Time to put on your Sherlock Holmes hat and settle in for another edition of “Name That Accordion.” Today’s accordion comes from reader Alper K., who believes this accordion is originally from Romania, but has been unable to identify the brand. The nameplate isn’t clear to me — is that “Sonova”? “Sonora”? “Fonova”? Click here for more photos and leave a comment if you have any ideas.
Okay, accordion sleuths: reader Diane has sent us a few photos of an accordion with two notable features: a small V and “C10” on the front grille and a “Made in Italy” nameplate on the back. Thinking the V might be a clue to the manufacturer’s name, Diane contacted Victoria Accordions in Italy, but they didn’t recognize it. Any ideas? Click here for more photos.
Grab your accordion identification toolkit… it’s time for another round of “Name That Accordion.” Today, reader Sherri B. has sent us some photos of an old Wurlitzer that once belonged to her great-grandfather. It’s an ornately decorated 120 bass, with a “Made in Germany” label on the back. Sherri thinks it’s from the turn of the (last) century, but that’s about all the information we have to go on. Have you seen a Wurlitzer like this one? How old is it really?
I receive a lot of emails from people who have found (or been given) an old accordion and are looking to identify it and determine its value. And while this is a common predicament, there are very few resources online for accurately identifying vintage accordions. So I typically ask these people where they’re located and refer them to a local accordion shop. (Especially since, to do an accurate appraisal, you really need to see, hear, and even smell an accordion in person.)
But lately I’ve been thinking, why not throw some of these queries to our readers — after all, you’re probably one of the most diverse and knowledgeable collections of accordion enthusiasts online. So, we’re starting a regular feature called “Name That Accordion”, where we post photos of re-discovered accordions and ask you, our fair readers, to help identify their age, origin, and any other historical details you can muster up.
Our first subjects come from Carmen L., who is researching three accordions that her late stepfather left her. We’ve posted a few photos on Flickr — there’s a black 120-bass Wurlitzer, a blue two-row Concertone, and a red German-made 12-bass. If you can help fill in the details on any of these boxes, post a comment here or over at Flickr. Let’s test the wisdom of the crowds!
