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Author Topic: Louis Miller Single Row  (Read 5916 times)

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Andrew Culwell

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Louis Miller Single Row
« on: December 07, 2010, 03:12:27 PM »

I have a friend in California who has got his hands on a single row (pictures coming soon) this is a single row that was made by Louis Miller in San Francisco. Apparently Miller was one of the accordion makers during the "golden age" of Accordion manufacture in the bay area.  Miller apparently was a competitor of Columbo.  I'm awaiting pictures of this accordion but wanted to see if anyone out there knows any history of this company or has seen any of these boxes.  It belonged to a man named Jehan Paul who is well known in the concertina/accordion community in California.  Pictures coming soon!
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melodeon

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Re: Louis Miller Single Row
« Reply #1 on: December 07, 2010, 05:39:11 PM »

Sounds very interesting...Anxious to see photos

Jehan Paul also played G/C/B  in a French style IIRC.
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Andrew Culwell

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Re: Louis Miller Single Row
« Reply #2 on: December 07, 2010, 06:04:48 PM »

Yes Jehan is a friend and is now living way up the California Coast in Bolinas.  I believe he barely gets by, he gets no royalties from his Concertina/accordion repair video he made for Mel Bay. 
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Andrew Culwell

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Re: Louis Miller Single Row
« Reply #3 on: December 12, 2010, 11:29:06 PM »

Here are the pictures as promised.  Obviously my friend is not a photographer and does not have a great camera.  However he also sent a description and I quote it here:

"Accidentals are G# push & A# pull an octave apart.
Most of box not inlaid is rosewood i think
Bottom is birds eye maple
All original except special air button modified by JP. There are no pins and you get to the guts by removing the bottom
Again, hand written inscription inside of box
 L. Miller maker dec 1902
Jackson/ fedral square SF
 metal id label reads
 L. Miller  maker
 SF Cal "   
« Last Edit: December 12, 2010, 11:30:56 PM by A.J. Culwell »
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Andrew Culwell

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Re: Louis Miller Single Row
« Reply #4 on: December 13, 2010, 08:22:37 PM »

Better pictures of this fascinating box. 
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Andy in Vermont

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Re: Louis Miller Single Row
« Reply #5 on: December 13, 2010, 09:03:59 PM »

Better pictures of this fascinating box. 

Thanks for the pics.
I'm curious about the bellows -- looks like concertina bellows.
About 9 years ago I saw a similar box, except 3+ rows, for sale on eBay, also made in San Francisco, not sure if it was the same maker -- it had really outrageous intarsia, even more than the box above.

Andrew Culwell

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Re: Louis Miller Single Row
« Reply #6 on: December 13, 2010, 09:10:38 PM »

One of the reasons I'm posting these is that these boxes seem to be quite rare and thus little is known about the maker.  That said perhaps someone on the forum has more information on them than I or my friend do.  I do know that they were made in San Francisco by Louis Miller, his place of manufacture was Federal Square (Union Square now)  Circa early 1900's and that during that time there was an accordion "renaissance" going on in the SF Bay area.  If anyone knows about this maker we would appreciate any information or history they can contribute.
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pgroff

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Re: Louis Miller Single Row
« Reply #7 on: December 13, 2010, 10:44:35 PM »

Better pictures of this fascinating box. 

Thanks for the pics.
I'm curious about the bellows -- looks like concertina bellows.
About 9 years ago I saw a similar box, except 3+ rows, for sale on eBay, also made in San Francisco, not sure if it was the same maker -- it had really outrageous intarsia, even more than the box above.


Andy,

Might that have been a Galleazi or an early P. Guerrini? You see those from time to time, usually chromatic button accordions, and I think in storage I still have an early inlaid wood San Francisco Guerrini ca. 1900s.  I think the Miller in this thread is the only one I've seen, although I did see this same one on ebay not too long ago.

PG
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Andrew Culwell

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Re: Louis Miller Single Row
« Reply #8 on: December 13, 2010, 10:49:27 PM »

Paul,
Do you have any history on these Bay Area boxes?

--Drew
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pgroff

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Re: Louis Miller Single Row
« Reply #9 on: December 14, 2010, 12:50:35 AM »

Drew,

I don't have much of that early SF accordion history in my head but I know there is quite a bit known about some SF area makers.  Google will bring up some of it, and the books on the early history of the piano accordion in the US have more of it. Next time I'm in my storage space I will try to dig up a ca 1917 Guerrini catalog that has some San Francisco accordion history in it, and that (ca. 1904?) P. Guerrini chromatic box I mentioned (that unfortunately had water dripped on it.....).  I have seen a couple places the claim that Galleazzi was one of the first accordion makers in the US, and you will often see a claim that the piano accordion was invented in San Francisco (though obviously predated by harmoniflutes etc half a century earlier).  I don't think I have any Galleazzis anymore but again google image searches will pull up some pics of these beauties, mostly 3-row chromatics with Belgian bass and levers that alter the triads.  If you can't find pics, I know a guy who has one I sold him, and other fellow who has two of them.  A nice Galleazzi PA was on ebay recently.  Since Colombo (in San Rafael last I knew) shut down, maybe Cirelli or one of the other Bay Area accordion shops would have some history for you.  Petosa Accordion in Seattle might  be a good source also, I remember (25 years ago) they had an amazing collection of early handmade accordions.

PG

edited to add:

http://acclab.com/accordionlab/mall/preown/galleazzi/galleazzi.htm

http://www.petosa.com/history/museum/

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:G._Galleazzi_button_accordion.jpg

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rt=nc&nma=true&item=130453752432

Ahh, some Miller in here (scroll down) -- sorry about the bad digitization:

http://www.archive.org/stream/musicaltrade185000unit/musicaltrade185000unit_djvu.txt

PG
« Last Edit: October 28, 2013, 07:37:00 PM by pgroff »
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Andrew Culwell

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Re: Louis Miller Single Row
« Reply #10 on: December 14, 2010, 03:55:01 AM »

From the Archive you linked:

"28: Louis Miller



 
For twenty-five years an accordion maker in San Fran-
cisco, and winner of many medals at the Mechanics Fairs, Louis
Miller is credited with having done more than any other man in
the country to bring the instrument into prominence. The San.
Francisco Chronicle of Dec. 12, 1898 said:

"While preserving its simplicit" of construction
he has made ■nany improvements, increasing the
power and volume and strength and scope of the
instrument. He constructs these instruments
with the chromatic scale of three lines on the
right, known as tie Neapolitan system, but adds
two octaves, piano scale, on the left, so they
are capable of playing anything written for the
piano. He has six different ways of changing
basses... the instrument( is) vested with wonderful
possibilites.

"Mr. Miller is also the originator of a small
cabinet organ of powerful tone, a folding instru-
ment with tempered steel reeds. Owing to the
weigM of a concert accordifn, it is a difficult
instrument for a lady to manipulate and he is now
planning a lady's concertina with a perfect chro-
matic scale,"

The Mechanics FbIt Com-nlttee, in reporting a display of






Miller's instruments in 1888, said:

"The greatest perfection yet attained in the
manufacture of accordions has been accom-
plished by Louis Miller, who is exclusively-
engaged in making these instruments... He
has invented a splendid instrument which
plays in any key, major or minor, giving what
has never before been secured - perfect tones,
full, rich and sweet. His *show piece' is a
work of art. It is only 12" high by 7" wide
and is a marvel of power for so small an in-
strument. It is a beautiful p|tce of work,
the value being iSil50."
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KLR

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Re: Louis Miller Single Row
« Reply #11 on: December 11, 2011, 07:57:22 PM »

Louis Miller 2 row, D/A.  Will upload more later when Photobucket is no longer on the fritz.   Sean Folsom says Miller was German in the intro to the vid for his Accordion by Galleazzi and Sons.  Sean's from The Bay and no doubt knows Jehan Paul.
« Last Edit: December 11, 2011, 08:05:10 PM by KLR »
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pgroff

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Re: Louis Miller Single Row
« Reply #12 on: December 11, 2011, 08:10:53 PM »

KLR,

Thanks for this great photo of a piece of history!

Any photos of the grille, back of keyboard, or bass grille?   And can you tell us anything about the weight and the number of sets of melody reeds?

These boxes are seen so rarely that it would be great to have more info documented for them.  I wonder what one this size is like to play.

Thanks again,

PG

edited to add:  sorry, cross-posted with the additional info you added to your post above.  Will look forward to seeing those pics!



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KLR

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Re: Louis Miller Single Row
« Reply #13 on: December 11, 2011, 08:18:06 PM »

Try these:  Louis Miller Accordion.  Google trumps Photobucket today, it seems. 

The box has some nice historical cachet, the original purchaser's name is on the nameplate, and someone with the same surname has their moniker stenciled into the strap.  Will be nice to get it up and running; it has a nice light sound, in contrast to my quite thundering Weltmeister.  As it is it's quite out-of-tune and drafty, of course. 
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