1926 Wheatstone
67 Button McCann Duet
Offered by Homewood Music/Tedrow Concertinas, this McCann Duet is one of two custom Wheatstone Mcaan Duets completed on July 28 1926 according to the Wheatstone ledgers.
This concertina was purchased by a young Sheffield Englishman in July of 1926. It has been in the family since that time. He played it for family and friends at every occasion even at his wedding day in 1927. He played his concertina on every occasion and became quite known for his skill.
His only child was born in 1928 and when the boy was a year and a half the family moved to United States to a small town in Northern New York on the Canadian border. He passed away in 1972 and his wife gave his son the instrument. Son never got the "hang of it" even though his father tried to teach him. When the son passed away in 2006 his wife became the owner. Since she couldn't play and had no children to give it to she decided to sell it in order to put it in the hands of someone who could appreciate this unique concertina.
$8000.00
Trades considered.
Bob Tedrow
Tedrow Concertinas
Homewood Musical Instrument Company
3027 Central Ave
Birmingham, Alabama
35209
205 879-4868
General description:
This is a McCann system Duet eight sides, 67 gold buttons, white metal fittings, raised wood ends. with an slightly atypical button arrangement. The sides of the concertina are fretsawn, an unusual custom treatment for the time.
The concertina was completed during the 1920's which is usually accepted as the golden age of Wheatstone concertina manufacture.
The ensemble includes a fabulously constructed leather case build in the best tradition of artisanal leather craftsmanship.
Also included are the original sales invoice and appropriate instruction book. I have obtained copies of photographs of the original owner with the self same concertina in hand.
While the buttons conform to a McCann system, there are buttons on both sides that are shifted into their own rows. I checked with Chris Algar, a noted concertina dealer as well as with Robert Gaskins, an accepted authority on the McCann system duet. Neither of them had ever seen or heard of a similar deviation from the normal button layout.
Likely this was a custom request from the original buyer. The deviation is not without its merit as it places in logical positions, notes which can be found in different rows, the Ab and the Bb.
The concertina is tuned to A=454 rather than the contemporary A=440. I believe this is referred to in England as a "Philharmonic" pitch. This will prevent the player from playing in tune with other player of fixed pitch instruments, horns. pianos, woodwinds etc. I would recommend against retuning this concertina to concert pitch as it was built and designed for A=454. Again, I do not consider this a problem, but it may be an issue with players who would like to use the concertina in an ensemble setting.
The general condition of the concertina, while not mint and unplayed is quite good. The bellows are in good condition, the casework is good, no abuse or neglect noted and evidence of players wear only.
The reeds are in good condition as are the buttons, levers and hardware.
