Item Type: Concertina
SummaryFull Description: Very early "Roman Numeral" Wheatstone prototype English system, with oval silver plaque, inset rosewood ends over raised reed-pan nests. It has bone pallets with blued-steel leaf springs. Tall ivory keys with note-name stamps, and unusual mounts to the levers which enter deep into the action-board. The accidental keys have black composition cores with symbols for "sharp" (# and "flat" (ß) stamped on the black cores of the keys. There is no sign of any sub-fret pine baffles, but traces of a silk netting glued under the inner face of the frets. Large bone pallets, radial reed pans nested into a continental cradle. Rectangular square-end reed-frames, stamped with note-names, plus the note names on the wood within the chamber dividers. Brass reed-tongues, with some later nickel replacements. 4-fold green leather bellows with 8-point gold-star papers. Very pale rosewood ends, almost sun-bleached, except under the silver plaque where the rich colour is still intact. Concertina Summary: Charles Wheatstone No 82 Owner or Collection: Concertina Museum, Belper Maker: C Wheatstone Maker Links: Concertina, Charles Wheatstone No 82. http://www.concertina.com/wheatstone/index.htm Wheatstone Ledgers Link: www.horniman.info/WNCMARC/C104A/IMAGES/C1P0050C.JPG Region of Manufacture: London Main Maker's Label Wording: "By his Majesty's Letters Patent, C Wheatstone, Inventor, 20 Conduit Street, Regent Street, London". Principal Serial Number: LXXXII, ("82") System Type: 24-Key English system, in same layout as wheatstone symphonium. (see C:15:1:001 and 002) Source Catalogue No: The Concertina Museum Collection Ref:C-003. |
Maker DetailsWheatstone & 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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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.