The Concertina Museum Collection Ref:C-094.



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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: A fine and complete 1854 Wheatstone "Duett" concertina in original case. It has 24 note-named Brass-capped wooden keys on long brass wire levers, simple hook action, rectangular rosewood ends in the manner and profile of the earliest German concertinas, green leather hand-straps and green leather bellows. A fine and complete 1854 Wheatstone "Duett" concertina in original case. 25 note-named Brass-capped wooden keys on long brass wire levers, simple hook action, rectangular rosewood ends in the manner and profile of the earliest German concertinas, green leather hand-straps and green leather bellows. Original rectangulat mahogany case, red paper lined, with missing top-strap. Wheatstone's early "duett” concertinas look very much like early German instruments, but with different internal construction and a true "duet" arrangement where each button plays the same note on both push and pull. The keyboard is identical to the central notes of the later Maccann Duet Concertina, and anyone who can play a Maccann can immediately play a Wheatstone Duett in the keys of C or G.

Concertina Summary: A fine and complete 1854 Wheatstone "Duett" concertina in original case. 24 note-named Brass-capped wooden keys, rectangular rosewood ends, green leather hand-straps and green leather bellows. A fine set of images of a "Duett" is at www.concertina.com/duett/wheatstone-duett-no-64/index.htm A copy of the original July 1855 Tutor for the Wheatstone Duett is Item No NC.5.4.7-001 in The Collection, and there are three further examples of the "Duett" in the Collection at C.055, C.096, and C.097

Owner or Collection: Concertina Museum, Belper

Maker: C Wheatstone

Maker Links: "Duett" Concertina, Charles Wheatstone www.concertina.com/duett/index.htm

Wheatstone Ledgers Link: Not numbered, not in Ledgers

Region of Manufacture: London

Main Maker's Label Wording: The RH rosewood fretwork has a centrally-stamped Wheatstone label, of similar wording to the oval "Conduit Street" label used on their "English" concertinas. Label reads: "By her Majesty's Letters Patent, C Wheatstone & Co, Inventors, 20 Conduit Street, London"

Principal Serial Number: None

System Type: The 1854 "Duett" system, which is is identical to the central notes of the later Maccann Duet Concertina. This late model has codes for all the note-names and their positions stamped into the action board, adjacent to the relevant pallets.

Source Catalogue No: The Concertina Museum Collection Ref:C-094.






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.