Lawrence Reeves Posted July 13, 2009 Share Posted July 13, 2009 After my tionól experience with Paul Groff back in early March my fascination with owning a melodeon may have come true. I know it is an old Hohner Pokerwork, not sure of the key until I get it. What are some guesses on age? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Chambers Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 After my tionól experience with Paul Groff back in early March my fascination with owning a melodeon may have come true. I know it is an old Hohner Pokerwork, not sure of the key until I get it. What are some guesses on age? I'd need to see end-on photos to confirm it, but I suspect it has all the features of the patent Hohner applied for around 1930, so early '30s. Only it wouldn't be counted as a "melodeon" in Ireland (indeed I recently heard of someone being disqualified for using something similar in a competition here!), it's more correctly a single-row Vienna accordion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawrence Reeves Posted July 14, 2009 Author Share Posted July 14, 2009 (edited) So Stephen, having been disqualified once in Clonmel myself in the mandolin competition, pray tell are the "officials" looking for a 10 keyed instrument with stops? In my case 10 was an unlucky number of strings. Seems that a Sobell 10 stringed mandolin was not traditional, as if any mandolin were truly traditional by CCE standards. Did I get an ok instrument to learn on? 84 dollars including shipping. Edited July 14, 2009 by Lawrence Reeves Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Drinkwater Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 After my tionól experience with Paul Groff back in early March my fascination with owning a melodeon may have come true. I know it is an old Hohner Pokerwork, not sure of the key until I get it. What are some guesses on age? Hmm. Interesting. But a concertina it ain't. Wrong forum. Looks like it could do with a good clean and re-pokerworking. Key of C maybe? Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Chambers Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 So Stephen, ... pray tell are the "officials" looking for a 10 keyed instrument with stops? Exactly so, and two basses on a projecting "growlbox" but, to be fair, that German model of accordion is the proper melodeon - as it was originally named/marketed (seemingly by Campbell's of Glasgow) in the mid 1870s, and the name has stuck in Ireland. I only heard about that disqualification when I met up with Bobby Gardiner in Miltown Malbay last week, to compare melodeons (his Melodie and my Acadian) and I commented to him that I'd heard of somebody being disqualified one time for using a shoulder strap on one - seeing that Bobby doesn't, but I do. ... having been disqualified once in Clonmel myself in the mandolin competition ... In my case 10 was an unlucky number of strings. Seems that a Sobell 10 stringed mandolin was not traditional, as if any mandolin were truly traditional by CCE standards. Hmmm, is there an actual mandolin competion these days? (It used to be classed as a miscellaneous instrument.) I guess they considered a 5-course to be "cheating", like the 2 extra basses on a single-row Vienna accordion... Did I get an ok instrument to learn on? 84 dollars including shipping. Well it's the same period as my 2-row Hohner, if that tells you something... Though it's possible for such an early pokerwork to have bronze reeds, instead of steel - at least, according to the catalogue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henrik Müller Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 I wonder what would happen if I turned up? Can one be disqualified from "Miscellaneous instruments"? /Henrik Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Chambers Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 (edited) I wonder what would happen if I turned up? Can one be disqualified from "Miscellaneous instruments"? Henrik, Unless they've changed "the rules" you can enter on any system of concertina, in fact I've seen a concertina competition won by an English-system player (Madeline O'Dowd), though that was back in the '70s. Mind you, I think adjudicators sometimes make up their own "rules", whilst you've broken more than enough of them already... Edited July 14, 2009 by Stephen Chambers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawrence Reeves Posted July 14, 2009 Author Share Posted July 14, 2009 back plate photo says steel reeds. I am kind of excited already, even though I won't see it for a few days. My late grandmother had something similar next to an old 2 row German concertina on top of her piano. Even if I never learn to play it I can display it next to an old 2 row, and a bellows type camera on a shelf. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Chambers Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 (edited) back plate photo says steel reeds. That sounds like very good news then, since (judging by others from the period) they should be the H-stamped ones on zinc plates. It should have a strong sound. These were some of the first Hohners to have the "modern" all-metal mechanism in both the bass and treble (rather than a wood and wire one), and an unusual method of fastening the ends on that employs two bolts on either side - you have to take the grille off each end to get at them (inserting your screwdriver through specially-provided holes in the bass strap). Here's the (c.1930) catalogue page that describes it: Edited July 15, 2009 by Stephen Chambers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catty Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 (edited) It'a beauty -- I hope it's still in decent tuning for you. I own a couple of two-row boxes of that vintage, myself -- they sound great. Edited July 14, 2009 by catty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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