81 Fret Concertinas; Fretwork Between The Buttons?

[allan atlas]

FOLKS: for the record: #26507 listed in ledgers on 30 July 1914. . . "81 frets". . . .it's a 56-button instrument . . . . .octagonal. . . . . .black..........allan

[Leonard]

My contribution to this investigation:

 

I went through the ledger SD01 (# 25000 - 29750, May 1910 - Nov.1923)

and made a list of the descriptions of all the instruments which have a designation about the fretwork.

 

Fret_designation_Ledger_SD01.pdf

 

Out of the 4750 concertinas in this ledger there are:

116 with the designation "81 fret", "81 frets" or "fret 81";

7 with the designation "25 fret", "25 frets" or "fret 25";

3 with "Olives fret" or "Olives".

 

All are wooden ended English concertinas.

All except one (#27325, model No.5A) with raised ends.

Most Aeolas (model No.17, 18, 18A, 19), but six model No.6 and one No.8.

 

The using of "fret 81" and "fret 25" suggests that it has nothing to do with the number of holes. Maybe the # of a mould?

 

I hope there will be more reactions to Greg's original question........

[Leonard]

This week I went over to Chris Algar and bought Wheatstone #30848.

It does have fretwork between the buttons.

 

All the ledgers say is: model 18, Black 56 keys.

Not a word about 81 frets.

[Stephen Chambers]

I notice that # 25185, in the Buy & Sell section (Wheatstone 48 Key Treble Aeola From 1911, For Sale) also has these cut-outs between the keys, though it is described in the ledgers simply as Octo Black 48 Keys.

[spindizzy]

Here's another one - on ebay

Aeola 31673

 

Chris

[Leonard]

Here's another one - on ebay

Aeola 31673

 

Chris

Fretwork between the buttons.

In the ledgers: Model 17, octo black, 48 keys, KV (Ring Labels).

But no "81 fret" designation .......

[Stephen Chambers]

Here's another one - on ebay

Aeola 31673

 

Chris

Fretwork between the buttons.

In the ledgers: Model 17, octo black, 48 keys, KV (Ring Labels).

But no "81 fret" designation .......

Which certainly matches its photo:

 

 

And here's another ebony Æola with no "81 fret" designation, number 25707, one of a batch of six from 2nd October 1912 (so probably all with the same frets?), which has just been listed on eBay: