The Concertina Museum Collection Ref:C-115.



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Item Type: Concertina

Summary Labels and Serial Numbers End Frets Fingering System Straps and Holding Devices Fret Baffle Action Board Reeds and Reed Pans Bellows Case and Other

Summary

Full Description: C Wheatstone No 10985. 24-Key English system, No 10985, with the now standard "By Her Majesty's" label, and exhibiting all the post-1848 design features introduced by Louis Lachenal. Very much a "Budget" model, with just 24-Keys in a Symphonium-like layout, and reverting to flat ends, with another appearance of glazed well-grained pine sub-fret baffles. The instrument has a single-depth end and bellows-frame, with the single depth fret-frames nestling over the inset action board.The frets are now machine-cut.The reeds are now always in round-ended brass reed-frames, and the reed-tongues are secured by a pair of small steel screws, and the leatherwork on the bellows-frame and pan-dividers is now the smooth white suede chamois, (these features only used for a relatively short period). The unusually-small annular pan-label (still set out for the 32-Key format, but with just 12 chambers used per side) bears Wheatstone & Co's address, and full size and note details of each reed.

Concertina Summary: C Wheatstone No 10985. 24-Key English system, No 10985, with the now standard "By Her Majesty's" label, and exhibiting all the post-1848 design features. Another "Budget" model, with just 24 Keys - the old Symphonium's key arrangement! The frets are now machine-cut.The reeds are now always in round-ended brass reed-frames, and the small annular pan-label bears Wheatstone & Co's 20 Conduit Street address.

Owner or Collection: Concertina Museum, Belper

Maker: C Wheatstone

Maker Links: Concertina, Charles Wheatstone No 10985 http://www.concertina.com/wheatstone/index.htm

Wheatstone Ledgers Link: <http://www.horniman.info/WNCMARC/C1052/PAGES/C8P0020S.HTM> href="http://www.horniman.info/WNCMARC/C1052/PAGES/C8P0020S.HTM">http://www.horniman.info/WNCMARC/C1052/PAGES/C8P0020S.HTM">http://www.horniman.info/WNCMARC/C1052/PAGES/C8P0020S.HTM One of two instruments sold to Mr Davidson, this one for £2., on 2nd November 1859. The link www.concertina.com/calculator/index.htm indicates that the equivalent price for this instrument, in year 2000 would be £989.24

Region of Manufacture: London

Main Maker's Label Wording: "By her Majesty's Letters Patent, C Wheatstone, Inventor, 20 Conduit Street, Regent Street, London"

System Type: 24-Key Treble English system

Source Catalogue No: The Concertina Museum Collection Ref:C-115.






Maker Details

Wheatstone & Co. were founded in 1824, and survived until 1974. In 1975 the company was refounded by Steve Dickinson.

C. Wheatstone & Co was established in London, England by Charles Wheatstone (uncle to Sir Charles and William Dolman Wheatstone) at the beginning of the 19th Century. They moved to 20 Conduit Street, London, England in 1824. After the death of William in 1862, the firm was taken over by Edward Chidley, a distant relation. Edward Chidley died in 1899, and the firm was then controlled by his sons Edward and Percy. In 1905 the firm moved to 15 West Street.

After the death of the younger Edward Chidley in 1943, part of the firm was sold to Besson & Co., who were taken over by Boosey & Hawkes in 1948. In 1958 they moved to Duncan Terrace, Islington, North London. In 1961 the Duncan Terrace property was sold, and the remains of Wheatstone & Co. were moved to the Boosey & Hawkes factory in Edgware, Middlesex. The company ceased trading on the death of its last employee in 1974.

The remains of the company were purchased by Steve Dickinson in 1975.


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The Concertina Museum Collection

Created August 2009 by Neil Wayne
Last Modified 07 February 2012 by Neil Wayne, Chris Flint, Wes Williams

This page created Tuesday 14 February 2012.