I'm hoping I can learn something about an accordion/organetto that has been in my family for at least 110 years. It's a Paolo Soprani that's different from any I can find on the web. Even the Soprani factory in Italy found it unusual but had no more info other than it was a 4 bass 3 voice right hand model. Whereas examples of other Soprani pieces typically have glass panels with images of saints or women, my piece has rifle carrying soldiers in blue uniforms. My grandfather at 16 emigrated from Southern Italy in 1914 to the US. He was not in the Italian or US military. I never heard nor did my mother ever remember her father playing it. The bellows are seemingly intact and it produces sound despite some parts rattling around inside and evidence of crude repairs with wire and carpet tacks, a signature of my grandfather's frugal, make-do ways. I have found bits and pieces of info from various web resources that may hold a clue to its history or significance but nothing definitive.
1. One source states that Soprani was manufacturing primarily piano accordions by about 1920.
2. A Swiss accordion museum site dates a generally similar Soprani as between 1907 and 1912.
3. The center Soprani logo wording on my piece is cut short on the left side compared to the identical logo on a Soprani for sale. It evidently was cut to allow for the larger glass panels for the soldier images.
4. The bellows are blue whereas most that I have seen for sale are red.
5. There are no wood inlays, the decorative band is a paper tape.
6. Soprani exported accordions to the US and other countries back then to serve immigrants in their new lands.
7. A manufacturer in San Francisco (G. Galleazzi?) produced a similar model that one source suggested may have manufactured accordions for Soprani.
I am not a musician. I have many items of sentimental value to me but not my kids and this is one of them. I need to reduce the clutter and this is one piece that is nice but I don't know its connection to my grandfather. Before I pass it on, I was hoping to learn something about it and perhaps how my grandfather may have come to acquire it. My sister expressed interest in it but that will only postpone the inevitable as her kids have no connection to it. I do have a cousin in Italy who plays the accordion and expressed admiration for its style and history. I've looked through the various forums here and see there are many knowledgeable folks who hopefully can offer some info or even conjecture as to its significance.
Thank you
Jim
1. One source states that Soprani was manufacturing primarily piano accordions by about 1920.
2. A Swiss accordion museum site dates a generally similar Soprani as between 1907 and 1912.
3. The center Soprani logo wording on my piece is cut short on the left side compared to the identical logo on a Soprani for sale. It evidently was cut to allow for the larger glass panels for the soldier images.
4. The bellows are blue whereas most that I have seen for sale are red.
5. There are no wood inlays, the decorative band is a paper tape.
6. Soprani exported accordions to the US and other countries back then to serve immigrants in their new lands.
7. A manufacturer in San Francisco (G. Galleazzi?) produced a similar model that one source suggested may have manufactured accordions for Soprani.
I am not a musician. I have many items of sentimental value to me but not my kids and this is one of them. I need to reduce the clutter and this is one piece that is nice but I don't know its connection to my grandfather. Before I pass it on, I was hoping to learn something about it and perhaps how my grandfather may have come to acquire it. My sister expressed interest in it but that will only postpone the inevitable as her kids have no connection to it. I do have a cousin in Italy who plays the accordion and expressed admiration for its style and history. I've looked through the various forums here and see there are many knowledgeable folks who hopefully can offer some info or even conjecture as to its significance.
Thank you
Jim
