Greg Jowaisas Posted July 31, 2004 Share Posted July 31, 2004 Dear Frank, Where is the nearest landfill to your house? Regards, Greg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flip Delport Posted October 19, 2004 Share Posted October 19, 2004 (edited) For Sure - South Africa is the country where you will find most of the 40 key Wheatstone Anglo's. numbers 5XXXX. I am attempting to compile a database and within a month have more than 100 on my list. The only concertinas I could trace with numbers not starting with 5 , are two Wheatstones (32123 and 32128) that belong to two dear friends. Edited October 21, 2004 by Flip Delport Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jggunn Posted October 19, 2004 Share Posted October 19, 2004 I remember that a concertina player in the upstate NY area named Stewart Dean put an add in a Salvation Army periodical several years ago asking to buy concertinas, and apparently, in his words, they fell out of the trees. So I imagine that they are many more yet to found in that source. Also on a trip to South Africa several years ago I mentioned to some colleagues there that I played the concertina (English which they call the four-row) and they found a couple of octogenerian former prison guards who had not played in years but put on a concert for me at their house -- they were hardly politically correct but it was quite an amazing performance of not only playing but swinging the instruments at the same time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Timson Posted October 21, 2004 Share Posted October 21, 2004 Or Frank Edgeley, in Windsor Ontario. Even localler, and with a reputation second to none. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suade Posted October 21, 2004 Share Posted October 21, 2004 I have one that the dealers don't have!! It has been in a cupboard for many years and it was only recently when a new work collegue, who is a Morris Dancing enthusiast, wanted to have a look at it, started to play it, I realised what a wonderful little instrument it was. We think it is in original condition, even down to the straps. serial no is 156966, and I have been told it is a Lachenal 30 button Anglo. It is in it's original box, however, at some point the key must have got lost and it was forced open, so unfortunatley the top is damaged. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill_mchale Posted October 21, 2004 Share Posted October 21, 2004 Or Frank Edgeley, in Windsor Ontario. Even localler, and with a reputation second to none. Huh? I am obviously missing something here; Were you replying to a particular post Chris? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill_mchale Posted October 21, 2004 Share Posted October 21, 2004 I have one that the dealers don't have!! It has been in a cupboard for many years and it was only recently when a new work collegue, who is a Morris Dancing enthusiast, wanted to have a look at it, started to play it, I realised what a wonderful little instrument it was. We think it is in original condition, even down to the straps. serial no is 156966, and I have been told it is a Lachenal 30 button Anglo. It is in it's original box, however, at some point the key must have got lost and it was forced open, so unfortunatley the top is damaged. Oh Suade I am sorry the case was damaged. It might have been worth something if the case was intact but like all antiques something like that removes pretty much all of its collectable value Tell you what I will give you $50 for it as a favor so you won't feel so bad about it Oh ok, ok already... the case doesn't really do anything for the value of the instrument. In truth you are probably better off getting a new case for it anyway... so if you don't want to go through the expense I will still give you $50 for the concertina.. .maybe even $65 . And if you are interested, I have got some great beach front property in Arizona I think you might be interested in. -- Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimLucas Posted October 21, 2004 Share Posted October 21, 2004 ...I have got some great beach front property in Arizona... I have a friend with a beech-front cabin in Sweden. Come to think of it, the sides and back are also beech wood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazza Posted October 21, 2004 Share Posted October 21, 2004 I have been car booting for years now looking for concertinas and bargains in general ,I have found three in about ten years of looking,I havent seen one for about four years then in three months I have bought two Lachenal anglos one is a cheap model with brass reeds then last sunday a lovely 1878 31 button Lachenal in modern pitch the extra button is a whisle and a lovely tone ,so they are still out there ,keep looking Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffwright Posted October 22, 2004 Share Posted October 22, 2004 The Irish haven't played anglos for ever - they became a fad and they may stop playing them and follow Coolfin onto bazooki, mandolas and other "new" trad instruments. The other problem is supply and demand - there aren't enough being made - anyone want to take up a more lucrative trade than plumbing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimLucas Posted October 22, 2004 Share Posted October 22, 2004 ...anyone want to take up a more lucrative trade than plumbing? If only making concertinas were that! I don't believe anyone is currently earning enough from making new concertinas to live entirely from that, even if they did that full time. Ever wonder what the profit works out to as an hourly wage? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Tedrow Posted October 22, 2004 Share Posted October 22, 2004 It is very poor indeed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill_mchale Posted October 22, 2004 Share Posted October 22, 2004 (edited) The way I see it, the only people making enough to live off of making concertinas are the people at Stagi and the Chinese factories making the $199 ones you see on the internet. And of course the standard of living of those Chinese Factory workers are probably much lower than most people living in the west would be willing to accept. The only way one could make a decent living making concertinas would be if the instrument became much more popular than it currently; at least equal to the button accordion. And then makers would find it worth while to automate certain tasks, and it likely some would specialize in making parts. To use the names of the people we know and love Tedrow might make Bellows, Suttner would make the reeds, Herrington might make the button lever assemblies... And Frank Edgley and Richard Morse might be the ones who assembled the parts into completed instruments adding their own decorations and soundboards etc to differentiate the instruments. Of course I rather suspect that if such a scenario was to happen that alot of the parts and labor would also be outsourced to places like China much as Hohner has done with its accordions. So the Americans, British and German "makers" would really be designers and salesman. Somehow I don't think that our current crop of makers is really interested in becoming that. Of course fortunately it doesn't seem likely that the Electric Guitar is in danger of being displaced by the Anglo Concertina anytime soon -- Bill Edited October 22, 2004 by bill_mchale Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimLucas Posted October 22, 2004 Share Posted October 22, 2004 ...fortunately it doesn't seem likely that the Electric Guitar is in danger of being displaced by the Anglo Concertina anytime soon Shh! A local Danish group says they need a bass player, and I almost have them convinced that my contrabass English is just the thing for the job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Morse Posted October 22, 2004 Share Posted October 22, 2004 ...anyone want to take up a more lucrative trade than plumbing? If only making concertinas were that! I don't believe anyone is currently earning enough from making new concertinas to live entirely from that, even if they did that full time. Ever wonder what the profit works out to as an hourly wage? I would think that plumbers make a lot more than any concertina maker. Plumbers in my area charge about $50/hr which after expenses, taxes and unbillable time (but countable!) probably nets them about $15/hr. I *am* pleased to say that everyone working full-time at the Button Box does earn enough to live in reasonable style around here. Of course we don't get as much as the above plumber does, but at least living expenses are fairly low in our communities. We keep pretty good track of our expense/profits for each of our "departments" to know that our concertina making, repairs, sales/administration departments each carry their own and a bit more. The NESI just about breaks even if you consider the admin part of it to be a general "business" expense. Our design department (me) is the only part that isn't profitable though rather than the other departments kicking in to balance things (ha, ha, haaaaa....) I do my "day" job part-time instead (being an architect). So in a sense, you can say that my hourly wage is lower than the rest of the BBox employees.... Negative compensation territory actually.... I try not to look at those figures..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hielandman Posted October 23, 2004 Share Posted October 23, 2004 I would like to agree with Morgana, on the point she raises about maybe a lot of unknown concertinas are in the hands of relatives who keep the instruments because it is a link to someone beloved who has passed away. I know of two instruments, a 48 button Lachenal, and a 20 button Lachenal, in the hands of friends, that had belonged to their grandfathers, and at different times I had them sent to Frank Egdley(15 or so years ago) for restoration, and over this time period, the only time they get played is when I am visiting either of these people at a party, and I am requested to play, which I take as an honor, to play on their grandparents instruments. Neither of these people will sell them to me, even though neither of them play, they just want to hold on to them because of who it belonged to. I am like that myself with things that belonged to my father and grandfather, I think we all are, to some degree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samantha Posted October 23, 2004 Share Posted October 23, 2004 [snip] ... their grandparents instruments... [snip] I know a guy like that too. He is a musician, and whenever we meet I ask him if he's begun to play the English concertina which was his great grandfather's (he believes) yet. He says his 9 year old son is quite interested and so I'm encouraging him to encourage him ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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