yankeeclipper Posted June 14, 2007 Share Posted June 14, 2007 This odd item just came up on eBay: http://cgi.ebay.com/old-skinners-english-c...1QQcmdZViewItem Can anyone explain the "portholes" around the sides? Obviously not an English concertina, but an Anglo-German, probably sold (and maybe made) in England. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
earl Posted June 14, 2007 Share Posted June 14, 2007 (edited) This odd item just came up on eBay: http://cgi.ebay.com/old-skinners-english-c...1QQcmdZViewItem Can anyone explain the "portholes" around the sides? Obviously not an English concertina, but an Anglo-German, probably sold (and maybe made) in England. I have a similar concertina, found in Thailand of all places. Same holes in the sides. I thougt the holes might be for volume. Reminds me of a Czech button accordion with the little brass trumpet bells on the bass side. Earl Edited June 14, 2007 by earl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Chambers Posted June 15, 2007 Share Posted June 15, 2007 Can anyone explain the "portholes" around the sides? Obviously not an English concertina, but an Anglo-German, probably sold (and maybe made) in England.I have a similar concertina, found in Thailand of all places. Same holes in the sides. I thougt the holes might be for volume. Reminds me of a Czech button accordion with the little brass trumpet bells on the bass side. It's a German concertina (though with "imitation Anglo" fretcut ends), made probably in Klingenthal. The holes around the sides are called "trumpet holes", intended to help the sound project from the instrument (and probably also to look "cool" ), and such concertinas (and sometimes melodeons) are often found. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yankeeclipper Posted June 15, 2007 Author Share Posted June 15, 2007 Next question: do those "trumpet holes" actually do any good? I suspect that if they did, they would have been adopted by later makers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
earl Posted June 15, 2007 Share Posted June 15, 2007 Next question: do those "trumpet holes" actually do any good? I suspect that if they did, they would have been adopted by later makers. I really don't think it makes any difference at all. The "trumpet" concertina I have has a miserable sound. I just own it as a novelty. I have a Tedrow for actual music playing. Earl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Hersh Posted June 15, 2007 Share Posted June 15, 2007 They're common on German-made concertinas, including good ones like my E.L. Arnold Chemnitzer. It's not surprising that they're rare or non-existent on British-made concertinas--it's a different manufacturing and design tradition. German makers of small concertinas like this one borrowed ideas (especially in outward appearance) from the British makers, perhaps because they were exporting lots of concertinas to the British Isles. British makers weren't selling to the German market so they had no reason to adopt a German look. That's my theory, anyway.... Daniel Next question: do those "trumpet holes" actually do any good? I suspect that if they did, they would have been adopted by later makers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimLucas Posted June 15, 2007 Share Posted June 15, 2007 Next question: do those "trumpet holes" actually do any good? I suspect that if they did, they would have been adopted by later makers. Well, a few -- though apparently very few -- English-made concertinas had openings in the sides of the ends. I know they've been discussed before, and some photos posted, but my quick search attempt didn't find them. No time at the moment to search deeper, so maybe somebody else can locate them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Middleton-Metcalfe Posted June 15, 2007 Share Posted June 15, 2007 bob tedro has a concertina that is useing a slightly similar idea http://hmi.homewood.net/fretless/ However that would probably sound good - the little german ebay one would probably not Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asdormire Posted June 15, 2007 Share Posted June 15, 2007 bob tedro has a concertina that is useing a slightly similar idea http://hmi.homewood.net/fretless/ However that would probably sound good - the little german ebay one would probably not I happen to think one of those concertinas sounds great considering it is mine, Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Chambers Posted June 15, 2007 Share Posted June 15, 2007 ... a few -- though apparently very few -- English-made concertinas had openings in the sides of the ends. I know they've been discussed before, and some photos posted, but my quick search attempt didn't find them. No time at the moment to search deeper, so maybe somebody else can locate them? Jim, Try this thread, this one, or this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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