Settimio Soprani M890/215

[KiwiSqueezer]

In a previous thread, Ventura encouraged me to keep posting pix of boxes I might consider bidding for. So, here's another...

It's a Settimio Soprani, 41/120, LMM, 'M890/215' model. It's said to have been played recently...

It looks to my uneducated eye like a more recent model than the 'L599/22', about which I asked previously. So, I'm assuming a simple, mid-to-low range instrument, but from a respected manufacturer. Compact size?

The stupid and unanswerable question is - how much ($$) should I be interested? OK, only I can answer that (by guesswork), but any guidance about this model would be very gratefully received. And the second question is - can the 'M890/215' be decoded to mean anything to anyone except the original manufacturers?

 

[Dingo40]

I'm assuming a simple, mid-to-low range instrument, but from a respected manufacturer. Compact size?

Looks like an learner/amateur model, possibly from the late 1950s to early 1960s.
Judging by the the bellows tapes wear at the back, it's had considerable use.
Effectively, there are 5 treble couplers (two being repeats), and it possibly has musette tuning in the middle reeds ( three treble voices in all: LMM).
As for size, you'll need to have the treble keyboard length across the outermost edges of the outermost white keys: around 19" is full size, around 17 inches ( or less), ladies or youth size.
Consider the size of your hand, before deciding.
(I take "L" size in gloves and can manage the compact size keyboard.)

 

[Ventura]

well it looks clean in the pictures.. yes the bellows tape on the
back has had some bellyrubs

re-taping the back bellows folds is something you can learn to do if it
starts seeping air and needs it.. is it near enough that you can go see it ?

700 - 1000 is reasonably priced if it is truly in nice condition inside too
and honestly playable.. 500 is better.. and i guess prices may be higher down
under due to supply and demand

the LMM configuration is a nice one, the box
is not as heavy as some similar in size.. some of these may have been
built during the foam pad period, but the keys look decently in order though the
high E may be lifted up from a slipped pad, so maybe you can call the seller
and find out more about condition and more pics of the keys, along the front perspective

good luck

 

[Dingo40]

...and find out more about condition and more pics of the keys, along the front perspective...

Get some pictures the insides (valves) as well, while you're about it.

 

[KiwiSqueezer]

Thanks for the info, guys!

And now, a lecture - or rant - explaining my predicament.

I don't pretend to understand the market here. NZ is, in many respects, a third-world country. Wages are low, and the prices of many (most?) imported goods are grossly inlated. Local produce is also expensive - it's an expensive place to live! For example, a British-made vacuum cleaner I saw a few years ago was three times the UK price. Most engineering stuff is at least twice the UK or US price - if it's available at all. TVs and cars are at similar prices to the rest of the world. Priorities? Mostly, the shops are stocked with oriental goods of dubious quality because the Kiwis buy cheap, and really have little knowledge or expectation of quality. If it's unusual, or from USA or Europe, used, abused and battered junk sells for far too much. High-quality used items either go surprisingly cheaply, because there's no demand, or surprisingly expensively, because there's such small supply (it only takes two competitive bidders to run up an auction...). It's essentially statistical scatter in action - the number of trades is far too small to reduce the scatter and define a mean.

Accordions and accordionists are thin on the ground. I suspect much of what is traded on the local auction site has been found in granddad's attic, when the house was cleared. The resulting wreck is then put up at a completely unrealistic price, by somepone who knows nothing about accordions, except for a rough idea of what dealers sell them for overseas. There's little evidence that those for sale are being sold by accordionists, with one exception. He optimistically lists a few each week, and occasionallly proudly includes pictures of the insides, complete with curly valves. He claims to be a repairer! So, stay away! The Kiwi attitude to maintenance and repair is bizzarre, relying on a "She'll be right" attitude. Doing things properly doesn't seem important... Asking a typical seller to get inside a box for photos is really not a good idea!

I'd imagine that the most reliable way of buying is from within the 'brotherhood', but it's tiny, and I'd imagine more boxes get onto the auction sites than get traded between players. The local society seems to play mainly Titanos, presumably bought new from the dealer at the other end of the country. Hence one is drawn to the risky practice of buying unseen - and that, for the risk-averse - means cheap.

I'd be surprised if this Settimio Soprani accordion sells for more than NZ$500 (say US$300) (but I've been surprised before...).

[Thanks for listening]

 

[Dingo40]

Thanks for listening]

Is there import duty on second hand accordions ?
It may be possible to buy from an offshore dealer?