The Concertina Museum: C15.3.1-002

Summary

Full Description: This rare and early Demian Accordéon originates from the “Ruth Askew Collection” ( http://www.forest-tracks.co.uk/paulmarshs/pages/ruthaskew.html ), and was part of a small collection of concertina-related items, bandoneons and Flutinas acquired from her family after her death in September 2009. It bears the exposed circular pearl pallets and ebony levers that influenced Charles Wheatstone when he created the first “Open Pallet” concertina in the early 1830s. One of the earliest “Open Pallet” Wheatstone concertinas had formed part of the 1960s disposal of instruments by King's, and is now in the Concertina Museum Collection along with many other examples of his early musical and scientific prototypes. The 2009 Galpin Society Journal paper by Neil Wayne (Galpin Society Journal Vol 61, May 2009), at http://www.concertinamuseum.com/PDF/GSJ62%202009%20Wayne.pdf ) contains much detail on the relevance of these early Demian accordéons in the evolution of Wheatstone's Concertina.
This instrument shows an early appearance of a pair of rocking levers mounted on the right hand keyboard block, each causing a nickel pallet to rise or fall, and to allow wind access to pairs of drone chordal reeds withing the reed pan. The left hand end has a pair of pearl-rimmed holes, enabling the left hand to operate an internal air-valve.
The instrument is labelled within in black ink and curliqued font ‘No 3 New’.
The instrument retains its original rough wood case, and was sold to the Askew Collection by ‘Andrew Smith Auctions’ in 2001.
The instrument measures 96 x 332mm, has 4-fold bellows with bold gilt embossed papers.