Restoring A 'william Hannah'

[offthewall]

Hi folks,

First time here and I confess to knowing very little about the instruments......so far!

 

I just acquired a 'Wilkinson's Professional Excelsior Accordeon', 'as played by William Hannah', Reg Design 709 904.

 

On first inspection the bellows are not too bad. The left hand button box seems reasonable. The main problem is the right hand button section.

Everything seems to be there, but more than half the keys do not spring return. Any advice on how the spring mechanisms work and how to get in to fix them would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

James

[offthewall]

Hello again,

 

As there has been no response to my query I thought it may help to have a picture.

If anyone recognises this instrument and think they can help I could send bigger pics as needed.

Thanks

James

 

 

[Paul Groff]

Hi,

 

Sorry I didn't see your first post.

 

This is not a concertina.

 

Sending inquiries to the melodeon and accordion forums might get more responses.

 

But I can tell you a bit about it since I also have at least the body of one among parts in storage after closing my shop.

 

Hannah was a virtuoso and influential in 20th century Scottish accordion styles. You can hear some of his early recordings (and see a picture of an accordion like yours) on the cd version of the Topic re-issue recording, "Melodeon Greats."

 

Doubtless Stuart Eydmann could tell us much more about Hannah himself.

 

If yours is like mine, it is an early version of a B/C with a 24-key "piano accordion style bass" (but with only bass notes and major triads, the same in both bellows directions), so probably ancestral to large 3 row "british chromatic" style boxes with even more stradella basses, such as those made by Hohner, Paolo Soprani, etc. I think John Kirkpatrick plays a B/C/C# version made in Italy. I have also seen a 1960s (?) red celludloid B/C/C# Gallotta with only 8 basses (same in both directions) and also labeled "Wilkinson's" (maybe also Excelsior, I forget).

 

My "Wilkinson's Excelsior...as played by William Hannah...." that looks like yours is in A 452, so just about halfway between modern concert pitch and the next half step higher. I reversibly borrowed the reeds from it without re-pitching them, to assemble a high pitch B/C Hohner hotrod to match the tuning of my (former) favorite high pitch Wheatstone Linota.

 

So you have a neat and historical instrument. Not to say valuable as there is little market for these whether playing or not. A little heavy in the left hand, but from the sound of Hannah's early 78s it didn't slow him down!

 

Restoration of its right-side action would follow the techniques used for any top-quality, open-action, pre-war, German-made melodeon (compare the Monarchs and Sterlings, Globes, Internationals, etc.). The bass machine will be another story! Not too complicated but if you are not experienced, maybe best to pay a pro piano accordion repairer to do a good job.

 

 

Paul

Edited February 15, 2007 by Paul Groff

[offthewall]

Thanks for the information, Paul.

 

I came to this forum having 'googled' the instrument which picked up an old thread from a couple of years ago.

As for restoration, the bass side seems to be quite usable, it is really only the springs on the right hand buttons that need to be sorted.

Thanks again.

James

[Stephen Chambers]

Hannah was a virtuoso and influential in 20th century Scottish accordion styles. You can hear some of his early recordings (and see a picture of an accordion like yours) on the cd version of the Topic re-issue recording, "Melodeon Greats."

Paul,

 

No need to go that far, the picture is available right here on C.net in the Irish Button Boxes, from Scotland thread that I started.

 

Doubtless Stuart Eydmann could tell us much more about Hannah himself.

Doubtless, but if you're more interested in hearing the man play (and some history in the sleevenotes), I can recommend the CD "William Hannah & his Band" (Digitally Improved Music from the Parlophone Label) 18 Tracks including Petronella, Boston Two-Step, Scottish Reform, Pride of Erin Waltz, Highland Scottische, Scottish Emigrant, Dundee Reel, St Bernard's Waltz, Canadian Barn Dance, Rory O' More, Foursome Reel, Lassie Valse, Haymaker's Jig, Drap's O' Brandy, Highland Scottische, Eightsome Reel (Inver Lasses), Blaze Away March and Two-Step & Ci Mi Na Morbheanna - Gaelic Waltz. I got my copy from Concorde Music in Perth, Scotland, it's on this page of their website, Code : 0133

 

 

If yours is like mine, it is an early version of a B/C with a 24-key "piano accordion style bass" (but with only bass notes and major triads, the same in both bellows directions), so probably ancestral to large 3 row "british chromatic" style boxes with even more stradella basses, such as those made by Hohner, Paolo Soprani, etc.

And if it's anything like mine, then it was probably made (in Wurttemberg) by Hohner, especially for Wilkinson's.

[offthewall]

Thanks Stephen,

 

AS it happens, that was the thread that I picked up in google to bring me here, looking for answers.

The instrument I have does say 'made in Germany'.

 

Thanks for the info.

James