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One one end, in an oval chased into the fretworkcan be read "Lachenal & Co, Patent Concertina Manufacturer, London". On the thumb strap buckle it says "Lachenal & Co, Maker, London W.C.". At the other end is a serial number, 57970. This dates it to the 1920s. On the bellows at both ends is chased in gold another number "Rd. 129662"
It is an English concertina, which means that it produces the same note when a key is pressed, regardless of whether the bellows are going in or out. The other main type of concertina is the Anglo, which gives different notes according to bellows direction, like a mouth organ does.
It is in good condition, all notes play, and it is reasonably accurately in tune with itself and is in concert pitch. It has its original box.
It has 56 rather than the usual 48 buttons, with the others being an extra row at the bottom of the range on both ends (to C rather than G). making it a Tenor/Treble rather than a Treble. The reeds in this instrument are steel.
Barry Wallace said at the time:
"The Lachenal Edeophone Tenor Treble was never owned by me but as I recall
used to belong to a folk singer named Maggie St. George. It was purchased
by Barry Irwin (W.C.C.P. member) from her partner after her death.
It was sold to Beryl Whitehead (W.C.C.P.) who found it too heavy to play
and then sold it to John Bateson. I believe there was a tape with it featuring
Maggie St. George playing and singing."
I took advantage of the fact that Colin Dipper was giving a concertina maintenance workshop at the weekend, and he dismantled and examined it, pronouncing it in very good condition for its age, looking almost unused. He said that it could probably be "played in" to make a nice instrument.
