T Shakespeare

[d.elliott]

Other than this manufacturer seems to have been active around the turn of the relevant century, in London, and possibly operating as an assembler of bought out parts, rather than a total package manufacturer, I know nothing about this man or his company. Does anyone have any detail to share. Th instrument concerned caries a single number on each main sub assembly of '21' this may be a jig or a serial number.

 

cheers

 

Dave E

[wes williams]

Dave,

Assuming you have read my little bit on Shakespeare here, also have a look at this price list which I think is near the mid 1920s rather than the mid 1930s ascribed to it. It shows that Shakespeare was fairly prominent at that time. So I think that the 'made up from parts', which was a Tommy Williams (player and Lachenal reed tuner) statement, is probably not to be taken too seriously.

 

Edit to add: Note they are offering *new* Shakespeare anglos.

Edited March 31, 2007 by wes williams

[Lawrence Reeves]

I have had mine apart a good bit lately,moving a few reeds around to be in a Jeffries layout. I will have it apart again this weekend. I will snap a few photos, mine has an address, and a veryornate fretworkthat incorporates the initials T S in the scrollwork. It also has a bird and branch motif.

[d.elliott]

Hi Wes,

 

yes I did get my initial information from your article, and what I have seen on this instrument tends to support the assembler theory rather than that of a full OEM.

 

The metal ends cary the small stamping: 'Mozart Co'; and 'Maker TS' on the rim of the RH end adjacent to where the maker's seal would usually be displayed. The 'T Shakespeare' is ink-stamped inside, on the action side of the pad board.

 

I would be interested to know when TS started manufacture and roughly for how long.

 

Dave

[Stephen Chambers]

Dave,

 

You may find this old thread helpful, and he seems to have sometimes put concertinas together using the parts that were available to him at the time. For example I've worked on examples that had an assortment of levers and buttons inside the same instrument (making it tricky to try to achieve an even action).

[d.elliott]

Thanks Stephen & Wes, between you I now have a better view of the chronology of the Shakespeare branf, but where does the 'Mozart Co' stamping come in to it?

 

Dave

[wes williams]

Thanks Stephen & Wes, between you I now have a better view of the chronology of the Shakespeare branf, but where does the 'Mozart Co' stamping come in to it?

 

Dave

Not too sure, but Mozart & Co were organ builders at 32 Vineyard Gardens, Clerkenwell in 1902. I can't find them in 1921 or 1934 directories, and I don't have any specialist musical trade directories currently to hand. I'll get back if anything else turns up. But I have a nagging distant memory of some connection of concertinas with George Mozart.....

 

Later Edit: Mozart & Co at Clerkenwell address before 1882 and up to 1910. Gone by 1914. Conclusion? Instrument made prior to 1914?

Later later Edit: George Mozart was a musical hall artist, so forget that line of enquiry!!

 

Even later edit: Stephen wrote: Thomas Shakespeare was born about 1846 or '47, in Westminster, London.

Is it a co-incidence that an Alfred Shakespear was a pianoforte fret cutter at 6 Nassau st, Middlesex Hospital (Westminster) in 1869?

Edited April 3, 2007 by wes williams

[d.elliott]

Good stuff Wes,

 

I wondered if the fretted metal end plates were made for Shakespeare by Mozart Co, if they were organ makers this might be true, but if Shakespeare came from a fret cutting background?? maybe not.

 

Dave

[wes williams]

I wondered if the fretted metal end plates were made for Shakespeare by Mozart Co, if they were organ makers this might be true, but if Shakespeare came from a fret cutting background?? maybe not.

Treat things like this with lots of care!

 

Thomas's father (also Thomas H. ) was a railway engine-smith, born in Lambeth around 1815, and his mother Mary was born in Westminster (1821), as was his 4 year older sister Mary. Alfred Shakespear, describing himself as a 'wood carver' by trade was born in Marylebone around 1822, so there is no obvious family connection.

[d.elliott]

point taken,

 

Dave

[Lawrence Reeves]

Had my Shakespeare apart for a little pad problem. Here is the bird fretwork with initials T S in the top. Plating is still good, just really dirty right now. Also included is a shot of right hand action. The left hand fretwork is the same but says T Shakespeare maker, Oakley Street.

[Stephen Chambers]

Here is the bird fretwork with initials T S in the top.

 

That's interesting, I've seen the same drawer pulls (handles) used by Crabb's for Anglo rails (handles). In fact I seem to recall discussing them with Geoff Crabb in the past?