Concertina Made By J. Russell, London

[Roger King]

I was given this concertina by my father in the 1960's, and he is now dead. I believe that it belonged to a member of his family since before WW2.

 

the stamping on the body says:

 

J Russell

 

Maker

 

80 Goswell St

 

London

 

It has not worked since I have had it because the bellows and some of the reeds were damaged.

 

I would now like to have it repaired and find out about its history.

 

Can anyone help?

[Stephen Chambers]

Roger,

 

All the J. Russell concertinas that I have seen were made by Louis Lachenal, and the 80, Goswell Street ones seem to date from the end of the 1850s/early 1860s. I have one myself, bearing the Lachenal serial number 6372:

 

 

Russell seems to have been a major customer of Lachenal's in the early years of that firm, and I know of several examples; One (in the old Concertina Museum Collection) is numbered 6599 and labelled “Russell Manufacturer, Presented by The Proprietors of the Companion for Youth, 80 Goswell Street London.” ("The Companion for Youth" was a monthly magazine for children published between October 1858 and December 1861.)

Edited May 24, 2007 by Stephen Chambers

[wes williams]

All the J. Russell concertinas that I have seen were made by Louis Lachenal, and the 80, Goswell Street ones seem to date from the end of the 1850s/early 1860s.

Goswell Street was amalglamated with Goswell Road and renumbered, according to the 1865 PO directory. Joseph Russell's address then became 158 Goswell Road.

Edited May 22, 2007 by wes williams

[paperpunchr]

All the J. Russell concertinas that I have seen were made by Louis Lachenal, and the 80, Goswell Street ones seem to date from the end of the 1850s/early 1860s.

Goswell Street was amalglamated with Goswell Road and renumbered, according to the 1865 PO directory. Joseph Russell's address then became 158 Goswell Road.

 

I'm a newbie here, but if you want to have it rebuilt, the first question might be, Is there a good rebuilder in my neck of the woods?. Where are you located, in Old Blighty or Stateside or elsewhere?

[paperpunchr]

I should have read the fine print...It's a Long Long way from Clare to Here...are you looking for a recommendation on a rebuilder?

 

Paperpunchr.

[Stephen Chambers]

Where are you located, in Old Blighty or Stateside or elsewhere?

The timezone in Roger's profile suggests that he's probably in the UK/Ireland, but it would help if we knew whereabouts if he wants us to recommend somebody to take a look at it.

 

I should have read the fine print...It's a Long Long way from Clare to Here...are you looking for a recommendation on a rebuilder?

Ummm, no I'm the one in Co. Clare, and I'd do it myself.

Edited May 24, 2007 by Stephen Chambers

[Stephen Chambers]

In the meantime I've received an email from Roger (who seems to be based in the UK by the way, well his email address is anyway - if anybody wants to recommend a restorer), and interestingly it seems that the serial number of his late father's English concertina is 14081.

 

Based only on statistical averages we might expect a number in the range 11353-12186 for 1865 (when Wes tells us that Russell's address changed) but this isn't the first seemingly anomalous number that I've come across from the period, such as 15435 labelled Joseph Scates, Dublin (who sold his Dublin shop in 1866).

 

This has made me rethink the dating of my own very ornate Louis Lachenal number 15347, from circa 1870 to perhaps 1865:

 

 

I've always thought that it must have been made for a special customer, or for some special purpose, but if it was made in 1865, who better for than one of Louis Lachenal's daughters the Mdlles. Lachenal, who performed in England and Scotland during 1865-6? Certainly the photographs of Marie Lachenal, Fig. 1 and Fig. 3 in Faye Debenham and Randy Merris' article Marie Lachenal: Concertinist, seem to show a "Special" baritone with similar long handcut corner inlays (rather than the usual smaller stamped-out ones):

 

 

So maybe?

 

And in that case, what's going on with Lachenal's numbering for that period, or were they really building so many Englishes at the time?

Edited May 25, 2007 by Stephen Chambers

[Roger King]

In the meantime I've received an email from Roger (who seems to be based in the UK by the way, well his email address is anyway - if anybody wants to recommend a restorer), and interestingly it seems that the serial number of his late father's English concertina is 14081.

 

Based only on statistical averages we might expect a number in the range 11353-12186 for 1865 (when Wes tells us that Russell's address changed) but this isn't the first seemingly anomalous number that I've come across from the period, such as 15435 labelled Joseph Scates, Dublin (who sold his Dublin shop in 1866).

 

This has made me rethink the dating of my own very ornate Louis Lachenal number 15347, from circa 1870 to perhaps 1865:

 

 

I've always thought that it must have been made for a special customer, or for some special purpose, but if it was made in 1865, who better for than one of Louis Lachenal's daughters the Mdlles. Lachenal, who performed in England and Scotland during 1865-6? Certainly the photographs of Marie Lachenal, Fig. 1 and Fig. 3 in Faye Debenham and Randy Merris' article Marie Lachenal: Concertinist, seem to show a "Special" baritone with similar long handcut corner inlays (rather than the usual smaller stamped-out ones):

 

 

So maybe?

 

And in that case, what's going on with Lachenal's numbering for that period, or were they really building so many Englishes at the time?

[paperpunchr]

Sorry for the confusion, and that really is a beautiful instrument, with a remarkable resemblance to the one in the photo...If it's not the same one, it's surely close to it. Delightful to see these wonderful specimens from your enviable collection!

[Roger King]

Sorry for the confusion. I am new to forums and I find the format for sending a reply very confusing. I was trying to reply to Stephen Chambers' last reply and ended up repeating it, instead of adding my reply. I hope that I have done it right this time!

 

I have attached three pictures, showing the serial No., damaged bellows and one keyboard. You will notice the similarity to Stephen's picture.

 

This all started when I saw an elderly friend's concertina. I have told him about this forum and the information that it has produced. So he asked me to ask about his own instrument. It has the following details:-

 

M. (J?)ournet

43 Tottenham Court Road

London

 

Sorry for the delay in this reply, I work abroad a lot so I don't have frequent opportunities to get onto the internet.

[Stephen Chambers]

It has the following details:-

 

M. (J?)ournet

43 Tottenham Court Road

London

Robert,

 

Henry Journet was another dealer who sold concertinas made for him by Lachenal's, as well as Violins, Violoncellos, Double Bases, Bows, Guitars, Zithers, Roman and English Strings of the Finest Quality, Musical Boxes with "Drums", "Bells", "Flutes" and "Castinets", Nicole Freres Main Springs & all other Fittings supplied to the Trade, Clarionets, Flutes, Cornets, Reeds of Barini and other Makers, Musical Box Repairs of every Discription as at Geneva. Zithers restrung and retuned.

 

He seems to have been in business between around 1870-1901.