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Author Topic: F. Likely box, a newly rediscovered Baldoni-Bartoli 1-row  (Read 9373 times)

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pgroff

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F. Likely box, a newly rediscovered Baldoni-Bartoli 1-row
« on: December 12, 2012, 06:54:19 PM »

Hi friends,

I'm delighted to share with you the rediscovery of an early Baldoni-Bartoli box.  Here it is in the rough.  But I can already tell it will have a sound that I've been searching for in accordions for over twenty years, since I first heard the recordings of the late William Sullivan, RIP.*

It will be a labor of love to restore this instrument.  In some ways it's less fancy than Mr. Sullivan's Baldoni, lacking the hand-fretworked metal grille and the cut-away body around the bass buttons.  And it lacks the deep fullthroated tone of other 1-row instruments that I play (a Walters and a later Baldoni).  But this shrill, crisp tone is what I always sought for to honor the sound of Mr. Sullivan's music.

For the few of us that have been trying to understand the history of the Irish-American boxes, this one is interesting too because it seems to be built from a basic accordion almost identical to the beautiful, unlabeled box discussed by one of our members in this thread:

http://forum.melodeon.net/index.php/topic,3998

I think this box seems to support my theory in that thread, that such unlabeled boxes were a raw material used by Baldoni and Walters to put together the Irish-American accordions.

The Likely box has affinities with the J. Cunningham box as well as the unlabeled one, and from the "flags on the casework" decoration and screw-center buttons, may date from a period near the time of the McNulty, Sullivan, and Finnerty boxes. ( See photos and links later in this thread).

These historic Irish-American boxes are turning up more frequently, which I see as great news. I suppose the aging of the second-generation owners may be one reason, or the spread of information via the internet.  But I am starting to suspect there may be hundreds more of them sleeping in attics and closets, so keep your eyes open!

Paul Groff

*
http://www.dynrec.com/sampler/trad.html
« Last Edit: December 19, 2016, 01:12:12 AM by pgroff »
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hughor

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Re: F. Likely box, a newly rediscovered Baldoni-Bartoli 1-row
« Reply #1 on: December 12, 2012, 08:41:45 PM »

Congratulations Paul.  What a beauty.  Now we need to know the history of the box. 
Who was Likely and where did he live.

Hugh
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pgroff

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Re: F. Likely box, a newly rediscovered Baldoni-Bartoli 1-row
« Reply #2 on: December 12, 2012, 08:52:39 PM »

Hi Hugh,

I don't know much about Mr. Likely.  He gave this box to his girlfriend when they both lived in NY, 60 or more years ago, and she passed away in 1957, may they rest in peace.  Since that time (in other words my entire life) her grandson has been taking care of it, mostly out west. 

PG
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boxlad

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Re: F. Likely box, a newly rediscovered Baldoni-Bartoli 1-row
« Reply #3 on: December 13, 2012, 08:33:37 AM »

A truely remarkable find Paul. Congratulations again. It looks to be in nice shape also from the outside anyway. I'm sure you will get this one up and running to the spec you expect but it will be a labour of love and time consuming no doubt! When I get the unlabelled one back from Charlie I will post a clip so you can hear the tuning job he has done on it for me. It will be interesting to hear it and to compare the two as they are so alike and as you suggested, made by the same person/people. It is great to see such a great example from the 1920s!
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pgroff

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Re: F. Likely box, a newly rediscovered Baldoni-Bartoli 1-row
« Reply #4 on: December 13, 2012, 08:54:49 AM »

Ray,

Thanks very much.  Comparing these two boxes in more detail should be very interesting if they were made in the same shop but possibly were sold through different retailers, the Baldoni-Baldoni being engraved with their name but then also customized for the buyer.

I'll put up some photos for comparison with the ones you posted in 2010.  This box needs a good cleaning, "likely" a new bellows, pallet refacing, reed leathers, wax, and some adjustment to the action, but it's all there and does play.  The reeds themselves seem to be in great shape and I think the tuning is largely original.

I had to chuckle that the air pallet hole had been intentionally blocked with an ancient bit of wadded-up soft paper, maybe a bar napkin. Maybe Likely was one of those guys who preferred using the bass or chord buttons to get air.

PG
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mory

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Re: F. Likely box, a newly rediscovered Baldoni-Bartoli 1-row
« Reply #5 on: December 13, 2012, 01:33:14 PM »

Hi Paul, really pleased for you. Look forward to more photos. Just got the Genius of P.J.Conlon CDs through last week Fantastic. If you ever feel you have to many of the old one rows you know where to find me  ;)  Incidently Rego just sent me the Copley re releases of Jerry O'Brien and Joe Derrane, also Bobby Gardiners first album. I'm trying to find out if they are doing the McNultys one as well. Sorry for the drift, Congratulations again.
All the Best mory
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pgroff

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Re: F. Likely box, a newly rediscovered Baldoni-Bartoli 1-row
« Reply #6 on: December 13, 2012, 02:15:50 PM »

Hi mory,  Rego / Copley used to offer a McNulty cassette that I had for sale in the shop.  I am slowly working through a storage space with that leftover inventory, so if I find one will send it to you.  Then you may have to find a working cassette player!

PG
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mory

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Re: F. Likely box, a newly rediscovered Baldoni-Bartoli 1-row
« Reply #7 on: December 13, 2012, 03:26:34 PM »

Thanks Paul, very kind of you . As for cassette players I have three  (:) one in use and two I have in reserve, at least until I transfer the rest of my Irish Trad collection to CD. AtB mory
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pgroff

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Re: F. Likely box, a newly rediscovered Baldoni-Bartoli 1-row
« Reply #8 on: December 13, 2012, 08:50:03 PM »

Looking fresher after a gentle cleanup to the celluloid, with slightly moist cotton swabs employed carefully to avoid any more loss of color from the decorations.  I've seen a lot of these boxes with faded shamrocks from wear or overcleaning, and in fact the box as found had some color loss from the lettering.  Then, the pallets look a little better now without the decades-old deposits of Intermountain dust. . .
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Adam-T

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Re: F. Likely box, a newly rediscovered Baldoni-Bartoli 1-row
« Reply #9 on: December 13, 2012, 08:56:42 PM »

Looks fabulous Paul - congrats ! - Great to see these landing in the hands of those who care ..
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pgroff

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Re: F. Likely box, a newly rediscovered Baldoni-Bartoli 1-row
« Reply #10 on: December 13, 2012, 09:01:15 PM »

Thanks Adam!

Now, some pics of the reeds.  This box is wet tuned, non-equal, centered around A = 444, LMMMMH, and the coupler takes out the LH reeds.  The reeds look very original, not rusty or abused, so I think it will be possible to restore it to a very close approximation of its original tuning after revalving.  I'll take a lot of notes on the current tuning with the old valves, most of which are actually functioning pretty well.  On the melody side, this box has a low A note duplicated on the #1 (draw) and the #2 (press) buttons -- as you typically find on a Hohner or cajun 4-stop box in D.  That layout seems to be common among the very early Irish-American D boxes.  Later boxes are more likely to have a useful B note on the #1 button on the draw.
« Last Edit: December 13, 2012, 09:19:19 PM by pgroff »
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Adam-T

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Re: F. Likely box, a newly rediscovered Baldoni-Bartoli 1-row
« Reply #11 on: December 13, 2012, 09:08:02 PM »

I`ve seen wax and valves far worse in boxes half its age ! . LMMMMH ought to be amazing ! .
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pgroff

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Re: F. Likely box, a newly rediscovered Baldoni-Bartoli 1-row
« Reply #12 on: December 13, 2012, 09:09:10 PM »

The sliders in most early Irish-American boxes are brass.  Here are the two sides of the middle reedblock showing first bassoon and then piccolo reeds.  Because each button lifts 2 pallets that are in a staggered position on the soundboard, the chambers of the middle reedblock are staggered as you might more commonly see on a box with 2 rows of buttons and 3 voices.
« Last Edit: December 26, 2012, 10:58:03 PM by pgroff »
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pgroff

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Re: F. Likely box, a newly rediscovered Baldoni-Bartoli 1-row
« Reply #13 on: December 13, 2012, 09:17:32 PM »

Screws -- the earliest Baldoni-Bartoli Irish boxes I've seen are assembled with these substantial brass screws rather than bellows pins.   When re-installing them, if the threads in the wood haven't already been spoiled, you can avoid spoiling them now by first gently turning the screws counterclockwise until the screw threads click into the existing threads in the wood, then clockwise to tighten.  You find similar screws holding casework to bellows frames on deluxe American piano boxes from the 1920s, such as this Galleazzi.  Interestingly, the earliest Walters Irish-American boxes I've seen from the 1930s are assembled with cheap-looking small-headed brass escutcheon pins, as on some small Paolo Soprani organetti from that time.
« Last Edit: December 26, 2012, 10:59:00 PM by pgroff »
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pgroff

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Re: F. Likely box, a newly rediscovered Baldoni-Bartoli 1-row
« Reply #14 on: December 13, 2012, 09:24:16 PM »

Bellows - may be restorable; anyway I will see if they can be saved.  Nice deep folds!

Bass reeds -- very like the layout on the unlabeled box mentioned in my OP. Slightly different design from the layout of the McNulty and Cunningham boxes.



« Last Edit: December 26, 2012, 11:00:31 PM by pgroff »
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jeverist

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Re: F. Likely box, a newly rediscovered Baldoni-Bartoli 1-row
« Reply #15 on: December 14, 2012, 02:19:46 PM »

congratulations, Paul!  what a beauty
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mory

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Re: F. Likely box, a newly rediscovered Baldoni-Bartoli 1-row
« Reply #16 on: December 14, 2012, 07:08:21 PM »

If you have your tape handy Paul some dimensions would be great, looks to be you've landed well on your feet with this one. AtB mory
p.s. the PA looks very Hohner Verdi
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pgroff

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Re: F. Likely box, a newly rediscovered Baldoni-Bartoli 1-row
« Reply #17 on: December 14, 2012, 07:50:59 PM »

Hi mory,

The bellows of the Likely box are 11" X 6.5"  (outside dimensions). Compared to a Hohner Erica, it's a little thicker and when resting on its feet, the keyboard stands a little higher.

The Galleazzi PA is more cool than it looks in that shot above.  Incredible sound from incredible reeds, each plate is number-stamped with its rank, etc etc . . . but very left-hand heavy so I don't know how many players would make the  effort today.  No inside pics handy here, and sorry for the OT but:



« Last Edit: December 26, 2012, 11:01:27 PM by pgroff »
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pgroff

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Re: F. Likely box, a newly rediscovered Baldoni-Bartoli 1-row
« Reply #18 on: December 14, 2012, 08:02:25 PM »

Back on-topic, for balance here's a couple more of the Likely box.  If memory serves, the bass grille design including the feet, air valve, and hole number/ position are identical to Ray's unlabeled box.  Also very close to the Cunningham Baldoni, although (from memory) I think the Cunningham box may be larger in some dimensions.

PG

« Last Edit: July 25, 2013, 10:53:02 AM by pgroff »
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Ted

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Re: F. Likely box, a newly rediscovered Baldoni-Bartoli 1-row
« Reply #19 on: December 14, 2012, 08:21:06 PM »

Paul, the McNulty box also had screws instead of bellows pins. I should still have the screws here. Regarding the bass key slanted cut-out vs. flat panel key mount, I was thinking of the following boxes of the same vintage: Baldoni with the cut out - McNulty, Tom Treacy, Bill Sullivan, J. Cunningham, one owned by Steve Chambers vs. the Walters - Madden, Simon McArdle, J. McDonough, Paddy Ryan. Only your new Baldoni is different??
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