Picture Caption: Derrick Hale with
the Lachenal Edeophone concertina for sale at Hansons in March
If you popped into Hansons this week you may have
enjoyed an impromptu musical performance by our very own Derrick Hale.
Derrick is our musical instrument and
mechanical music valuer – and he just happens to be a mean concertina player.
The beauty that caught his eye was a 56-key
treble concertina called the Edeophone, made by Lachenal & Co.
I can vouch for the fact that, though it’s
around 100 years old, it plays beautifully. That’s because Derrick treated us
to a quick demonstration of his musical abilities.
The concertina is a fascinating piece of
musical equipment. After initially being an instrument favoured by high
society, towards the end of the 19th century it began to be more
socially mobile, becoming popular with all social classes.
This was a time when music was
becoming more accessible to people through entertainment venues and a broader
school curriculum.
Meanwhile, concertina
manufacturers looked to develop the instrument and improve quality. In
1889 the Lachenal company introduced the Edeophone, a
professional quality instrument – and we’re delighted to have one for sale
in our Musical Instruments Auction on March 15 with an estimate of
£1,000-£1,500.
The Edeophone is distinctive in that
it has 12 sides. Concertinas have six. Wheatstone, another major concertina
manufacturer, responded by producing its Aeola, an eight-sided instrument.
Six, eight and 12-sided concertinas continued
to be made until popularity waned. However, small quantities of high quality
instruments are still produced today.
Musical instruments have their own lives and
it could be said that musicians are only caretakers who look after the
instruments for the length of their own lives.
When handling an instrument like this concertina,
a hundred years or so old, you can’t help but wonder where it has been,
who has played it and what for?
It has survived two world wars. Did it travel
to the front lines? Was it kept safe at home waiting for a soldier owner to
return?
Was it played at a dance to celebrate peace
being declared? Perhaps it played its part in one of the concertina bands that
existed in the early years of the 20th century.
Concertinas have never been cheap and this
Lachenal Edeophone was a top-of-the-range instrument. It would have been bought,
when new, by a professional musician or serious amateur.
For some, a concertina like this may have
been the only major purchase made in their life, enabling them to make a
living from playing it.
Derrick Hale will be valuing musical
instruments, mechanical music, fishing collectables and vintage tools at
Hansons in Heage Lane, Etwall, on February 6 from 10am-noon. Entries are invited
for the Musical Memorabilia Auction until March 2.
If you’ve been having a new year clear out, Hansons
hosts free valuation at its Etwall saleroom every Wednesday,5-7pm; every Friday,10am-4pm
and every Saturday, 9am-noon. Plus, every Tuesday we have free jewellery
valuations, 9.30am-4.30pm, and free silver valuations, 10am-4pm. On January 26,
join us for free sporting guns and firearms valuations, by appointment, plus
country pursuits valuations, 10am-1pm. Plus, if you’re downsizing or need house
clearance services, please call us on 01283 733988.
