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

Only on Ebay

We have a couple of nice toy pianos this week. First is this cute little Musikland one.

Musikland Toy Piano - link to Ebay auction

Update: Sold for £10.50

Next up is this very attractive Stradivarius by Brazilian company Hering. Hering make some excellent and interesting harmonicas and it’s a surprise to find that they make toy pianos too.

Hering Toy Piano - direct link to eBay auction

Update: sold for £63 (wow, that is a lot !)

If a toy piano isn’t big enough for your ego then how about a 4 octave ‘ships’ piano such as this one.

Ships Piano - link to eBay auction

Update: sold for £255

Or perhaps what you really want is a grand piano, but unfortunately you don’t have the space. Then this unusual upright grand is what you need.

Upright Grand Piano - link to eBay auction

Update: at £302 bid this did not reach its reserve price - unsold

And so on to some squeezeboxes.

There’s something about this tiny 8 bass Vissimio piano accordion that I just love - it just seems a far better looking accordion than most 8 basses.

Vissimio Accordion - link to eBay auction

Update: Sold for £22

Extremely unusual is this accordion with a Kratsov keyboard. The Kratsov keyboard is intended to be an improvement on a piano keyboard in that the notes of an octave are closer together. Looks a bit tricky to play if you ask me though.

Accordion with Kratsov Keyboard - link to eBay auction

Update: Sold for £1,550 (wow!)

Here is another good example of a flutina. This one appears to have what must be its original case too, which I’m sure will add to the value. By the way the owner has incorrectly described it as a Handaeoline. Sadly it isn’t a Handaeoline - that would be a real find.

Flutina - link to eBay auction

Update: sold for £312 (this is the most expensive flutina I've ever featured !)
Update 2: the original buyer didn't pay up. The flutina was re-sold for £226.10

This combo organ seems to be rare, early and English - it’s a Thundabird made by Bird. It comes with a pedal board and an amplifier.

Bird Thundabird Organ - link to eBay auction

Update: Sold for £50

And finally this is a portable Hammond organ, a real analog one not digital. It’s a Hammond B-250 and not a modified B3 or C3 that wasn’t portable to begin with. The auction claims that only 400 of these were ever made. If that’s true then this should do well. It certainly seems to fold up into a small size.

Hammond B-250 - link to eBay auction

Update: Sold for £726 (seems very reasonable for what it is)

Word Music Network Download Site

Hypebot has the scoop that World Music Network, the record label that do the famous 'Rough Guide to...' series are launching their own music download site in 2006.

I think this is great news as although the Rough Guides are generally well worth having there's usually a few must have tracks, several decent tracks and a few stinkers on each CD. Having the means to pick and choose will be very welcome.

Glancing at my CD shelfs I can see that I already own the following Rough Guides:

• Highlife,
• Americana
• Italy,
• Scandinavia,
• Cumbia (my favourite),
• Greece,
• Russia,
• Tango,
• Turkey,
• Italia Nova,
• Hungarian Music,
• Klezmer,
• Brazilian Electronica.

So, it looks like they'll be getting some business from me !

hypebot: World Music Download Site To Launch

World Music Network website

Transvestite Flutina Player

When I posted some great vintage pictures of flutina players a few months ago there was one picture that I didn't post.

This one of a drag act comedian !

Six Keyboard Musitronic Piano

Music Thing has got the scoop on this amazing instrument containing six keyboards !

Apparently it was intended to be used to teach piano in a class setting.

Music thing: eBay of the day: Six Keyboard Musitronic MKS-470

Only on Ebay - Part 2

So many items on ebay this week that I've had to write to posts.

The Rhodes ‘73 is so named because of the 73 keys on the keyboard. However other sizes were available the smallest being the 54.

Rhodes '54

Update: sold for £430

Indian Harmoniums are a variation of European harmoniums taken over there during the days of Empire. Proving this fact is this French Harmonium from the 1890s located in India itself. Unlike Indian harmoniums this one has foot controlled bellows but the actual keyboard looks like a modern Indian one. What I really like about this one is that it packs up into its own wooden case. Perfect for the travelling missionary that this probably belonged to. 

Portable Harmonium

Update: unsold - no bids

This Philicorda Home Organ is a classic piece of 1960s furniture looking more like a sideboard than a musical instrument. I love the big round buttons too.

Philicorda Organ

Update: sold for £54

Now this is a nostalgia trip for me - it’s a chord organ made by Rosedale. My sister had one of this which I loved playing on. It is on one of these then that my love of music started - back in the 1970s.
My sister’s was green though, not brown. I wonder if she has still got it…

Rosedale Chord Organ   

Update: sold for £21

Talking of organs this Galanti looks and sounds very tasty. Classic cheesy 60s sounds.

Galanti Organ

Update: sold for £118