The Concertina Museum Collection Ref:C-121.



Previous Section Summary Help Next

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 1190, with later "C Wheatstone & Co" West Street label. Ivory keys, probably later black leather "West Street Style" bellows, and with dark fabric baffles replacing sub-fret pine board baffles. Case absent. Square-ended reed-frames, with later steel tongues, faint dealer's or repairer's label stamped on inner face of RH pan. The pan supports around the inner bellows-frame each have an extra triangle of wood glued to their tops, to enable the original reed-pans to fit properly into the replacement bellows.

Concertina Summary: 48-Key English system, No 1190, with later "C Wheatstone & Co" West Street label. Ivory keys, probably later black leather "West Street Style" bellows, and with dark fabric baffles replacing sub-fret pine board baffles. Case absent.

Owner or Collection: Concertina Museum, Belper

Maker: C Wheatstone.

Maker Links: Concertina, Charles Wheatstone, No 1190. http://www.concertina.com/wheatstone/index.htm

Wheatstone Ledgers Link: www.horniman.info/WNCMARC/C104A/PAGES/C1P0610S.HTM There is only an un-named Ledger Entry for No 1190, between named sales of No 1189 and 1191, both sold during November 1846.

Region of Manufacture: London

Main Maker's Label Wording: Later West Street oval paper label - "C Wheatstone & Co, Inventors, Patentees and Manufacturers, 15 West St., Charing X Rd., London. W.C."

Principal Serial Number: 1190

System Type: 48-Key Treble English system

Source Catalogue No: The Concertina Museum Collection Ref:C-121.






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.


Previous Section Summary Help Next

Please email comments or reports of errors to


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.