Antique accordion

[Paulstreaure]

Hi, yesterday whilst at a French car boot sale, I found this old accordion, it doesn't seem to have a makers name on it ? Any ideas on age, maker, value ? Thank you.

 

[Dingo40]

Any ideas...?

Hi Paul and welcome!
Well, It's old alright!
Looks like a two-row melodeon .
Love the lost screw replaced with a bit of string!
Some keys appear to be coming adrift .
Are the edges of the bellows pleats lined with metal?
Does it play? (Make suitable noises?)
Are they woodworm holes?
Could we have some more pictures, including one with a view of the bass buttons, please?
It's in remarkable condition for its likely age!
Could make a good restoration project.
Interesting!

 

[Squeezebox Of Delights]

That's a flutina! It's an ancestor of the modern accordion, built mainly in France in the mid-late 1800s. I'm not a flutina expert but as far as I know they are the reverse of a melodeon/diatonic accordion, so every push note on a melodeon is a pull note on a flutina and vice versa. The only flutina manufacturer I know off by heart is Busson, but there were many, and it might be best to do some of your own digging. Museum collection websites are particularly useful for this sort of thing!

 

[Dingo40]

That's a flutina! I

I stand corrected!
Yes, see here, a dead ringer:

Another:

An old Confederate tune (mentioned in "Gone with the Wind") from the American civil war:

So, could be up to 150+ years old !
Thanks SBOD!