Unknown Accordion Brand

[MasonHerb]

I have recently become the owner of an "Eckles" accordion. I am unsure if the name is a monogram or a brand. I cannot find any history or any other accordion bearing that name so any advice on the box would be helpful. It is a lovely box for sure though, 7 switches in the treble and 2 semi-automatics in the bass. It claims it was made in Italy, but I am not entirely sure if that is the case.

I am also curious about the "spring" valve bolsters on the bass side, I haven't seen that design before. It seems to be a strip of material that goes over top the valve and against it. Is this a fairly common design at all?

 

[Dingo40]

I'm tempted to say your "Eccles" accordion belonged to Spike Milligan *
However, on a more serious note () the "booster springs" you describe are relatively commonly utilised.
*See here:

Spike Milligan - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[boxplayer4000]

MasonHerb: Until somebody else comes up with information I suggest that 'Eckles' was an importer who shifted enough stuff to have their own name on the instrument. Local examples of that are the now defunct Bell and Clinkscale names who imported from Hohner and Crucianelli respectively. Clinkscale continues using the name 'Stephanelli' and now imports from China.
Dingo40 Spike Milligan. My favourite comedian!

 

[Alan Sharkis]

This looks very much like a Pancordion Video that I played some seventy years ago. The grille design and the chromed register switches with no markings on the treble side, the two aluminum switches on the bass side look awfully familiar. Is the treble side LMH, octave-tuned? Are the fwo bass switches double-acting? If so, that would clinch it. Picture the Excles name gone and, in its place, the word “Video,” in black script on a white background, and you’d have it. Those two indicators in the clear bubble-window o n the top of the bass side also clinch it. My then teacher sold mine to my family new for $230, which was a lot of money in those days.

 

[MasonHerb]

This looks very much like a Pancordion Video that I played some seventy years ago. The grille design and the chromed register switches with no markings on the treble side, the two aluminum switches on the bass side look awfully familiar. Is the treble side LMH, octave-tuned? Are the fwo bass switches double-acting? If so, that would clinch it. Picture the Excles name gone and, in its place, the word “Video,” in black script on a white background, and you’d have it. Those two indicators in the clear bubble-window o n the top of the bass side also clinch it. My then teacher sold mine to my family new for $230, which was a lot of money in those days.

It is LMH in octave with the double acting bass switches. Thank you for your help!

 

[debra]

...
I am also curious about the "spring" valve bolsters on the bass side, I haven't seen that design before. It seems to be a strip of material that goes over top the valve and against it. Is this a fairly common design at all?

I have seen such strips most often in Excelsior accordions. The purpose of the strips is to prevent the leather valves from getting caught in or between bellows folds and being permanently deformed or even pulled off. I wish more accordion manufacturers would do this on a regular basis. I have seen (and fixed) too many bass valve problems caused by valves getting caught in the bellows folds.

 

[Pipemajor]

I have seen such strips most often in Excelsior accordions. The purpose of the strips is to prevent the leather valves from getting caught in or between bellows folds and being permanently deformed or even pulled off. I wish more accordion manufacturers would do this on a regular basis. I have seen (and fixed) too many bass valve problems caused by valves getting caught in the bellows folds.

I have an Italo American CBA which also has these strips