Accordion

A rare and possibly unique chromatic button accordion made with concertina reeds as an attempt by Lachenal & Co to enter the large accordion market of the 1930s. . Plain red-varnished softwood ends, 11.5x4.5in/292x114mm; simply fretted pallet cover. Right-hand 19 plastic-tipped buttons in two rows of 10 and 9; left-hand four plastic-tipped bass buttons (one missing) and one air button. Steel-tongued reeds, brass framed, concertina reeds in wooden reed banks. Ten-fold bellows with metal corners, leather edged with maze pattern papers. Later white plastic belt hand straps. The fretworked pallet cover has a large 'L' cut into it, and an oval paper label: 'Lachenal & Co, Patent Concertina Manufacturers, London', identical in form to Lachenal's concertina labels. The front of the hand bar has 'Trade Mark, English Make' plus the Lachenal 'Reed' device, and the bellows frames are gold embossed: 'The Lachenal Chromatic Accordion' and 'Steel Reeds, Made in England'. The two bellows, retaining straps, are embossed 'Lachenal & Co, London'. No serial number.