"Wheatstone Aeola Tenor-Treble serial number 28005 sold at auction the other day for £2,200 (plus buyers premium)."
This info. was just posted by SteveS, over on Concertina.net & I, for one, would certainly like to know a little more about this particular instrument, because you see, I own:
Wheatstone Aeola Tenor-Treble serial number 28004!
Now, looking in the old Wheatstone Ledgers, I can see that my Concertina was completed on the 31st of January 1919.
I can also see that number 28005 wasn't actually completed until the 7th of February 1919.
Isn't it wonderful to be able to learn these details, simply because all Wheatstone Concertinas had a Serial Number and those Ledgers were kept at the time & preserved for posterity?
It's rather a shame, I think, that all instruments weren't carefully catalogued like this.
I'm sure lots of players here, of vintage Jeffries, Uilleann Pipes, Flutes etc., would dearly love to know a little more about their treasured instruments.
Just think about it, how many of your instruments can you date?
I have a Gibson 175 hollow body jazz guitar from 1954
the Gibson guitar company publishes the serial number range for their instruments by year, so I can say it is from 1954, but not what exact date
My fiddle was made in 1925 in a facotry in Ohio that went out of business in the Great Depression. The factory sticker give the year and the manufacturer, but again, not the precise date
my bow was made by a fella in Dresden Germany who made trade instruments in the 1890s up until WWI, so my bow is roughly from that era, but I can't say what year. All he put on it for markings was his name and the city of Dresden
that's pretty cool that you can find out exactly what date yours was made, and exactly when the next one after that got finished, too!
I recently bought a Wheatstone, and was also intrigued to be able to look up not only the day that it was sold, but also the name of the person who bought it.
I know who built my 'Sunday best' fiddle in 1814, and the address where he was working in Royal Exchange - a few years back on a visit to London I went as far as going there. But it's a sandwich bar now.
It's a pity Wheatstone weren't so careful with the Lachenal ledgers when they took over that company in the '30s', apparently they burnt them, partly out of spite because Lachenal the man had originally worked for Wheatstone before he went independant and overtook Wheatstone in his rates of production.
Consequently you can only guess at the exact dates for a Lachenal.
Well, I do well understand that a bottom-of-the range Lachenal anglo is not a pretty sight, nor sound, but a top-end one is pretty comparable, I always reckoned.
Aye, I always felt that Lachenal did a John Grey, i.e. capable of making brilliant instruments .... & did, but they also churned out some pretty average instruments too.
I guess there will always be a market for cheap & cheerful instruments for beginners, so I suppose they did provide a valuable service.
i have a Lachenal that was dated by its previous owner at around 1904. it's a real instrument (unlike some of the toys i've seen at sessions), but i've played some fine ones and it doesn't compare. still, i can squeeze a tune out of it, and i doubt i'll ever afford a better one. it is presentable looking, too -- german silver ends, etc. the button box put a new bellows on it a few years ago (they also completely overhauled it before i bought it), and i still miss the old bellows papers. it's given me a lot of pleasure over the years.
My flute has a name and address in London. I once read that the maker stopped making flutes at that address in 1869. So I know that its older than that but as to exact date --????
Can you put a date on it?
Can you put a date on it?
"Wheatstone Aeola Tenor-Treble serial number 28005 sold at auction the other day for £2,200 (plus buyers premium)."
This info. was just posted by SteveS, over on Concertina.net & I, for one, would certainly like to know a little more about this particular instrument, because you see, I own:
Wheatstone Aeola Tenor-Treble serial number 28004!
http://api.ning.com/files/LiiijI5B2KrJ9C0x9usWO48J3--ietYskYdb17-yEcSX6jFp0-2zmdQPduPsL*kLDoGy-e5tyQHe6ltnbhs*7O-MKwOip8Gk/DSCF0003.JPG
Now, looking in the old Wheatstone Ledgers, I can see that my Concertina was completed on the 31st of January 1919.
I can also see that number 28005 wasn't actually completed until the 7th of February 1919.
See for yourself: http://www.horniman.info/DKNSARC/SD01/PAGES/D1P1210S.HTM
Isn't it wonderful to be able to learn these details, simply because all Wheatstone Concertinas had a Serial Number and those Ledgers were kept at the time & preserved for posterity?
It's rather a shame, I think, that all instruments weren't carefully catalogued like this.
I'm sure lots of players here, of vintage Jeffries, Uilleann Pipes, Flutes etc., would dearly love to know a little more about their treasured instruments.
Just think about it, how many of your instruments can you date?
Cheers
Dick
# Posted on September 22nd 2009 by Ptarmigan
Re: Can you put a date on it?
I have a Gibson 175 hollow body jazz guitar from 1954
the Gibson guitar company publishes the serial number range for their instruments by year, so I can say it is from 1954, but not what exact date
My fiddle was made in 1925 in a facotry in Ohio that went out of business in the Great Depression. The factory sticker give the year and the manufacturer, but again, not the precise date
my bow was made by a fella in Dresden Germany who made trade instruments in the 1890s up until WWI, so my bow is roughly from that era, but I can't say what year. All he put on it for markings was his name and the city of Dresden
that's pretty cool that you can find out exactly what date yours was made, and exactly when the next one after that got finished, too!
# Posted on September 22nd 2009 by Nate Ryan
Re: Can you put a date on it?
I recently bought a Wheatstone, and was also intrigued to be able to look up not only the day that it was sold, but also the name of the person who bought it.
I know who built my 'Sunday best' fiddle in 1814, and the address where he was working in Royal Exchange - a few years back on a visit to London I went as far as going there. But it's a sandwich bar now.
# Posted on September 22nd 2009 by skreech
Re: Can you put a date on it?
Here's a photo of that 28005 TT, from the auction:
http://inlinethumb32.webshots.com/7839/2757139080102727105S425x425Q85.jpg
Not bad condition eh, for a 90 year old instrument!
# Posted on September 22nd 2009 by Ptarmigan
Re: Can you put a date on it?
It's a pity Wheatstone weren't so careful with the Lachenal ledgers when they took over that company in the '30s', apparently they burnt them, partly out of spite because Lachenal the man had originally worked for Wheatstone before he went independant and overtook Wheatstone in his rates of production.
Consequently you can only guess at the exact dates for a Lachenal.
# Posted on September 22nd 2009 by Guernsey Pete
Re: Can you put a date on it?
"and overtook Wheatstone in his rates of production."
Aye Pete, but there's quantity ...... & there's quality!
Sad & spiteful thing to do though Pete, clearly showing a complete lack of respect!
# Posted on September 23rd 2009 by Ptarmigan
Re: Can you put a date on it?
Well, I do well understand that a bottom-of-the range Lachenal anglo is not a pretty sight, nor sound, but a top-end one is pretty comparable, I always reckoned.
# Posted on September 23rd 2009 by Guernsey Pete
Re: Can you put a date on it?
Aye, I always felt that Lachenal did a John Grey, i.e. capable of making brilliant instruments .... & did, but they also churned out some pretty average instruments too.
I guess there will always be a market for cheap & cheerful instruments for beginners, so I suppose they did provide a valuable service.
# Posted on September 23rd 2009 by Ptarmigan
Re: Can you put a date on it?
i have a Lachenal that was dated by its previous owner at around 1904. it's a real instrument (unlike some of the toys i've seen at sessions), but i've played some fine ones and it doesn't compare. still, i can squeeze a tune out of it, and i doubt i'll ever afford a better one. it is presentable looking, too -- german silver ends, etc. the button box put a new bellows on it a few years ago (they also completely overhauled it before i bought it), and i still miss the old bellows papers. it's given me a lot of pleasure over the years.
# Posted on September 23rd 2009 by 'tinamatt
Re: Can you put a date on it?
My flute has a name and address in London. I once read that the maker stopped making flutes at that address in 1869. So I know that its older than that but as to exact date --????
# Posted on September 27th 2009 by awwilko
Re: Can you put a date on it?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWosPa3SuNM&feature=related
Noel Hill talks about his 1860 Jefferies....
# Posted on September 28th 2009 by leoj