Concertina

This musical instrument is a concertina with its original box, made by Wheatstone, London, known as the inventor of this type of free reed instrument. Concertinas present bellows and buttons at each side of the instrument, each button producing a note when pressed. The buttons are arranged in 4 rows in a rectangular arrangement. Concertinas are part of the free reed instruments, because the reeds, each of which is individually mounted on a frame, laid flat on a chambered reedpan with a pair of reeds in each chamber, vibrates with the air that is supplied, and it produces a sound. This concertina is of English type (different form the German one) and its hexagonal shaped sides are made of wood while the buttons are made of metal. The sides are decorated with a pattern given by small holes in the wood that surround the rows of buttons.The bellows is decorated with paper with a floral design. The instrument bears both the name of the inventor (by Her Majesty Letter's Patent, C. Wheatstone, inventor, 20 Conduit, St. Regents Street, London), and the manufacturer's number, 23246. The instrument belonged to Thomas Robert Stewart (1881-1963), who was the donor's father. The concertina was bought in 1899 from Hardy's Music shop located in London Road, Carlisle for 5 pounds. The concertina was given with its original box.