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Author Topic: Chicago Irish-American accordions  (Read 19295 times)

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triskel

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Chicago Irish-American accordions
« on: January 08, 2015, 05:50:13 PM »

The New York Irish-American accordions of Baldoni, Bartoli & Co., F.H.Walters, Iorio etc. and the Boston ones of O'Byrne DeWitt are often mentioned these days, but very few people (or maybe I was the only one - because I have them in an old price list?) were even aware that similar instruments were also being sold in Chicago, and I'm prompted to start this thread because I took delivery of one of these accordions (60 years old but basically "brand new") a couple of days ago, though when the first (red) one of three turned up on eBay (where I was the underbidder on it) I had no way of immediately knowing exactly what it was, or the significance of it:


This is the second one to come up on eBay (in black this time) that I was successful in buying, and it's an unbranded Paolo Soprani in what is today referred to as the "pepperpot grille" model (because of the perforated aluminium grilles on them, resembling the top of a pepperpot), made about 1953-4:


It was only after this second one was lited for sale that I became aware that the same seller (in Poplar Grove, Illinois) was also offering a number of other, unsold, early to mid-1950's accordions from the inventory of Italian Accordion Mfg. Co. (who were at 7600 Cottage Grove Avenue, Chicago 19) - several of which are illustrated in the c.1955 price list that I have for them:



like this Rigoletto "Helikon" 2-row box;



120-bass Paolo Soprani De-Luxe Orchestra Model piano accordion;



or Italian Accordion Mfg. Co. De-Luxe "Polka-Tone" Orchestra Model;



and there's a 2-row, 2-coupler, 21/12 version of the "pepperpot grille" model Paolo Soprani (with Italian Accordion Mfg. Co. badge) illustrated in the list too.

Then there's also a seperate listing for "Irish Accordions" that has some pretty typical Irish-American 2-row D/C# and single row D boxes in it:


and No.119, the bottom one on that list, is the 2-voice model that I've bought, whilst it seems many of their accordions were supplied to them unbadged and they added their own - hence mine has no badge on it because these have only been taken out of the original Paolo Soprani packaging now, 60 years later... (But it's a delight to play on what is essentially a brand-new "grey box"!  ;D )

Lars

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Re: Chicago Irish-American accordions
« Reply #1 on: January 08, 2015, 06:05:51 PM »

- and for the sake of comparison, here's two labelled Paolo Soprani, which are pretty darn close to the one Stephen just got, although they have both been converted from stepped to flat keyboard. I still have one of them, and a darn good box, too.
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pgroff

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Re: Chicago Irish-American accordions
« Reply #2 on: January 08, 2015, 06:06:39 PM »

Hi triskel,

They aren't unknown, just maybe "below the radar" since the ones that are still up and running are mostly being played by guys at home rather than pros.  I have a couple of their price lists too, and  I've seen several of the accordions with the Italian Accordion Mfg Co labels and/or stamps over the years, including Hohners, Paolo Soprani club accordions ca. 1950s and 1960s, and D/C# Irish-American accordions.

In the early 1990s a player / collector brought a couple (maybe more?) of those Chicago D/C# boxes to show me - as I remember, the ones he had were all 19 key, 4 bass, 4-voice, 2-coupler models  in D/C# that were identical (except for the metal logo) to some 1950s models of the O'Byrne DeWitt Paolo Sopranis.  Fine boxes, and one of them was sounding especially nice due to a replacement grille made in naked aluminum to replace the original celluloid-covered grille. The replacement grille was made in the style of the 1940s grey boxes, by an instrument maker who's another friend of mine.

Unfortunately I didn't take photos, but I hope to meet up with that gentleman again someday and if so I will try to photograph his  accordions.

PG
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The Idle Rich

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Re: Chicago Irish-American accordions
« Reply #3 on: January 08, 2015, 06:16:31 PM »

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triskel

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Re: Chicago Irish-American accordions
« Reply #4 on: January 08, 2015, 06:19:20 PM »



Yep, that looks very much like the Club Model that's beside the 2-coupler "Pepperpot" - it's the early version (maybe late 1954?) of the 1955-6 Paolo Soprani, which had no shield/badge on the grille and a bass end-board made of celluloid-veneered plywood, before they started doing them in pressed aluminium.

The Idle Rich

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Re: Chicago Irish-American accordions
« Reply #5 on: January 08, 2015, 06:29:16 PM »

I saved these photos from some ebay sale (I think).



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triskel

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Re: Chicago Irish-American accordions
« Reply #6 on: January 08, 2015, 06:33:26 PM »

They aren't unknown, just maybe "below the radar" ...

Then it's surely past-time to bring them "above the radar" Paul, let's not allow those New Yorkers and Bostonians to take all the glory!  ;)

pgroff

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Re: Chicago Irish-American accordions
« Reply #7 on: January 08, 2015, 07:03:23 PM »

They aren't unknown, just maybe "below the radar" ...

Then it's surely past-time to bring them "above the radar" Paul, let's not allow those New Yorkers and Bostonians to take all the glory!  ;)

Hi triskel

Totally agree and thanks for your post!  'Course, I might have been hoping to *catch* one under that radar.  Rich's pics might be from one that sold in Minnesota on ebay a few years back.

PG
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triskel

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Re: Chicago Irish-American accordions
« Reply #8 on: January 08, 2015, 07:25:02 PM »

'Course, I might have been hoping to *catch* one under that radar.

Ah, sorry about that Paul! I wonder who just bought the third one???

And are there any more of them to come?  ???

pgroff

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Re: Chicago Irish-American accordions
« Reply #9 on: January 08, 2015, 08:29:20 PM »

I think a well-known box player wanted it for his Dad, but that's when he hoped it was a 4 voice.  Those hopes faded when he got the pics of the pallets.

The one I'd hope to nab some day would be the 19-key D/C# like the ones played by my acquaintance.  Very nice little 19/4 LMMM "Paolo-like" boxes.

PG
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triskel

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Re: Chicago Irish-American accordions
« Reply #10 on: January 08, 2015, 11:57:36 PM »

I think a well-known box player wanted it for his Dad, but that's when he hoped it was a 4 voice.  Those hopes faded when he got the pics of the pallets.

Yes, he and I were having "off-facebook" communications on the subject (at the same time you and I were having "on-facebook" ones) and I told him all about mine when it arrived, and hence much of the speculation about whether there was room for more pallets inside, seeing that his dad is a 4-stopper "melodeon" (in the Irish sense) player. It was mainly for his benefit that I initially took the internal photos, showing the "acres" of potential space for longer pallets and more reedblocks in there:

 

Mind you, I've only had mine 2 days, but it's noticeably already "opening up" and producing a surprisingly powerful voice for only 2 reeds. I'll be taking it up to Gort on Saturday, so we'll see what Charlie and Anders make of it...  :||:

LDbosca

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Re: Chicago Irish-American accordions
« Reply #11 on: January 09, 2015, 07:18:00 PM »

Would love to hear a sound clip of that beast...

gettabettabox

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Re: Chicago Irish-American accordions
« Reply #12 on: January 11, 2015, 02:39:57 AM »

I think a well-known box player wanted it for his Dad, but that's when he hoped it was a 4 voice.  Those hopes faded when he got the pics of the pallets.

Yes, he and I were having "off-facebook" communications on the subject (at the same time you and I were having "on-facebook" ones) and I told him all about mine when it arrived, and hence much of the speculation about whether there was room for more pallets inside, seeing that his dad is a 4-stopper "melodeon" (in the Irish sense) player. It was mainly for his benefit that I initially took the internal photos, showing the "acres" of potential space for longer pallets and more reedblocks in there:

 

Mind you, I've only had mine 2 days, but it's noticeably already "opening up" and producing a surprisingly powerful voice for only 2 reeds. I'll be taking it up to Gort on Saturday, so we'll see what Charlie and Anders make of it...  :||:

it's a great looking box, can i ask?...one set of bass/chords will be D/A, is the other pair D/G? (differing from the hohner 4 bass set ups)
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forrest

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Re: Chicago Irish-American accordions
« Reply #13 on: January 11, 2015, 03:17:36 AM »

Interesting that within all the square footage available in the treble end, that they chose to mount reeds on vertical blocks rather than lay them flat...also, is the reedblock waxed in place?
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waltzman

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Re: Chicago Irish-American accordions
« Reply #14 on: January 11, 2015, 11:12:13 PM »

Is wax ever used to anchor a reed block?  It wouldn't be strong enough.
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forrest

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Re: Chicago Irish-American accordions
« Reply #15 on: January 12, 2015, 06:08:12 AM »

Is wax ever used to anchor a reed block?  It wouldn't be strong enough.

I'll elaborate: Some reedblocks don't have a flange type base with gasket (like a Hohner) but rather have a different means of securing the block to the 'fondo', perhaps a foot or a tab with screws, and the seal is made by waxing around the base of the block. My question is based on the fact that in Stephen's photo, the treble block appears to have wax along the base. Can't really tell, so's I'm askin'  ;)
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triskel

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Re: Chicago Irish-American accordions
« Reply #16 on: January 12, 2015, 01:53:41 PM »

... is the reedblock waxed in place?

As far as I can tell (without dismantling everything) the reedblock is glued in, like it usually is in 10-key German-style melodeons, and the wax is for holding the reeds in. It'll be a bitch for tuning purposes, but it's really good for the sound of the box...  ;D

triskel

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Re: Chicago Irish-American accordions
« Reply #17 on: January 12, 2015, 02:21:36 PM »

Would love to hear a sound clip of that beast...

I now have a film clip on my camera of it being "played in anger" in a very lively session with Des and Charlie - but next I need to get the software to transfer it...  :-\

triskel

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Re: Chicago Irish-American accordions
« Reply #18 on: January 12, 2015, 02:26:41 PM »

it's a great looking box, can i ask?...one set of bass/chords will be D/A, is the other pair D/G? (differing from the hohner 4 bass set ups)

No, it isn't like a Baldoni, it came with D/A and F#/B.  :o

hickory-wind

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Re: Chicago Irish-American accordions
« Reply #19 on: January 13, 2015, 04:40:38 PM »

:)
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