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A bit more history.
- Thread starter JIM D.
- Start date
Thanks for the link! Always good to learn more. I had been wondering for a long time where the "Bugari" came from that made reeds found in many older accordions, like the Hohner Morino N series (and starting in the later Morino M already). Now I know!
Ventura
Been here for ages!
patent research can also reveal familiar and other interesting names
and the related stuff they were up to and even where they were at their creative peak
like Pancotti and Deffner sponsored a few Italian whiz-kids gave them jobs and space
and funds to conduct research ( you see his name or company as add on to
the inventor's name on some patents )
and then you see the result of the patent in a PanCordion or Titano or both
(or earlier, the Excelsior's)
there has always been a draw from Italian American principles to recruit
and entice and bring over to the USA promising young craftsmen and
skilled apprentices.. we still see this today really (3 brothers
stole a fantastic young pastry Chef who has supplied amazing stuff
to customers around here for some years now to our great delight)
and the related stuff they were up to and even where they were at their creative peak
like Pancotti and Deffner sponsored a few Italian whiz-kids gave them jobs and space
and funds to conduct research ( you see his name or company as add on to
the inventor's name on some patents )
and then you see the result of the patent in a PanCordion or Titano or both
(or earlier, the Excelsior's)
there has always been a draw from Italian American principles to recruit
and entice and bring over to the USA promising young craftsmen and
skilled apprentices.. we still see this today really (3 brothers
stole a fantastic young pastry Chef who has supplied amazing stuff
to customers around here for some years now to our great delight)
Ventura
Been here for ages!
having had time to reflect
i guess the feeling i get from some is that when Excelsior passed to
CEMEX marks the date when older, die hard Excelsior fans feel
the band would never be the same.
(am i saying that gently enough?)
Between 1985 and 2003 was when i visited their factory several times..
it seemed to me fully invested in the Excelsior brand and quality in every way..
they had all the New York machinery, forms, etc. and were using some of it daily,
including the Body Forms from New York which in dimension are identical
on many models over at least a 60 year span, many parts interchangeable,
while stocks of original pre-WW2 cellulose and keytops were still available and
being used to re-furbish old excelsiors for customers.. Art Van DAmme's personal
accordions were still maintained (for free) at the factory on a regular basis (as always)
while in house research in Electronics and machine works to support their in house
electronic and MIDI builds was ongoing and fruitful
they had a working Kiln, the last one in the accordion manufacturing sector,
and a heavy investment in specialty Woods of course.. they were able to
manufacture their professional line, and DID manufacture those accordions
from 100% raw material on premises including the reeds
it was a fully, vertically integrated manufacturer, and the last of it's kind
so for me, real Excelsiors were being made up until 2003, and pretty damn good
excelsiors are still made today, but i can appreciate that for some old timers,
they drew the line at CEMEX
i guess the feeling i get from some is that when Excelsior passed to
CEMEX marks the date when older, die hard Excelsior fans feel
the band would never be the same.
(am i saying that gently enough?)
Between 1985 and 2003 was when i visited their factory several times..
it seemed to me fully invested in the Excelsior brand and quality in every way..
they had all the New York machinery, forms, etc. and were using some of it daily,
including the Body Forms from New York which in dimension are identical
on many models over at least a 60 year span, many parts interchangeable,
while stocks of original pre-WW2 cellulose and keytops were still available and
being used to re-furbish old excelsiors for customers.. Art Van DAmme's personal
accordions were still maintained (for free) at the factory on a regular basis (as always)
while in house research in Electronics and machine works to support their in house
electronic and MIDI builds was ongoing and fruitful
they had a working Kiln, the last one in the accordion manufacturing sector,
and a heavy investment in specialty Woods of course.. they were able to
manufacture their professional line, and DID manufacture those accordions
from 100% raw material on premises including the reeds
it was a fully, vertically integrated manufacturer, and the last of it's kind
so for me, real Excelsiors were being made up until 2003, and pretty damn good
excelsiors are still made today, but i can appreciate that for some old timers,
they drew the line at CEMEX
