Just Got A Crabb

[Marklar]

I got lucky. I play Irish fiddle and my stepmom found something in her attic from an uncle who had a pawn shop in the '30s, and I recognized it as an anglo concertina and was given it.

 

Heres a pic:

http://home.comcast.net/~e.holt331/concertina.html

 

The end plates are silver, and the label reads "H. Crabb, Maker, 158 Liverpool Rd., London."

 

It's in pretty good shape. There are no numbers on the end plates but on the underside of each action pan is the number 8995; that's the only thing I can find that looks like a serial number.

 

Anyway, I plan to have it restored and learn to play it, but I'm curious about its history. It looks to be from around 1900, but I don't really know much about concertinas (yet).

[Ken_Coles]

If that was you over on the session.org, I have one comment to add to the repair advice posted there. When you put the ends back on, it is way too easy (judging by the boxes I've seen) to overtighten the bolts. You're not putting a cylinder head on an engine...DoN Nichols measured his bolts on an instrument from a modern maker, and they were torqued to 16 ounce-inches! I do mine very loose and tighten them slightly until all the leaks stop.

 

Have fun, welcome to the madness.

 

Ken

[Greg Jowaisas]

Congratulations, Mark!

Thanks to the thoughtfulness of your family members you are living what most cnet members only dream about! I am going to guess about 1900 on the year of your box. Geoff Crabb who participates in cnet can give you the definitive answer. I love the chasing on the ends.

 

You need to find out what key it is in and what it's pitch is relative to today's concert standard. You might even be lucky enough to have an instrument in an alternative temperment. There will be decisions to make. I would advise you to take your time in making them. Get to know your instrument. Let it talk to you and then you can both decide how you are going to make music together.

 

Tuning concertina reeds in most cases involves removal of material. It can only be done so much before the reeds suffer. So it is best to have a good idea of how the concertina might be best used before sending it to a place (of tuning or temperment) where it cannot return.

 

Welcome to cnet. Enjjoy your concertina adventure.

 

Greg

[Stephen Chambers]

... the label reads "H. Crabb, Maker, 158 Liverpool Rd., London." ... on the underside of each action pan is the number 8995; that's the only thing I can find that looks like a serial number. ... It looks to be from around 1900 ...

 

The name stamp on your instrument was used by Henry Thomas Crabb (1856-1930), though probably not until after the death of his father John Crabb (1826-1903). The 4-digit number you have found sounds like a typical older Crabb one, and is probably from the late 1920s (compare it with the 9008 number of the amboyna A.M. Ross tenor-treble that was made between 1927 and 1929), so if it was pawned during the Great Depression, it was probably almost new at the time.

 

Also, it was something of a de-luxe or "special order" instrument when it was made, as not only is it engraved, but also it has the more detailed fretwork pattern normally reserved only for 4-row Anglos.

 

You're very fortunate to have acquired such a fine concertina for your first instrument, a valuable gift!

[Geoffrey Crabb]

ID No. 8995 was made in April 1926 by H.T.Crabb. No other info.

 

Quite rare as engraving was usually reserved for the better Duets.

 

Geoff

[Marklar]

Thanks for the information, guys.

 

Any idea as to what was behind the unusual end plates? Is this just an option that someone paid some extra money for on an otherwise ordinary instrument, or do they indicate that the instrument itself may be unique? In other words, do the end plates reflect on the overall quality of the instrument, or are they just a unique and attractive option that was added to an ordinary anglo? Have you guys seen one like this before?

[Pete Dunk]

Hello Marklar, you may have missed the connection but your last reply was from Geoffrey Crabb of Crabb concertinas. It sounds as if there is no documented information beyond that given. Depending on where you are in the world it might be worth sending the the concertina to Geoffrey for an internal examination and valuation I'm sure Geoffrey would also quote for the restoration work. No doubt there will be a charge for this but then you will have all the information you need.

 

Congratulations on a wonderful attic find; it's certainly a valuable instrument, well worth restoring and will be a joy to learn on. Have fun and welcome to the forum.

 

Pete

[DerekR]

Welcome to the world of priveleged Crabb owners! Take good care of that magnificent instrument, learn to play it, and it will give you years of imense pleasure as mine has for me.

[Greg Jowaisas]

Whoops! I missed on my guesstimate of the age on Marklar's Crabb by 25years! My eyes were telling me 1920s but the weak left hemisphere of my brain was reminding me that my Crabb Bb #8340 was ballparked at 1890. (A mere 600 and change #s from Marklar's)

 

 

 

Just goes to show that right hemisphere rules!

 

Greg