The Concertina Museum Collection Ref:C-287.


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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: Louis Lachenal No 10053. 24-Key English system, No 10053,with an unusual bogus "Wheatstone" label, and exhibiting all the post-1848 design features introduced by Louis Lachenal. Very much a "Budget" model, with just 24-Keys in a Symphonium-like layout, and reverting to flat ends, with another appearance of glazed white cardboard sub-fret baffles. Now with a single-depth end and bellows-frame, with the single depth fret-frames nestling over the inset action board.The frets are now machine-cut. The reeds are now always in round-ended brass reed-frames,and the leatherwork on the bellows-frame and pan-dividers is now the smooth white suede chamois, (these features only used for a relatively short period). The unusually-small annular pan-label modified for the 24-Key format bears the Louis Lachenal factory address, and full size and note details of each reed.

Concertina Summary: Louis Lachenal No 10053. 24-Key English system, No 10053, with an unusual bogus "Wheatstone" label, and exhibiting all the post-1848 design features. Another "Budget" model. The frets are now machine-cut.The reeds are now always in round-ended brass reed-frames, and the small annular pan-label bears Louis Lachenal's address.

Owner or Collection: Concertina Museum, Belper

Maker: Louis Lachenal

Maker Links: Concertina, Louis Lachenal No 10053 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: A bogus, later label "C Wheatstone's Patent Concertina, London" - could this have been added by the Lachenal workshops?

System Type: 24-Key Treble English system

Source Catalogue No: The Concertina Museum Collection Ref:C-287.

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.