The Concertina Museum Collection Ref:C-311.


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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: Louis Lachenal No 8484. 48-Key English system, No 8484, with the dealer's label for "W B Fisher, Gray's Inn Road", and the early version reed-pan label of "Louis Lachenal". The item exhibits all the post-1848 design features introduced by Louis Lachenal. Very much a "Budget" model, with flat ends, and sub-fret pine baffles. This features 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 two small cheese head screws, and the leatherwork on the bellows-frame and pan-dividers is white Chamois. The large annular pan-label bears Louis Lachenal's "Lit James St" address, and has note details of each reed, and tiny stamps relating to the reed-frame sizes that appear on the pan-label.

Concertina Summary: Louis Lachenal 48-key English concertina, No 8484. Rosewood ends, dealer's label for "W B Fisher, Gray's Inn Road", early Louis Lachenal pan label, brass reeds, white chamois pan leather, and of "budget" contruction.

Owner or Collection: Concertina Museum, Belper

Maker: Louis Lachenal

Maker Links: Concertina, Louis Lachenal No 8484 http://www.concertina.com/lachenal/index.htm - with a study of Production details & Serial Numbers here: http://www.concertina.com/chambers/lachenal-production/index.htm

Region of Manufacture: London

Main Maker's Label Wording: Dealer's Label of "W B Fisher".

System Type: 48-Key Treble English system

Source Catalogue No: The Concertina Museum Collection Ref:C-311.

Maker Details

The Lachenal company made concertinas between 1858 and 1933.

Louis Lachenal, a Swiss engineer, started to work with Wheatstone in the early 1840s producing screws. By 1847 he was producing complete instruments for Wheatstone in his workshops. On expiry of Wheatstone's 1844 patent in 1858, Lachenal began to produce concertinas bearing his own name. He died in 1861, and the firm was then managed by his widow Elisabeth.

Elisabeth Lachenal passed on the company to a group of employees in 1872, and the company name was changed to Lachenal & Co.. In 1883 the company owners were Richard Ballinger, Louis Charrière, Thomas William Saunders, John Saunders, William Bywater Fisher, and Charles Crabb, with Charles Crabb (brother of John Crabb) retiring in that year. During the 1880s and 1890s various new concertina developments were introduced including The Maccann Duet, the Bowing Valve, the 12 sided Edeophone, and the Crane Duet, which was made by Lachenal for Crane of Liverpool. By 1907 Lachenal was completely owned by the Saunders family. During the late 1920s the company suffered economic problems, and finally closed in 1933.

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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.