Frontalini Accordion.

[boxplayer4000]

Frontalini.
This Frontalini accordion is marked Model 252 No.806
It is 4 voice treble and 5 bass, LMMM with a single keyboard edge coupler controlling the bassoon reeds.
I’m not able to date it from information I’ve seen on line so far.
The value is unimportant. It is in good condition whatever age it is though the reeds
are as expected, with dried out, curled valves. For a possibly pre-war accordion the keyboard feels more modern ie. the treble keys are only 12mm/1/2” longer than my Morino and are very ’shallow’ at about 4.5mm travel.
If anybody has knowledge of its age I would be interested and grateful.

 

[Ben-jammin]

Have any additional pictures? Most of the boxy prewar Frontalinis I’ve seen pictures of had block lettering for the brand name. Maybe seeing some of the mechanics and or reed blocks can help in dating it.

 

[boxplayer4000]

Ben-jammin:
I've had the accordion dismantled. There's remarkably little (none as far as I can see) which is not common to a lot of accordions and which would point it towards 'Frontalini'. If you know of any unusual features peculiar to 'Frontalini' please let me know and I will look at it again.
Regarding the block lettering of the nameplate I have seen only one image on Google with a 'joined up writting' name plate as there is on mine but there is no information on there about age.
Frontalini have a website. I have found the Italian sites quite unhelpful if your 'Italian' is limited, or non existent, unlike the German ones.

 

[Pipemajor]

Ben-jammin:
I've had the accordion dismantled. There's remarkably little (none as far as I can see) which is not common to a lot of accordions and which would point it towards 'Frontalini'. If you know of any unusual features peculiar to 'Frontalini' please let me know and I will look at it again.
Regarding the block lettering of the nameplate I have seen only one image on Google with a 'joined up writting' name plate as there is on mine but there is no information on there about age.
Frontalini have a website. I have found the Italian sites quite unhelpful if your 'Italian' is limited, or non existent, unlike the German ones.

Google translate is very helpful

 

[boxplayer4000]

I did have a reply from an Italian consortium, which includes the ‘Frontalini’ name.

http://www.maximsgroup.it/catalogue/maximsgroup-accordioncatalogue.pdf

They date this instrument to the 50s or 60s. Aspects of the design and appearance suggest earlier to me. What is not in doubt is the usual Italian quality in its construction and I did decide to proceed with an extensive overhaul. A wet musette is the preferred tuning around here and I have made a recording of this. I made the recording this way so that the musette can be heard/compared on press and draw of the bellows and the rate of change of the musette can be heard as progress is made up or down the keyboard.

Dropbox

www.dropbox.com

Since making this clip I have made adjustments to the B4 musette which I thought was slightly slower than its neighbours.