Henry Harley Square C. 1880 Photos

[Bill N]

According to a previous thread, this concertina was constructed in Germany for the London dealer Henry Harley between 1874 and 1888. My great-great-grandfather Ned Shaw of Booths Bank, Yorkshire (near Marsden & Huddersfield) aquired it some time before 1890. It was given to my great-grandfather Charles Shaw c. 1890. He came to Canada in 1906, and homesteaded near Moosejaw, Saskatchewan. I don't remember ever seeing it or hearing him play it when I was young but it is obvious from replacement leathers and at least 1 replaced reed, plus some wear and damage, that it was played. My grand-father probably aquired it from Charles' estate c. 1966, and passed it on to me in the early '90s.

 

My youngest son recently aquired a button accordion, which prompted me to pull out the concertina, and having stumbled on this forum, have become keen to learn more about it and how to play it. I play harmonica well by ear, and have been able to pick out a melody, but would like to play it properly, and not have to unlearn bad habits. Unfortunately, it seems quite unlike the anglo instruments discussed on this board in terms of fingering. Any info on its history or use would be appreciated!

 

I'll post a few more photos once I figure out how! OK, figured out how to reduce file size and post more.

Edited April 18, 2008 by Bill N

[Dirge]

That's cute, Bill, and how lucky to have it come down the family; looks like it might be worth getting it looked over before you try playing it too hard; both to stop it falling apart on you and to give you the best chance of getting on with it. (Much nicer learning to play an instrument that works properly) Paul Reed of this forum's in Canada so I expect you know him.

 

Most of us are self taught, I think; we pick up ideas anywhere and everywhere (there's lots to look at on Youtube, for instance) and above all else practice. Then there are residential courses to go on when you get the chance; they are great fun and very stimulating, certainly for me they're almost the only chance I get to mix with other concertina players.

 

If you have a look in the instrument construction forum you'll see a topic called Tedrow "old Time Dandy" which might amuse; Bob has made a new version of your squeezebox.

[Bill N]

The photos make it look worse than it is. It's actually pretty solid, despite the the home-made repairs by my ancestors. It doesn't leak, and all the reeds sound except where a flap has fallen off. I suspect the wooden action would be considered pretty slow, and wouldn't stand up to the kind of vigorous playing that I've seen in the clips here. It also has a more mellow tone than I've heard in the clips. Kind of woodwindy actually! My thought was to try to find a more modern instrument with a similar set-up to practice and learn on, and just play Ol' Henry once in a while, and gently. What that modern equivalent might be, I'm not sure!

 

It's with a local trusted accordian restorer for a very gentle and conservative going over at the moment. My son is trying to convince me to go to a traditional music camp in Newfoundland with him this summer, so that might be a good starting point!

Edited April 18, 2008 by Bill N

[Dan Worrall]

Unfortunately, it seems quite unlike the anglo instruments discussed on this board in terms of fingering. Any info on its history or use would be appreciated!

 

Bill,

 

Nice instrument...it appears to be a slight variation on a two row German concertina (the direct ancestor of the anglo)....rare to have one of that age in such a playable condition. I would guess it has the same key arrangement as a standard two row german or anglo-german concertina (ie, keys 1-10), and then sports a couple of extras (11 and 12). I could easily be worng; perhaps Stepen Chambers or someone else will be able to throw more light on that keyboard arrangement.

 

Try this 1846 book, to see if it describes your buttons 1-10 notes:

http://www.concertina.com/merris/minasi-ge...-1846/index.htm

It is as good a tutor as most of recent vintage, and is (I hope) tailored to your two row. If you get on with that, and that is indeed your fingering system, there are lots of other good choices for two rows (search this site for information on Alan Day's two row tutor, for example.

 

Cheers,

Dan Worrall

Edited April 19, 2008 by Dan Worrall

[Bill N]

Thanks Dan,

 

I'll be visiting the shop this week, so will try out Prof. Minasi's system, but it looks like it should work. There are actually 3 extra buttons on each end; the "upper" row is numbered 0,1,2,3,4,5; the inner row runs from 6-10, and 11 & 12 are out on the far corners. The upper and lower rows correspond to 2 brass harmonica-like blocks. The 11 & 12 levers work the "extra" reeds that are held in individual zinc (?) blocks.

 

A local musician who dabbles in concertina played it, and thought it was a Bflat/F, but wasn't sure. Maybe it was the non-standard pitch putting him off?

 

So maybe a 20 button anglo would be a good choice for a practice instrument? Perhaps a C/G so I can jam with my son (although from comments I've read here, perhaps consorting with accordion players is not cricket )

[wntrmute]

I suspect that it is in A/E, but with the A pitched a bit high.

I would STRONGLY recommend against getting a cheap 20 button off of ebay. I suppose you could get a Stagi or Hohner 20 button, (but for nearly the same price you could get a 30 button Rochelle, which I prefer) but definitely stay away from the imitations on the internet.

 

If you go to the concertina.com website, you can find more Anglo tutors. One of the two Howe tutors is rebranded today as the Best Concertina Method Ever, so don't spend money on that. Howe's and Sedgewick's tutors include some reels and jigs, and were written for very much the same instrument, so I don't think the action is that limiting. Some of the springs may have lost some springiness over time.

I also think the long-plate reeds have a great woodwind sound -- like a clarinet.

[Bill N]

Thanks for the good advice. I have just ordered a Rochelle. From what I've gathered, the fingering for the first 2 rows should be pretty transferable when I want to play the Henry Harley.

[Anglo-Irishman]

According to a previous thread, this concertina was constructed in Germany for the London dealer Henry Harley between 1874 and 1888. OK, figured out how to reduce file size and post more.

 

Bill, thanks for sharing the photos!

Yes, the instrument certainly looks German - the zinc plates with the reeds remind me of my ca. 1900 German single-reed Bandoneon.

 

Interesting too the very large air valve - also reminiscent of the Bandoneon, though in a different position.

 

I've always wondered why English-built concertinas - even Anglos - have an air valve that is no bigger than the pads on the playing levers. They make "breathing" slow and noisy in comparison to the large flap on these German instruments. And the Bandoneon's flap allows the same fine dosage of air that you need on the Anglo for balancing the push and pull. Add to that, the large air-valve lever is a lot easier to operate with your thumb while playing than the Anglo's tiny air button.

 

Anyone know why the English makers didn't adopt this style of valve along with the diatonic button arrangement when they developed the Anglo-German? It really makes more sense than making the air valve the same as all the other valves!

 

Cheers,

John

[Stephen Chambers]

I've always wondered why English-built concertinas - even Anglos - have an air valve that is no bigger than the pads on the playing levers.

Do they? I don't recall ever seeing an English-built Anglo that had such a small air valve, though you might get one like that in an English system, where there isn't much room and it's only a "dump valve" anyway, for closing the bellows.

 

Anyone know why the English makers didn't adopt this style of valve along with the diatonic button arrangement when they developed the Anglo-German?

Some of the earliest Anglos did use the German "trapdoor" arrangement, particularly those by George Jones, whilst many German makers didn't...

[Bill N]

[

 

I'm glad I did. I have received excellent advice from this group as a result, and am enjoying my new Rochelle immensely. With the help of video clips, sheet music, discussion, etc. found here I am progressing, slowly but perceptibly, towards doing more than just picking out a tune. I find a quiet corner at work and practice over my lunch hour each day- what a stress reliever!

 

Since posting the pics, I have restored the damaged right-hand end, and have had a replacement reed made, new valve leathers installed, and the reeds tuned (not to concert pitch, but rather in relation to each other if that makes sense). I'm picking it up this week, and can hardly wait!

 

With the help of my son, I will try to post a sound clip and post-restoration photos in the near future.

[Anglo-Irishman]

I've always wondered why English-built concertinas - even Anglos - have an air valve that is no bigger than the pads on the playing levers.

Do they? I don't recall ever seeing an English-built Anglo that had such a small air valve, though you might get one like that in an English system, where there isn't much room and it's only a "dump valve" anyway, for closing the bellows.

 

Anyone know why the English makers didn't adopt this style of valve along with the diatonic button arrangement when they developed the Anglo-German?

Some of the earliest Anglos did use the German "trapdoor" arrangement, particularly those by George Jones, whilst many German makers didn't...

 

Stephen,

Oops! There was me, naively assuming that my Stagi 30-button was a copy of the English-style Anglo! At any rate, mine has a small air hole, which is slow and wheezy. Must look and see if there's room on the action board for a bigger hole.

Obviously, the bigger the air valve, the more sping pressure it needs to keep it closed, so the geometry of the link would have to be carefully calculated to keep the button pressure for the air valve close to that of the playing buttons.

 

I still maintain that a long lever running perpendicular to you thumb is easier to operate than a normal button. I have on occasion thought of sawing the business end off a teaspoon, bending it, drilling it, and mounting it similarly to the lever on a Bandoneon, in a position where it would bear down on the existing air button. This would at least require no tampering with the innards.

 

Thanks for the correction,

Cheers,

John

[m3838]

Obviously, the bigger the air valve, the more sping pressure it needs to keep it closed

Or just re-arranging the mechanism.

 

I still maintain that a long lever running perpendicular to you thumb is easier to operate than a normal button.

 

You are absolutely correct!.

[Dirge]

It seems to me that air valves on duets and Englishes are sized to allow you to keep playing with them open, so that in cases where you are heading to a long phrase you can help the bellows out to maximum extension on the previous figure and be ready.

 

If they were large enough to completely drop the air pressure that would not be helpful.

[Stephen Chambers]

I still maintain that a long lever running perpendicular to you thumb is easier to operate than a normal button.

You are absolutely correct!.

I rather like the arrangement on the Harleys (like the one in the first photo above) and some other older models of German concertina that have a horizontal lever hinged off the hand rail, so that the players thumb rests along it. Here are a couple of examples from my collection:

 

 

[Anglo-Irishman]

It seems to me that air valves on duets and Englishes are sized to allow you to keep playing with them open, so that in cases where you are heading to a long phrase you can help the bellows out to maximum extension on the previous figure and be ready.

 

If they were large enough to completely drop the air pressure that would not be helpful.

 

Dirge,

With the diatonic instruments, you've got to be able to "leak" a bit of air, so that a short "draw" between two long "presses" (or vice versa) results in the same bellows movement.

But it's also important to be able to take a gulp of air quickly, like a singer or flautist. This is how the Argentinian Bandoneonists manage to play predominantly on the draw.

 

In my experience, the large "trapdoor" in the side of my Bandoneon lets me do both. The length of the lever allows pretty fine dosage of the air when necessary, but when I mash it down, there's no perceptible resistance to pressing or drawing.

 

I'd like my Anglo to be like that!

 

Cheers,

John

[Bill N]

Nice instrument...it appears to be a slight variation on a two row German concertina (the direct ancestor of the anglo)....rare to have one of that age in such a playable condition. I would guess it has the same key arrangement as a standard two row german or anglo-german concertina (ie, keys 1-10), and then sports a couple of extras (11 and 12). I could easily be worng; perhaps Stepen Chambers or someone else will be able to throw more light on that keyboard arrangement.

 

Cheers,

Dan Worrall"

 

Hi Dan,

 

The repair work is done, and I'm now playing it. It turns out that it is in a C/G tuning (it's possible it may have been "tuned up" in the '50s), with the C&G rows being nearly the same as on my Rochelle. It's very close in pitch, as well. The tone seems a bit richer, especially in the low notes. It's very light, and the bellows work very easily compared to the Rochelle. I will attempt to attach a fingering chart:

"