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Author Topic: Paola Soprani - for real ?  (Read 2115 times)

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hspeek

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Paola Soprani - for real ?
« on: May 19, 2017, 05:20:22 PM »

Hi all,

Just came across this one on eBay, advertised as a "Paola Soprani"...
A Jubilee this is definitely not, and neither is a 23-button (at most 21 if you replace the missing ones). But is this even a genuine Soprani ? I've seen a few, but never came across this color or this style of lettering.

Rgds.,

Han.
« Last Edit: May 19, 2017, 06:30:18 PM by hspeek »
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blunderbox

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pgroff

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Re: Paola Soprani - for real ?
« Reply #2 on: May 19, 2017, 06:15:10 PM »

It is a model that I've seen before (and owned), and the Paolo Soprani label is original although I'm not completely sure if it might have been made in another factory. Not 23 keys, not a Jubilee, almost surely not a BC. The ones I've seen have been in Italian keys (GC etc) and somewhat heavy / awkward to play. I'm guessing 1940s.

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hspeek

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Re: Paola Soprani - for real ?
« Reply #3 on: May 19, 2017, 06:34:04 PM »

 Link now fixed.
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triskel

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Re: Paola Soprani - for real ?
« Reply #4 on: May 19, 2017, 11:13:10 PM »

It is a model that I've seen before (and owned)... I'm guessing 1940s.

I think we had correspondence about that one in the past Paul? I didn't know what to make of it then, but in the meantime I've found evidence that Paolo Soprani were using such grilles at the end of the 1930s and start of the 1940s.

Not 23 keys, not a Jubilee, almost surely not a BC. The ones I've seen have been in Italian keys (GC etc) and somewhat heavy / awkward to play.

For that matter, the seller also reckons "The key plate is missing" - but, of course, it never had one, seeing that it has a stepped, open keyboard...

pgroff

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Re: Paola Soprani - for real ?
« Reply #5 on: May 29, 2017, 11:59:52 PM »

Here's a Paolo Soprani piano box with the same logo and grille design:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rare-Original-Italian-Paolo-Soprani-80-Bass-Piano-Accordion-with-Case-/182578704131

And pics of a diatonic similar to the reddish one that just sold. The blue one is 4 voice with a coupler, and 12 basses.

PG
« Last Edit: May 30, 2017, 12:10:48 AM by pgroff »
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hspeek

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Re: Paola Soprani - for real ?
« Reply #6 on: June 01, 2017, 08:30:18 AM »


Hi PG,

Thanks for the info. I was caught by surprise, seeing a logo I didn't know after looking at various Paolos for so many years.
To be quite honest, the color on these models would have been a dealbreaker for me already  :o

Rgds.,

Han.
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pgroff

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Re: Paola Soprani - for real ?
« Reply #7 on: June 01, 2017, 12:34:38 PM »

Hi Han,

I certainly respect your taste in accordions, but for myself I personally love the colors on the blue and reddish one, and these colorful Paolos also (in the first photo I'll attach below). For the sake of good values, it's great that we are not all seeking the same thing!

The type of Paolo Soprani logo on the reddish box (in the OP), and the blue and brown one above, is white celluloid applied to the surface of the underlying colored celluloid, not inset.  There is a slightly different Paolo Soprani logo that I've seen, also in white celluloid and not inset. You can see it on the deep red Paolo on the right in the second photo below. I think that 2 voice Paolo Soprani (which originally had a stepped keyboard) may have been made by Busilacchio.

Not sure whether the boxes originally discussed here (in previous posts in this thread) were made in another factory than typical for Paolos.  They are nice quality however!  Both the blue one and the reddish one (discussed in previous posts) have a nice feature that is sometimes not found in Paolos from this period: they have a  rounded surface to the back corner of the bass side, very comfortable for the left wrist. The square boxes in the first photo below were not built with that feature.

PG
« Last Edit: June 01, 2017, 12:46:40 PM by pgroff »
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hspeek

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Re: Paola Soprani - for real ?
« Reply #8 on: June 01, 2017, 10:10:44 PM »

Hi PG,

Actually, the grille designs on the 2 red ones - and especially on that Paolo - reminds me a lot of the grille of the Casali I picked up recently. This however is a more modest greyish green (or is it greenish grey ?) color...
I intended to ask some questions about that one on MelNet (like: is this worth restoring ?), but have been too busy recently.

The older ones in your first picture are fun to look at. But you have to be very lucky to find one that is still playable - or can be brought back to life at reasonable cost.

Rgds.,

Han.
« Last Edit: June 01, 2017, 10:14:09 PM by hspeek »
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