The Concertina Museum Collection Ref:C-109.



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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 C Wheatstone 48-Key English system, No 9555, with a later "Wheatstone & Co West Street" label replacing the original "By Her Majesty's.." Label, and later black leather West Street thumb-straps. Another appearance in the Collection's Wheatstones of the late-1850s highly decorative, gilt-embossed bellows and straps, brass-inlaid design. 48 Nickel-columned, solid silver capped keys. Fine machine-cut rosewood frets, with a white chamois leather sub-fret baffle. The ends are inlaid with scrolled brass inlays to the corners, and with delicate gilt-embossed leather on the bellows-frames. Another appearance of the new gold and green floral-patterned bellows papers, and round-ended brass reed-frames, steel reeds (as fitted on manufacture). The large annular pan-label bears the Wheatstone & Co Conduit Street address.

Concertina Summary: C Wheatstone No 9555, an 1855 48-key, silver capped keys, brass-inlaid rosewood ends, gilt embossed bellows.

Owner or Collection: Concertina Museum, Belper

Maker: C Wheatstone

Maker Links: Concertina, Charles Wheatstone No 9555 http://www.concertina.com/wheatstone/index.htm

Wheatstone Ledgers Link: http://www.horniman.info/WNCMARC/C1051/PAGES/C7P0230S.HTM Sold to Mr Bussell on 6th April 1858 for Twelve Guineas. The link www.concertina.com/calculator/index.htm indicates that the equivalent price for this instrument in year 2000 would be £6,288.53.

Region of Manufacture: London

Main Maker's Label Wording: A later "C Wheatstone & Co Manufacturers. LONDON. W.C 15, West St. Charing X Rd." indicating a repair or re-tuning visit to the new premises.

System Type: 48-Key Treble English system

Source Catalogue No: The Concertina Museum Collection Ref:C-109.






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.