Box Restoration

[Steve Gullick]

Hi

 

I'm new here and new to the world of concertinas.

I have been given an old 20 button lachenal that needs a fair bit of work on it, I have ordered the 'bible' on concertina repairs and intend to carry out the work myself, including replacing the bellows etc. The machine came in its original box ( I have read the threads about these boxes not being a terribly good idea, but I still want to use it). I would very much like to also restore the box to its former glory. It needs a key - any ideas? Also, it appears that it was originally covered in black paper on the outside and red inside - would that be correct? Any ideas how to replace this? The handle is also missing, would this have just been a leather strip or would it have beena proper handle.

 

Thanks a lot

 

Steve

[Ironframe]

I met a fellow pianoman at the weekend and his Lachenal 48b English, (tuned to quarter comma meantone). He had his 'tina in a traditional hex box but someone previous to his owning it, had put a loop-latch over the original lock and put a case handle diagonally on the same front face of the box for carrying and to encourage one to store the whole thing on its side thus rendering the valve set safe from the static droop suffered by so many a concertina. Good idea which perhaps should be copied by people still using the original boxes?

 

Paul

[vicrob]

Hi

 

I'm new here and new to the world of concertinas.

I have been given an old 20 button lachenal that needs a fair bit of work on it, I have ordered the 'bible' on concertina repairs and intend to carry out the work myself, including replacing the bellows etc. The machine came in its original box ( I have read the threads about these boxes not being a terribly good idea, but I still want to use it). I would very much like to also restore the box to its former glory. It needs a key - any ideas? Also, it appears that it was originally covered in black paper on the outside and red inside - would that be correct? Any ideas how to replace this? The handle is also missing, would this have just been a leather strip or would it have beena proper handle.

 

Thanks a lot

 

Steve

[vicrob]

Hi

 

I'm new here and new to the world of concertinas.

I have been given an old 20 button lachenal that needs a fair bit of work on it, I have ordered the 'bible' on concertina repairs and intend to carry out the work myself, including replacing the bellows etc. The machine came in its original box ( I have read the threads about these boxes not being a terribly good idea, but I still want to use it). I would very much like to also restore the box to its former glory. It needs a key - any ideas? Also, it appears that it was originally covered in black paper on the outside and red inside - would that be correct? Any ideas how to replace this? The handle is also missing, would this have just been a leather strip or would it have beena proper handle.

 

Thanks a lot

 

Steve

[Christian Husmann]

Hi

 

I'm new here and new to the world of concertinas.

It needs a key - any ideas?

 

Steve

 

Hello Steve,

 

some time ago I had a concertina with it´s original box and the key was missing as well. I took the lock out of the box (which went quickly) and went to an ordinary shop for shoe repairs and keys. If I remember correctly it took that man only a couple of minutes to examine the old lock and giving me the matching keys to it - that shouldn´t be any problem.

 

Christian

[paperpunchr]

Hi

 

I'm new here and new to the world of concertinas.

I have been given an old 20 button lachenal that needs a fair bit of work on it, I have ordered the 'bible' on concertina repairs and intend to carry out the work myself, including replacing the bellows etc. The machine came in its original box ( I have read the threads about these boxes not being a terribly good idea, but I still want to use it). I would very much like to also restore the box to its former glory. It needs a key - any ideas? Also, it appears that it was originally covered in black paper on the outside and red inside - would that be correct? Any ideas how to replace this? The handle is also missing, would this have just been a leather strip or would it have beena proper handle.

 

Thanks a lot

 

Steve

 

 

I recently bought a pretty original 1886 dated 20B Lachenal...the hex box was covered on the outside with black favric or paper, sort of an imitation black leather. The lid was broken, but there were pieces of the original strap left...it was made from thin leather wrapped around some kind of fabric strap, not unlike the leather thumbstraps on an english...passed through the slots in the lid and glued to the inside of the lid towards the center, maybe an inch and a half. The box was cheaply made of rough softwood covered in that black leatherette to make it presentable and lined with a faded reddish-pinkish paper, not fabric...it looked old enough and neatly done enough to be original to the box, not a homemade job, but may not have been a factory original case...I've seen much prettier ones. The lock escutcheon was shield shaped...if you want photos let me know...not sure if that was the standard or the economy case, but I'll either build a new lid and strap from scratch or build a whole new box.