Tanzbar Player Accordion

When I featured a fake accordion containing a hidden mini-disc player  back in June in caused a bit of a stir. What a cheat ! We all thought.

We it seems this type of thing is nothing new.

This is a Tanzbar player accordion from between 1900-1930. It uses paper rolls instead of mini-discs and I guess you had to squeeze the bellows to get it to play (let me know if I'm wrong about this bit).

This one came with 16 rolls and sold for exactly $500 US on Ebay (£265).  Compare this with the $1595 for the mini-disc player... I know which I prefer.

Previously on Squeezytunes: Accordion Mini-disc Player

Comments

[Olaf Gjerløw Aasland]

Hi,I was the buyer of this Tanzbär. It was in almost perfect condition, with 16 tunes (rolls) ranging from John Philip Sousa's El Capitan to Donauwellen by Iosif Ivanovici. Yes, you have to squeeze or pull the bellows, the sound is made just as with an ordinary concertina. In addition you pull a handle that makes the rolls turn. It is very difficult to keep a steady tempo. The buttons are fake.
This is one item of my collection of about 150 free reed instruments, including about 30 bandoneons/German concertinas and 6 flutinas/French accordeons. I am a medical doctor, but my hobby is to restore and tune bandoneons.
Congratulations with a fantastic blog! I am in the process of making one myself, and I'll come back to you when it is up and running.
Olaf G Aasland, Norway

[Squeezyboy]

Wow, great to hear from you Olaf, and thanks for your first hand information about the Tanzbär.

I hope you get your blog running soon, I'd love to see some photos of your collection.

[Bruce Triggs]

A friend brought a tanzbar to our monthly Vancouver accordion circle and we all got to play around with it. He opened it up and we got to see the paper music roles and all.

I love the fake buttons ("Hope the rest of the band doesn't notice.") and it was hard to pump the bellows while thumbing the lever that spun the music roll on kind of a flywheel thing. Tricky. And then you have to change rolls after each song? Might as well learn to play. Except I guess you could learn the technique once, and then play any roll.

Best part of these "player" instruments for me is that they had actual people like Scott Joplin sit and play the machine that punched the paper-holes, so they're actual recordings of the artists who made them. Cool. Wonder who played the one we had?

[Squeezyboy]

Thanks for the report on what it's like to play with one Bruce. I've only ever seen pictures of them myself.

[Jack Hotchkiss]

Thanks for the info I learned some new things by reading it

[Colt Hogstrom]

I have a Tanzbar player accordion, wondering wat the worth would be?

[Squeezyboy]

Hi Colt,

A lot depends on the condition. The one above was in almost perfect condition, and went for quite a lot of money - but not overly expensive.
If it is out of tune, or broken then the value will reduce dramatically.

[Carmen Kwolek]

I have a Tanzbar it is in good condition also I have 15 rolls that I would like to sell

[herman Kiek]

I am the owner of a original Tanzbar from around 1900. My problem is that I do not know where I can buy other rolls since I have only 1. I would be grateful if anyone could supply me with this information.

Thanks in advance for anwering.

Herman Kiek.

[herman Kiek]

I forgot to mention that the paper rolls my Tanzbar is using has a diameter of 6.3cm, including the reel it is 7.0cm and the maximum no. of holes broadwise is 16.

Thanks.

Herman Kiek.

[Marc Schoene]

I am very interested to buy a Tanzbar. How is it possible?

Marc

[Squeezyboy]

These are quite rare I think, but there is one on Ebay at the moment in Australia.

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/TANZBAR-RARE-BUTTON-ROLL-ACCORDION-COLLECTABLE-ANTIQUE_W0QQitemZ180356956420QQcmdZViewItemQQimsxZ20090516?IMSfp=TL090516123001r8021

Good luck

[Frank Rush]

I have one we recently discovered. It is in good shape and has 6 rolls.