A rare excelsior OO?

[landro]

Here`s one that looks to be different. The newer grille (with mute slider and assuming it`s complete with inner workings ) mated with the older 4 rocker registers. I`m wondering if someone retro fitted this one?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Excelsior-Accordion-/262509170680?hash=item3d1ec40ff8:g:B7sAAOSwnNBXZX-j

 

[JIM D.]

The ad claims a 1959 model but this one is an early 50's Symphony model with rockers and marked "OO".
The Symphony models had this grill from the late 40's to the 50's and as there were many accordionist's that preferred a 4 rocker, some were custom ordered and marked "OO". And yes rare, and also the best of the "OO" series.

I you visit the ad you will see the first bid -- it's mine :tup:

 

[landro]

The ad claims a 1959 model but this one is an early 50s Symphony model with rockers and marked OO.
The Symphony models had this grill from the late 40s to the 50s and as there were many accordionists that preferred a 4 rocker, some were custom ordered and marked OO. And yes rare, and also the best of the OO series.

I you visit the ad you will see the first bid -- its mine :tup:

Thanks for the info and I hope you win it.

 

[Soulsaver]

It went for $445. Was that a good buyers price for it?

 

[JIM D.]

A good price ??
Well that all will depend on the actual condition of the accordion and that remains to be seen.

 

[landro]

It went for $445. Was that a good buyers price for it?

It looked a bit rough with no clear pics of bellows wear . Since there were no pictures of the inside any bid was a gamble that the reeds were rust free . The bidder / buyer should have assumed the wax is brittle , the valves curled , and the tuning was off . 60 yrs is a long time .
It could have been a good buy for a skilled repairman such as Jim D but for anyone else it probably would have been a money pit, even for less than $445.

 

[JerryPH]

Let's hope that Jim won it and can then address whatever issues it has (my hopes are its in very good condition) and then he can resell with a little profit to a deserving new owner. This seems like one of those special accordions that comes around once in a very long while.

Edit: Oh... I just checked the ebay ad, unfortunately Jim didn't win the bidding war. Sucks, sorry Jim!

 

[nagant27]

I was reading in The Golden Age of Accordion book about an accordionist named Marcello Roviaro, who was reflecting on his relationship with Pietro Frosini. There is a picture of him with one of these excelsiors, and I found another to post here:

 

[JIM D.]

No, I didn't win, as I felt bidding more on this one would just be a crap shoot, as the seller only stated a 2nd hand claim of condition.

 

[nagant27]

<ATTACHMENT filename=accordiana.jpg index=0>As I was thinking about this strange 00 accordion, and looking at ebay accordion listings, I came across another strange excelsior accordion. This post seems like a good place to post about it. This one looks like an accordiana, but inside has a double tone chamber. More like a 740, 940, or symphony model I guess, on the treble side anyway. Anyone know the reason for this, or why it would be made like this? Are the reeds still handmade, or machined? Seems like a weird accordion.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Accordion-A...763313?hash=item3d1f8435f1:g:pfIAAOSwqrtWoqF3

 

[landro]

I think most of those accordion makers in Italy could and would make any level of quality or features in any special ordered model if it was physically possible to do so.
The Accordiana was not usually an Excelsior high end model but I see no reason that hand made reeds and maybe even a tone chamber couldn`t be done with an Accordiana nameplate on it although it would be a rarity.

Add: That one pictured by the OP on is a beauty , definitely an Accordiana AND with a tone chamber. Very different indeed.

 

[nagant27]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/excelsior-accordion-/262554944778?hash=item3d217e850a:g:LnAAAOSwdzVXnW8L

Here is another weird one. Any opinions on this Excelsior?

To me this looks like no other excelsior Ive ever seen. I wonder who made it?

 

[JIM D.]

Not an Excelsior !!!
This one has a home made grill and the Excelsior name applied. :tdown:

 

[nagant27]

I was wondering that since the letters don't look anything like Excelsiors. Also the grill, registers, the keys neither for that matter. ANy ideas/ guesses who really made it? I think a look inside would help.

(Again Jim, I had a great time on Friday. I learned a lot, and appreciate your time and help. THANK YOU!)

 

[JIM D.]

Yes, An internal inspection would be necessary on this one to determine it's origin. :tup:

 

[JerryPH]

Not an Excelsior !!!
This one has a home made grill and the Excelsior name applied. :tdown:

Not only is this not an Excelsior, it looks a bit thin to be a double tone chamber and the registers, there is something funky there... on the right side, you have the bassoon register repeated 2 times... right beside each other!

... and this guy is trying to scam out $5000 for this??

 

[nagant27]

Good eye!!!


Do you think it has 2 bassoons in the chamber maybe? looks like maybe it is bassoon 1 and bassoon 2 and then 2 together? Its hard to tell. Like a LLMMH?

Now I really want to see the inside- just out of curiosity. There are 4 people watching it so maybe some others are confused as well.

 

[JIM D.]

Most likely a LLMMH and also could be the two bassoon sets -1 normal in chamber and 1 tuned one octave below out of chamber.
(And Dan, that Dallape you got a glimpse of Fri. ) had just that LLMMH with the normal bassoon and the other one an octave lower.

 

[nagant27]

Two bassoon reeds together in tune, with one an octave lower has got to sound amazing.! Must have some weight to it too with 5 reed blocks.

(Jim: when I was looking at these weird registers and trying to figure out what it might be going on here, I was thinking exactly about that Dallape. That really is unique in so many ways. When I am back over again you will have to show me that more.)

 

[JerryPH]

Good eye!!!


Do you think it has 2 bassoons in the chamber maybe? looks like maybe it is bassoon 1 and bassoon 2 and then 2 together? Its hard to tell. Like a LLMMH?

It certainly is possible, but the design on the register would denote it, no? This is the exact same button with the same design repeated twice. At the very least it has one or two incorrect register designs on it.

For $5000US that front grill would have to be in absolute perfect condition, which it is not, and just the fact that its not even original Excelsior badging just further pushes this into the realm of a potential scam or some very butchered up accordion where the purchaser is not going to like what they get for their money.