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Author Topic: How much were they, in 1971, and what keys could you get?  (Read 4217 times)

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triskel

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How much were they, in 1971, and what keys could you get?
« on: March 12, 2018, 01:40:56 AM »

I compiled a comparitive list of button boxes/melodeons for somebody earlier, based on all the models in Bell Accordions' "Accordions by Hohner" and "Italian Accordions" catalogues for January 1971 - a time when a good few of us were first getting into such things.

I'll start with the most expensive, and work downwards:

Hohner Shand Morino ............................. £345.00 ............... (B/C/C#)
Hohner Gaelic IVS ................................. £123.00 ............... (B/C/C#)
Paolo Soprani 9-coupler .......................... £118.00 ............... (B/C, C/C#, C#/D and D/D#)
Paolo Soprani 2-coupler ........................... £92.00 ............... (B/C, C/C#, C#/D and D/D#)
Hohner Club III M .................................... £91.73 ............... (C/F)
Hohner Amatona ..................................... £68.00 ............... (B/C, C/C#, C#/D and D/D#)
Hohner Trichord  (3-voice) ........................ £66.00 ............... (B/C/C#)
Hohner Primatona .................................... £57.50 ............... (B/C, C/C#, C#/D and D/D#)
Hohner Club II B ...................................... £54.75 ............... (C/F)
Hohner Trichord (2-voice) ......................... £50.00 ............... (B/C/C# - "This model only, also available in D, G and A tuning." )
Hohner "DoubleRay Black Dot" De Luxe ......... £47.75 ............... (B/C)
Hohner Corso ......................................... .£47.75 ............... (C/C#)
Hohner "DoubleRay Black Dot"..................... £28.00 ............... (B/C)
Hohner Erica ........................................... £28.00 ............... (C/C# - "Also available in D and G tuning.")
Hohner 114 Melodeon ............................... £18.00 ............... (not indicated)
Hohner 1140 "Vienna Style" Melodeon .......... £16.75 ............... (not indicated)

The 2915 "Pokerwork" is highly notable by its absence, as well as the scarcity of models in D/G... :o

Whilst there was little else available at the time in Britain/Ireland except for some cheap G.D.R. Klingenthal models - the equivalent of "Chinese" boxes in their day. :(


Jesse Smith

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Re: How much were they, in 1971, and what keys could you get?
« Reply #1 on: March 12, 2018, 04:22:04 AM »

What is the 1140 Vienna style? Is that a one row Pokerwork?
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triskel

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Re: How much were they, in 1971, and what keys could you get?
« Reply #2 on: March 12, 2018, 04:45:32 AM »

What is the 1140 Vienna style? Is that a one row Pokerwork?

Yes, "Pokerwork" is only a nickname and the official description (in German) was "Wiener" = Vienna style. (Indeed the ones most commonly described by players as "Pokerwork" should more-accurately be called "Goldbrand", whilst the old-style 2815 was genuinely "Pokerwork". ::))

smiley

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Re: How much were they, in 1971, and what keys could you get?
« Reply #3 on: March 12, 2018, 04:57:31 AM »

That's an interesting list, thanks Triskel. I saw the cheapest one-rows listed at the bottom and thought of all the great music I've heard played on basic old HA114s over the years.
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melodeon

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Re: How much were they, in 1971, and what keys could you get?
« Reply #4 on: March 12, 2018, 05:07:59 AM »

What was the currency exchange fr0m pound sterling to US dollars in 1971, that is the question !

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triskel

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Re: How much were they, in 1971, and what keys could you get?
« Reply #5 on: March 12, 2018, 05:19:08 AM »

What was the currency exchange fr0m pound sterling to US dollars in 1971, that is the question !

Unless you're British, or Irish that is... ;)

It seems the exchange rate was fixed at $2.40 to £1.00 at the time Jeff.

melodeon

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Re: How much were they, in 1971, and what keys could you get?
« Reply #6 on: March 12, 2018, 05:22:31 AM »

Thanks

$47.25  USD seems a trifle high for an HA114 considering I bought a 1954 Morris Oxford in near mint condition  for $50 USD.

Just sayin'.
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triskel

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Re: How much were they, in 1971, and what keys could you get?
« Reply #7 on: March 12, 2018, 05:36:03 AM »

$47.25  USD seems a trifle high for an HA114 considering I bought a 1954 Morris Oxford in near mint condition  for $50 USD.

Just sayin'.

I make it $43.20 USD at that rate, whilst (according to a Hohner U.S.A. catalog) they were $55.00 in the 'States in June 1965... ???

Nick Collis Bird

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Re: How much were they, in 1971, and what keys could you get?
« Reply #8 on: March 12, 2018, 07:46:22 AM »

Fascinating list. I think the average wage in the UK in the 70’s was about £12 - £ 14, which puts the list into perspective.
 By the way I think Weiner is a sausage and Vienna is Wein. >:E
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Re: How much were they, in 1971, and what keys could you get?
« Reply #9 on: March 12, 2018, 07:54:09 AM »

By the way I think Weiner is a sausage and Vienna is Wein. >:E

Weiner is of Vienna (Wien) or Viennese, hence Vienna Sausage becomes Wiener.

Nick Collis Bird

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Re: How much were they, in 1971, and what keys could you get?
« Reply #10 on: March 12, 2018, 08:29:43 AM »

Aha! ;D
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Tone Dumb Greg

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Re: How much were they, in 1971, and what keys could you get?
« Reply #11 on: March 12, 2018, 09:42:26 AM »

Fascinating list. I think the average wage in the UK in the 70’s was about £12 - £ 14, which puts the list into perspective.
 By the way I think Weiner is a sausage and Vienna is Wein. >:E

A little bit conservative, I think. As a school leaver I was paid £20.00 a week in 1971. By 1973 I made £45.00 a week as a capstan lathe operator.
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Greg Smith
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Winston Smith

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Re: How much were they, in 1971, and what keys could you get?
« Reply #12 on: March 12, 2018, 10:26:51 AM »

Ah! But did you work for the notoriously Dickensian Mr Collis Bird?
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Tone Dumb Greg

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Re: How much were they, in 1971, and what keys could you get?
« Reply #13 on: March 12, 2018, 10:31:12 AM »

Ah! But did you work for the notoriously Dickensian Mr Collis Bird?

No, your honour. Does he still pay in gruel?
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Greg Smith
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ACCORDION, n. An instrument in harmony with the sentiments of an assassin. Ambrose Bierce

Graham Spencer

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Re: How much were they, in 1971, and what keys could you get?
« Reply #14 on: March 12, 2018, 11:30:23 AM »

Fascinating list. I think the average wage in the UK in the 70’s was about £12 - £ 14, which puts the list into perspective.
 By the way I think Weiner is a sausage and Vienna is Wein. >:E

"Wein"  is wine; "Wien" is the city known in English as Vienna.  ;)
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Among others, Saltarelle Pastourelle II D/G; Hohner 4-stop 1-rows in C & G; assorted Hohners; 3-voice German (?) G/C of uncertain parentage; lovely little Hlavacek 1-row Heligonka; B♭/E♭ Koch. Newly acquired G/C Hohner Viktoria. Also Fender Jazz bass, Telecaster, Stratocaster, Epiphone Sheraton, Charvel-Jackson 00-style acoustic guitar, Danelectro 12-string and other stuff..........

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Steve C.

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Re: How much were they, in 1971, and what keys could you get?
« Reply #15 on: March 12, 2018, 12:03:37 PM »

As I remember, in the foggy mists, I paid US$85 for my new Pokerwork, DG, low notes, in NYC, music row, 1973.  My first box.  Still have it. Other than tuning and de-clackifying also keyboard padding, in great shape.  Great box.  The MGA of boxes?
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triskel

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Re: How much were they, in 1971, and what keys could you get?
« Reply #16 on: March 12, 2018, 12:23:20 PM »

As I remember, in the foggy mists, I paid US$85 for my new Pokerwork, DG, low notes, in NYC, music row, 1973.
 
That sounds a likely "discounted" price at the time. The "official" price in the 1965 catalog I mentioned was already $80.00 then, but dealer's margins were much higher in the U.S. and discounted prices were pretty normal...

Quote
The MGA of boxes?

Had an MGB myself, and can still remember my grandfather's Y-type. (:)

Graham Spencer

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Re: How much were they, in 1971, and what keys could you get?
« Reply #17 on: March 12, 2018, 01:13:02 PM »



Quote
The MGA of boxes?

Had an MGB myself
So did I - in fact I've had two. Still rather have an MGA, though - loads of character! 

Apologies for thread drift!
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Among others, Saltarelle Pastourelle II D/G; Hohner 4-stop 1-rows in C & G; assorted Hohners; 3-voice German (?) G/C of uncertain parentage; lovely little Hlavacek 1-row Heligonka; B♭/E♭ Koch. Newly acquired G/C Hohner Viktoria. Also Fender Jazz bass, Telecaster, Stratocaster, Epiphone Sheraton, Charvel-Jackson 00-style acoustic guitar, Danelectro 12-string and other stuff..........

Squeezing in the Cyprus sunshine

triskel

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Re: How much were they, in 1971, and what keys could you get?
« Reply #18 on: March 12, 2018, 01:55:30 PM »

What is the 1140 Vienna style? Is that a one row Pokerwork?

Forgot to mention, it'd be known as an HA-1040 in the 'States, and again, like the 2815, that's actually the Hohner (Germany) number for the older (burnt-on) "pokerwork" version.

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Re: How much were they, in 1971, and what keys could you get?
« Reply #19 on: March 12, 2018, 10:52:30 PM »

I bought my first box - a D/G 2915 Pokerwork - in 1974 from Kitchens of Leeds for £45.  As inflation was around 20% per year in those times, I don't think this was unreasonable if a Black Dot (broadly equivalent) had been listed at £28 in 1971.
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