floppycamel Posted April 5, 2008 Share Posted April 5, 2008 (edited) Hello.. I am hoping to restore this concertina i bought recently. My concertina needs new bellows and thumb straps and i'd like to find one's that are inkeeping or original(is this possible)? I have tried contacting Wheatstone's with no satisfaction and see that Colin Dipper has a backlog. Can someone give me information on who else i should contact regards Jeff Edited April 5, 2008 by floppycamel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Dunk Posted April 5, 2008 Share Posted April 5, 2008 Check out the David Leese website. If you're not sure about anything give him a call, you'll find him very helpful. Pete. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
floppycamel Posted April 5, 2008 Author Share Posted April 5, 2008 Check out the David Leese website. If you're not sure about anything give him a call, you'll find him very helpful. Pete. Thanks Tallship Interesting site. Only offering black bellows. mine are green thin moroccan leather. I am hoping that i can just replace the cards but what a job(any suggestions who could do that). I really want to restore as near as possible to the original but its proving to be more difficult than i thought.At this rate i'll have posted it to loads of different specialists and will have her finished in 2010. Do you know of a one stop shop that will respect its age etc? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Dunk Posted April 5, 2008 Share Posted April 5, 2008 I'm sure if you send David an email enquiry he'd be able to make a set of green bellows but here are a few more links to repairers/restorers that may be useful to you. Dave Elliott Marcus Music Andrew Norman Concertina Connection Barleycorn Concertinas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
floppycamel Posted April 5, 2008 Author Share Posted April 5, 2008 I'm sure if you send David an email enquiry he'd be able to make a set of green bellows but here are a few more links to repairers/restorers that may be useful to you. Dave Elliott Marcus Music Andrew Norman Concertina Connection Barleycorn Concertinas Great thanks i'll let you know how i get on. regards Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Prebble Posted April 5, 2008 Share Posted April 5, 2008 Hi Jeff, whereabouts are you located ?? Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
floppycamel Posted April 5, 2008 Author Share Posted April 5, 2008 Hi Jeff, whereabouts are you located ?? Dave Hi Dave, I am in Scotland, Lanark. Not many experts around here or maybe i haven't found them? Regards Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Barnert Posted April 5, 2008 Share Posted April 5, 2008 If nobody on that side of the pond can help you, The Button Box in the USA usually has that kind of stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spindizzy Posted April 5, 2008 Share Posted April 5, 2008 Hi Jeff, whereabouts are you located ?? Dave Hi Dave, I am in Scotland, Lanark. Not many experts around here or maybe i haven't found them? Regards Jeff Hi - I used to live in Waterloo ( a bit up the road from New Lanark)... completely irrelevent since I didn't play concertina in them days.... Anyway another restorer to add the list http://www.theboxplace.co.uk/ (Theo in Gateshead) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
floppycamel Posted April 5, 2008 Author Share Posted April 5, 2008 Thanks to everyone for all your expertise and time I have been directed to many interesting sites and people Even though i have been an avid reader on the forum for months now there is nothing better than interaction to get to the heart of the issue . I'll let you know how i get on. Kind regards Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Chambers Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 Jeff, Those open-pallet Wheatstones (like my avatar picture) were the very first handful of concertinas ever made and are extremely rare (only 4 are/were known to exist). They are museum pieces of enormous historical interest, but they were essentially prototypes and never played very well (even when new) and I'd recommend you to do absolutely nothing whatsoever with it. Indeed the instrument is going to be worth far more in unrestored original condition (no matter how bad), than restored to even the very highest standard. But if you want a playing instrument you should, perhaps, consider exchanging it for a good one (I've been known to do that kind of thing, hint, hint ). Could we see some photos of yours? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Royk Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 Hi Jeff, whereabouts are you located ?? Dave Hi Dave, I am in Scotland, Lanark. Not many experts around here or maybe i haven't found them? Regards Jeff Hi - I used to live in Waterloo ( a bit up the road from New Lanark)... completely irrelevent since I didn't play concertina in them days.... Anyway another restorer to add the list http://www.theboxplace.co.uk/ (Theo in Gateshead) Well im just outside Kilmarnock and ive been repairing concertina's for a good number of years. I thought there was a place in Motherwell as well that did repairs ?? cheers Roy Kilmarnock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
floppycamel Posted April 7, 2008 Author Share Posted April 7, 2008 Jeff, Those open-pallet Wheatstones (like my avatar picture) were the very first handful of concertinas ever made and are extremely rare (only 4 are/were known to exist). They are museum pieces of enormous historical interest, but they were essentially prototypes and never played very well (even when new) and I'd recommend you to do absolutely nothing whatsoever with it. Indeed the instrument is going to be worth far more in unrestored original condition (no matter how bad), than restored to even the very highest standard. But if you want a playing instrument you should, perhaps, consider exchanging it for a good one (I've been known to do that kind of thing, hint, hint ). Could we see some photos of yours? Hi Stephen, She seems to be quite the historical piece. It also interests me to find out who owned her after 1854 till the 1890's. The Wheatstone ledgers are great but i come to a standstill after 1854 Would you or anyone reading know where and if i can see George Case's sales ledgers or Joseph Scates? Your not the first to suggest not touching her or exchanging. Although she is not a pearl open pallet like your's. I am now told she is a circular fret? i'll try and attach a photo. (Hope this works)Sorry about the quaility of image(Mobile phone) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
floppycamel Posted April 7, 2008 Author Share Posted April 7, 2008 Hi Jeff, whereabouts are you located ?? Dave Hi Dave, I am in Scotland, Lanark. Not many experts around here or maybe i haven't found them? Regards Jeff Hi - I used to live in Waterloo ( a bit up the road from New Lanark)... completely irrelevent since I didn't play concertina in them days.... Anyway another restorer to add the list http://www.theboxplace.co.uk/ (Theo in Gateshead) Well im just outside Kilmarnock and ive been repairing concertina's for a good number of years. I thought there was a place in Motherwell as well that did repairs ?? cheers Roy Kilmarnock Hi Roy, I have friends in Kilmarnock was there last week Although most of my time is spent in Glasgow now (Work) There is a guy in Glasgow i have been told about as well that repairs but Colin Dipper seems to be the one suggested the most for any repairs on this one because of her history. Cheers Jeff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris Posted April 8, 2008 Share Posted April 8, 2008 Hi Jeff Just out of curiosity- was this sold on ebay as a 'Joseph Scates' a lttle while ago? As far as I know there are no ledgers available for Case or Scates. Stephen Chambers and Neil Wayne are probably the most likely to know about your concertinas' history. The trouble with having a piece of history is -do you renovate and subtract from possible value or do you let it sit in a museum or sit in someones private collection where few will see it. glad it's not my decision best of luck chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
floppycamel Posted April 8, 2008 Author Share Posted April 8, 2008 Hi JeffJust out of curiosity- was this sold on ebay as a 'Joseph Scates' a lttle while ago? As far as I know there are no ledgers available for Case or Scates. Stephen Chambers and Neil Wayne are probably the most likely to know about your concertinas' history. The trouble with having a piece of history is -do you renovate and subtract from possible value or do you let it sit in a museum or sit in someones private collection where few will see it. glad it's not my decision best of luck chris Hi Chris, Yes Chris thats the one.. Its a tough decision.....A lot to think about..I'll need some time to mull it all over So much for some restoration advice..This has turned into something totally different. Whats good is that people are downloading the picture shame the quaility is not that good .. What to do.. Hold on to a piece of history and then no one will ever see it or do you pass it on where there is a chance that it will..Maybe a museum is the best idea? but what one? The horiman has already an extensive collection... Cheers Jeff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theo Posted April 8, 2008 Share Posted April 8, 2008 What to do.. Hold on to a piece of history and then no one will ever see it or do you pass it on where there is a chance that it will..Maybe a museum is the best idea? Well there is a 'third way' and that is to take a conservative approach to repairs. Do just enough to make it playable and use the same materials and processes that the original builders did. That way you have an instrument that is probably good enough to learn on, still has its historical integrity, but isn't languishing in silence in a museum. Of course the practicality of that approach depends on how bad any defects are. Your photo doesn't show the bellows so I can't hazard a guess at what might be needed. All I can say is that if there are lots or air leaks its more likely to need some work on the pads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nils Posted April 8, 2008 Share Posted April 8, 2008 And a fourth way - I have got a brass Wheatstone that I lend to people who want to try out a concertina and decide later what they are going to buy. Most players have got an instrument like that on the shelf. Maybe there is someone in Scotland? Nils Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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