Mystery Concertina

[Paul Read]

I have a 28-button anglo with what I think are rosewood ends, in poor shape at present.

 

The end label is partly obscured but I can decipher a partial address:

 

???? Street, Houndsditch, London (W.C.?)

 

The only letter remaining of the name is a capital F followed by a period (would have been at the end of the name) and I believe it says 'manufacturer' below the name.

 

It does not have the usual Lachenal trademark and wording.

 

It looks Lachenal in many ways (e.g a hooked action and the typical star bellows)

 

Anybody have any idea whos it may be?

[Stephen Chambers]

This sounds very much like a concertina that was recently sold on eBay (27th March), could it be the same one ?

 

If so, the seller stated that the "Label reads what is left of it ' ... 5 High St Aldgate, Houndsditch, London' ", which suggests that the instrument was sold by the dealer John Henry Ebblewhite, who was at 4-5, High Street, Aldgate, E. in the 1880's/'90's, and also had an address at 1, Houndsditch, E.

 

Judging by the photographs, of that concertina, the actual maker appears to have been F. C. Nickolds.

Edited April 7, 2004 by Stephen Chambers

[wes williams]

The only other Houndsditch address reference I know of, if it isn't what Stephen suggests, is Samuel Barnett, 31 Houndsditch and 27 Lit[tle] Duke St, c.1869 -c.1876

[Paul Read]

Thanks guys, and for your off-line information Stephen. It doesn't have a serial number although there are some pencilled numbers on each reed pan. One of these smaller makers seems highly probable.