Identification

[Theodore Kloba]

What are the rods extending perpendicular to the reeds? Do they prevent the bellows from bumping into the reeds?

[Stephen Chambers]

What are the rods extending perpendicular to the reeds? Do they prevent the bellows from bumping into the reeds?

Exactly so, though they're more like (very large) wire staples, rather than rods. You'll commonly see them in French accordions/flutinas, and other instruments like the Henry Harley concertina I was dissecting for Neil Wayne at Eigse Mrs. Crotty 10 days ago. For that matter, you'll see shorter ones on the reed pans of some early English concertinas too, usually protecting the corner reeds.

[rfulton]

FWIW, I did find what I believe to be the makers mark on this "Flutina". Can anyone identify this mark? I drew it on paper. My camera won't quite focus on it. By the way, the right upper corner of the mark is worn or rubbed off.

 

Thx.

[Paul Tinker]

I have a version, almost identical to the photo at the top of the post.

The label on the bellows is H Wilson, and has a date of 1918, which would tie in

with my Grandfather going to France with the Royal Horse Fusiliers.

Alas the case was used as a toolbox back in the early 1970's, and no longer exists.

Id like to find more info. But I cannot find any mention of H Wilson anywhere in relation to accordions or 

flutina. Any help would be appreciated. 

[Stephen Chambers]

22 hours ago, Paul Tinker said:

The label on the bellows is H Wilson, and has a date of 1918, which would tie in

with my Grandfather going to France with the Royal Horse Fusiliers.

 

The actual makers of these instruments, in France, would have stamped their names into the woodwork (if at all), usually into the pallet board where the pads are, or into the reedpan inside, where the reeds are.

 

Any paper labels on the outside were added by the importer/dealer, or by a previous owner.

 

In the early 1900s there was an instrument dealer named H. Willson in Horncastle, Lincs., and a piano and music dealer named H. S. Wilson in Keswick, Cumb.