The Concertina Museum Collection Ref:C-111.


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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: 48-Key English system, No 19060, from 1874, and showing many changes from the post-1848 Lachenal-influenced design. The serial number only appears on the stained and dusty LH sub-fret Chamois baffle, and other appearances are only of the "Batch Number" of the instrument, in this case "85". Still with the "By Her Majesty's" label on grubby sub-fret chamois leather baffles, and machine-cut frets with chamfered edges. The Action contains a curved-topped brass sheet pillar with riveted pivot, and retains the brass-strip levers, broader at the Pivot. The reeds are now in long-scale round-ended brass reed-frames with single small riveted nickel-alloy tongues, and the bass-reed pallets are of a slightly larger diameter than the treble. There is now no annular pan-label.

Concertina Summary: Charles Wheatstone No 19060, rosewood ended 48-key, "Her Maj..." label, original amboyna-veneered case. Later West Street case label, West Street thumb-straps and West Street replacement bellows.

Owner or Collection: Concertina Museum, Belper

Maker: C Wheatstone

Maker Links: Concertina, Charles Wheatstone No 19060 http://www.concertina.com/wheatstone/index.htm

Wheatstone Ledgers Link: http://www.horniman.info/WNCMARC/C1054/PAGES/CAP1710S.HTM

Region of Manufacture: London

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

Principal Serial Number: 19060. This serial number only appears on the LH sub-fret Chamois baffle, and all other parts only have the "Batch Number" of the instrument, in this case "85".

System Type: 48-Key Treble English system

Source Catalogue No: The Concertina Museum Collection Ref:C-111.

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.