box, nice to play with a lovely tone. I think this box may well be worth someone's while buying and restoring. For comparison, here's a photo of my old Jeffries:- Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Read Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 I see the bidder's identities are being hidden. Could it be a scam? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirge Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 The seller's had some dodgy approaches from the look of the 'questions'! If he was trying it on wouldn't he have taken the cash offer among them? After all it's already outside Ebay so he doesn't have to persuade the buyer to duck the system, because he's already offering to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
postscript1 Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 Hello. I am the person selling this concertina on Ebay. Hope you don't mind me talking to you. Firstly, the reason I keep user ID's private is to protect my buyers who are usually collectors from being spammed by other Ebay users selling similar items and from being 'trailed' around Ebay by people who collect similar items - you only need look at my feedback and completed items to see my pedigree is pretty decent. Someone has asked for pictures of the inside (and told me how to take it apart!) and I have taken pictures, so if anybody would like to see them please email me through Ebay. Once again, hope you don't mind me sticking my oar in. Cheers, Simon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Read Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 (edited) Hello.I am the person selling this concertina on Ebay. Hope you don't mind me talking to you. Firstly, the reason I keep user ID's private is to protect my buyers who are usually collectors from being spammed by other Ebay users selling similar items and from being 'trailed' around Ebay by people who collect similar items - you only need look at my feedback and completed items to see my pedigree is pretty decent. Someone has asked for pictures of the inside (and told me how to take it apart!) and I have taken pictures, so if anybody would like to see them please email me through Ebay. Once again, hope you don't mind me sticking my oar in. Cheers, Simon. Hi Simon, Thanks for the contact. It's great that you took the time. Unfortunately, some of these scammers know how to steal identities so feedback isn't always a safe guide. I'd be interested in the pictures. Thanks Paul Edited May 8, 2006 by Paul Read Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Hersh Posted May 8, 2006 Author Share Posted May 8, 2006 I'd also be curious about any notes that you might find written inside the concertina. And if you're able to add the interior photos to the listing (or post them, or links to them, here) then we could all see them. Daniel Hello. I am the person selling this concertina on Ebay. Hope you don't mind me talking to you. Firstly, the reason I keep user ID's private is to protect my buyers who are usually collectors from being spammed by other Ebay users selling similar items and from being 'trailed' around Ebay by people who collect similar items - you only need look at my feedback and completed items to see my pedigree is pretty decent. Someone has asked for pictures of the inside (and told me how to take it apart!) and I have taken pictures, so if anybody would like to see them please email me through Ebay. Once again, hope you don't mind me sticking my oar in. Cheers, Simon. Hi Simon, Thanks for the contact. It's great that you took the time. Unfortunately, some of these scammers know how to steal identities so feedback isn't always a safe guide. I'd be interested in the pictures. Thanks Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
postscript1 Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 Hi, Will try to add photos. If it doesn't work, email me and I'll send them individually. Couldn't see anything written inside. Cheers, Simon. I'd also be curious about any notes that you might find written inside the concertina. And if you're able to add the interior photos to the listing (or post them, or links to them, here) then we could all see them. Daniel Hello. I am the person selling this concertina on Ebay. Hope you don't mind me talking to you. Firstly, the reason I keep user ID's private is to protect my buyers who are usually collectors from being spammed by other Ebay users selling similar items and from being 'trailed' around Ebay by people who collect similar items - you only need look at my feedback and completed items to see my pedigree is pretty decent. Someone has asked for pictures of the inside (and told me how to take it apart!) and I have taken pictures, so if anybody would like to see them please email me through Ebay. Once again, hope you don't mind me sticking my oar in. Cheers, Simon. Hi Simon, Thanks for the contact. It's great that you took the time. Unfortunately, some of these scammers know how to steal identities so feedback isn't always a safe guide. I'd be interested in the pictures. Thanks Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Timson Posted May 9, 2006 Share Posted May 9, 2006 (edited) OK, having compared your photos with photos I took of the interior of my Jeffries 26 button I am certain that my original diagnosis was correct and that what you have is a Jeffries which is capable of being restored to make a fine little instrument. Notice the rivetted action. Best of luck with the sale. Chris Edited May 9, 2006 by Chris Timson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Hersh Posted May 9, 2006 Author Share Posted May 9, 2006 (edited) If this is right, this is the first wooden-ended Jeffries that I've seen. Does anyone know more about them? Which Jeffries made them? Were they from the "quite possibly built by Crabb" or the "probably built by Jeffries" period? OK, having compared your photos with photos I took of the interior of my Jeffries 26 button I am certain that my original diagnosis was correct and that what you have is a Jeffries which is capable of being restored to make a fine little instrument. Notice the rivetted action. Best of luck with the sale. Chris Edited May 9, 2006 by Daniel Hersh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Timson Posted May 9, 2006 Share Posted May 9, 2006 If this is right, this is the first wooden-ended Jeffries that I've seen. Does anyone know more about them? Which Jeffries made them? Were they from the "quite possibly built by Crabb" or the "probably built by Jeffries" period? It's right. My one was sold to me by Chris Algar as a Jeffries and the diagnosis confirmed by Colin Dipper. With that sort of commendation it wouldn't dare be anything else! At every level of detail I can see in the photos the two instruments are identical in their manufacture. According to Colin mine was a pretty early instrument, so therefore is a "quite possibly built by Crabb" box. Colin bushed it for me, and with that last detail it made a good box, nearly as light as a Morse and with a really nice tone. It wasn't as fast as the metal ended 30 button Jeffries that we all know and love, but it was fast enough. Nowadays I rather regret selling it. Still, there it is ... Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirge Posted May 10, 2006 Share Posted May 10, 2006 (edited) A chance to relive those days then? Having looked at the thing to see what it's bid up to, what is the bloke who tried to buy it cheap referring to ('this bid is more out of curiosity'..) when he refers to buying boxes from 'Rubens' and doesn't know how he missed this one. Who are these Godlike Rubens people who have a prior option on all squeezeboxes sold? Edited May 10, 2006 by Dirge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Chambers Posted May 11, 2006 Share Posted May 11, 2006 If this is right, this is the first wooden-ended Jeffries that I've seen. Does anyone know more about them? Which Jeffries made them? Were they from the "quite possibly built by Crabb" or the "probably built by Jeffries" period? It's right. My one was sold to me by Chris Algar as a Jeffries and the diagnosis confirmed by Colin Dipper. With that sort of commendation it wouldn't dare be anything else! At every level of detail I can see in the photos the two instruments are identical in their manufacture. According to Colin mine was a pretty early instrument, so therefore is a "quite possibly built by Crabb" box. I must have repaired/sold at least a dozen of these over the years and seen a good few more, one had only twenty keys, another thirty, but usually they have twenty six like this one. Some are stamped C. JEFFRIES MAKER on top in small letters (which appears to have been the case with yours Chris?), so have every right to be described as a Jeffries, whilst others have no stamp, but I believe that all of them were actually made by John Crabb, and I would always use his name to describe the unstamped ones. They seem to go back as early as the 1870's, indeed there was one in Neil Wayne's old Concertina Museum Collection (C233) with writing on the action board "Made by C. Jeffries 1874", and would have been a cheaper model than the more usual ones with metal ends and ebony trim. Having looked at the thing to see what it's bid up to, what is the bloke who tried to buy it cheap referring to ('this bid is more out of curiosity'..) when he refers to buying boxes from 'Rubens' and doesn't know how he missed this one. Who are these Godlike Rubens people who have a prior option on all squeezeboxes sold? Jimmy's a dealer and "chancing his arm" there, trying to get it cheap, but somebody should tell him Rubens was a painter. On the other hand, Reuben (the man he means) is a friend of mine & used to be a "dealer's dealer" in the Portobello Road Market. Twenty years and more ago he would have had concertinas for sale nearly every week (he bought a sack full of them on one occasion!), but concertinas are much harder to find these days and Reuben is now retired through ill health. By the way, I'm pleased to have recently bought a new computer, my old one having met with a sorry end last year, but I don't have much free time now & I'm going to have to limit myself to answering the occasional juicy question on concertina history (like this one ). Also, in the process I have lost a lot of emails, so if you're waiting for a reply from me, please get in touch again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimLucas Posted May 11, 2006 Share Posted May 11, 2006 ...I don't have much free time now & I'm going to have to limit myself to answering the occasional juicy question on concertina history (like this one ). Never mind that, just... Welcome back!! Why won't the smiley enlarge along with the text? I wanted to show a big smile! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Timson Posted May 11, 2006 Share Posted May 11, 2006 Once again, I'm with Jim on this one. (BTW mine did indeed have C.Jeffries stamped on it. It also has a Jeffries label on one end, but that was Colin's doing). Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Timson Posted May 13, 2006 Share Posted May 13, 2006 Well, the auction just closed for £1240, after a last minute snipe that bears all the hallmarks of a cocoa111 special. So much for the wally who wanted to give £240. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirge Posted May 13, 2006 Share Posted May 13, 2006 He's a rogue, not a wally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Chambers Posted May 13, 2006 Share Posted May 13, 2006 (edited) He's a rogue ... ... and has been since the day I first met him, around 30 years ago! Edited May 14, 2006 by Stephen Chambers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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