S q u e e z y t u n e s

Flutina Preceptor

preceptor noun a teacher or instructor. preceptorial adj. preceptorship noun.
ETYMOLOGY: 15c: from Latin praeceptor an instructor.

This is a preceptor for the Accordion or Flutina

containing ample instructions whereby the general rules and principles of music, and a complete mastery of those fascinating instruments, may be obtained, without the aid of a master;

to which are added

numerous airs as exercises, from the works of popular and standard composers, with the figuring correctly marked

by Henry West R.A. of Music

It has 32 pages and 34 songs including

• God Save The Queen
• The Negro Village
• The Saucy Old British Flag
• Cheer Boys Cheer
• The Young May Moon

It sold for a not considerable £63.50 on Ebay a while back.

Surely it's worth it just for 'The Saucy Old British Flag' !

Black Flutina

I've featured a few attractive flutinas in the past, but this one proves that plain ones were available too. It's a Busson too, and despite this it didn't attract any bids on Ebay - perhaps the starting bid of £49.99 put people off.

Early Melodica ?

When I first saw this appear on Ebay I thought that it can't be real. This looks to me like somekind of fake instrument. But then I started to think who would go to the bother of creating such a thing ?

Still it is strange to see a melodica with chord levers.

Has anyone else ever seen anything like this ?

It's only just come on to Ebay so there's plenty of time left to get your bid in...

Link: Ebay auction - Early Melodica

Update: sold for £109
 

Cloisonne Flutina

This antique accordion caused a bit of a buzz when it appeared on Ebay recently. It has no makers marks but is clearly pretty old. The keys are mother of pearl and the body is covered in marquetry patterned to look like cloisonne. It sold for £370.

If you've got one of these in the attic then let me know !

Well Described Flutina

There's a well described Flutina on Ebay at the moment.

Usually these are sold by non-experts, but this one is clearly being sold by someone who knows exactly what he or she is dealing with.

Flutina's are very attractive early French accordions - this one would have been made around mid 1800s.

Most flutinas are either plain black or brown wood and many have decorative wood inlay. This one is very rare as it is black ebonised wood with the top all covered in colourful enamel and brass inlay (sometimes known as boulle after Charles Andre Boulle - this is usually brass and tortoiseshell but in the case of this flutina it is brass and enamel).

These instruments were often played by Victorian ladies.

The artwork is beautiful. It was almost entirely black when it arrived but I have given it a polish and all the brass and inlay is now looking lovely and almost gleaming! The brass is finely etched but the photo may not be detailed enough to show this. The enamel work is in red, blue, green, pink and yellow and as far as I can see none of the brass or enamel inlay is missing.

There are 22 keys - 13 of them are currently missing the moter of pearl tops.

Sound: Not all the notes play. All but two appear to move freely. You get a different  sound on push and pull on almost all of the notes but some are weak. It is easy to open and see inside: one reed looks fragile and I think the tongue might break off, another is currently held in place by sellotape!   
Compression - is not very good. The bellows are beautiful with silver background and green and red patterns edged in black that has become very scuffed. There are some leaks at the corners.

Bass - there are two bass notes - one has a pretty blue enamel button - the other is missing.

Check out the Flutina category for more flutina goodness.

Link: Ebay auction - Enamel Flutina

Update: I'm surprised that this attracted no bid whatsoever. Maybe the starting price of £99 put people off, even though it's definitely worth that much.