The Concertina Museum Collection Ref:C-306.


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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: Lachenal & Co No 53763. An unusual two-row 20+1-Key anglo concertina, dealer's label of Keith, Prowse & Co., and of "L Niebour", A standard and basic 20-key format (though with rosewood ends). The standard stamp of Lachenals' "Reed Frame" Trade Mark stamp appears of the RH Handstrap Bar. With the standard style of mahogany ends and fretwork that appears on the tens of thousands of basic 2- and 3-row anglo concertinas produced by Lachenal. Figured rosewood ends, five-fold bellows, original RH strap, no case.

Concertina Summary: Lachenal & Co No 53763. A common form of the Lachenal two-row 20+1-Key anglo concertina, with a dealers' label of both "Keith, Prowse & Co.", and of "L Niebour", with the standard style of ends and fretwork that appears on the tens of thousands of basic 2- and 3-row anglo concertinas produced by Lachenal. Figured rosewood ends, five-fold bellows, original RH strap, no case.

Owner or Collection: Concertina Museum, Belper

Maker: Lachenal & Co.

Maker Links: Concertina, Lachenal & Co No 41596. A good source of information is at: 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: Maker's Label absent - Two dealers' labels.

System Type: 20 + 1 Key Anglo system - the standard layout of the basic 20-key format.

Source Catalogue No: The Concertina Museum Collection Ref:C-306.

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.