What system is this Ebay UK Lachenal?

[TomB-R]

This auction

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=140329457213

 

Is it a one and a half row, or a psuedo-piano unisonoric layout?

 

Just curiosity on my part

Tom

[KerryFrank]

This auction

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=140329457213

 

Is it a one and a half row, or a psuedo-piano unisonoric layout?

 

Just curiosity on my part

Tom

 

Tom,

I would hazard to guess this would be a single-key chromatic Anglo. (unlike a C/G or G/D Anglo) I would hypothesise that the incidental row is abbreviated because redundant note-buttons have been left out. (ever notice how some incidentals, on a 30-button Anglo, are the same as some keys of the middle row?) Odds are that this concertina would be in the key of Cmaj, (the most common) with incidentals. The only way to know, for certain, would be to play the instrument. Interesting.

[asdormire]

It looks like a jedcertina. These instruments have been discussed in the forums before. I am not sure of the spelling, but I did find some discussion by putting in just jed.

 

Alan

[Stephen Chambers]

Is it a one and a half row, or a psuedo-piano unisonoric layout?

Tom,

 

It's a question that arises quite frequently around here. They are piano-system, and many of these late Lachenal examples were marketed by J.E.Dallas, by the name "Jedcertina"

[Stephen Chambers]

Here's what I wrote in a previous reply about them:

 

Various German and English makers built "chromatic system" piano-fingered concertinas over the years. The model was patented, in London, in 1862 (July 9.-No.1976) by Charles Frederick William Rust, acting for the German manufacturer Ferdinand Glier. They were later made by both George Jones and Lachenal & Co. (I even saw a Wheatstone Æola version once !), but the system has always been flawed, as it is not possible for anyone to play with their thumbs on a concertina, making the instrument pretty useless to a keyboard player, for whom it was supposedly intended.

 

The Jedcertina was a late version of the design, made by Lachenal's (& later by Harry Crabb), for J.E.Dallas & Son of London, who used the brand name "Jedson". This one appears to have the Erinoid (plastic) buttons that Lachenal's started to use in the late 1920s.

 

A forum search on "Jedcertina" will lead you to various older posts about them.

[Daniel Hersh]

And there happens to be a nice example of the related German Chromatic or "Cromatic" concertina on eBay now too, with a piano-style right hand and an "Anglo" style left.

 

Here's what I wrote in a previous reply about them:

Various German and English makers built "chromatic system" piano-fingered concertinas over the years. The model was patented, in London, in 1862 (July 9.-No.1976) by Charles Frederick William Rust, acting for the German manufacturer Ferdinand Glier. They were later made by both George Jones and Lachenal & Co. (I even saw a Wheatstone Æola version once !), but the system has always been flawed, as it is not possible for anyone to play with their thumbs on a concertina, making the instrument pretty useless to a keyboard player, for whom it was supposedly intended.

 

The Jedcertina was a late version of the design, made by Lachenal's (& later by Harry Crabb), for J.E.Dallas & Son of London, who used the brand name "Jedson". This one appears to have the Erinoid (plastic) buttons that Lachenal's started to use in the late 1920s.

 

A forum search on "Jedcertina" will lead you to various older posts about them.

[Anglo-Irishman]

Is it a one and a half row, or a psuedo-piano unisonoric layout?

Tom,

 

It's a question that arises quite frequently around here. They are piano-system, and many of these late Lachenal examples were marketed by J.E.Dallas, by the name "Jedcertina"

 

Quaint little thing! Google reveals that it has a chromatic scale from c' to g'', i.e. one and a half octaves, which corroborates the evidence of the black and white keys. That isn't much, but it's about the singing range of an untrained human voice, and it being chromatic you can choose keys to fit that range, and probably pick out melodies on it quite nicely.

 

Actually, I'm considering bidding for this one, if my questions to the seller are answered satisfactorily. Compared to my 30-b Anglo and 48-b Crane, it's little more than a toy. But I have an 8-month-old granddaughter with musical parents (and grandparents), and maybe in a few years' time she'll want something smaller than her Mum's piano to play her nursery rhymes on If I could get her used to the concept of the concertina as such, she might take over my Crane when I'm past it.

 

And there's a sentimental reason for my wanting a Jedcertina - which will become apparent when I sign this post with my full name

 

Cheers,

John E. Dallas

(Yes, really!)