Cassotto question

[boxplayer4000]

I didn't see any reference to Accordions when I visited Darwin's house. However Darwin's theory on the evolution of the species was that process spanned centuries. The evolution of the 'cassotto' maybe didn't take that long.
Regarding an earlier reference to a cassottoed Hohner Morino 1 I'm pleased to say I have located one owner.

 

[oldbayan]

Maybe there is no "THE cassotto" and many came up with designs involving resonator boxes! Many inventions have been made by various people in various places almost at the same time, the same could have happened with accordions.

 

[JIM D.]

If you read this entire post you will see that Candido Iorio had INVENTED & PATENTED the double
tone camber in the early 1920's.

 

[Morne]

I'm sorry, but I have to challenge that Candido Iorio claim. I could find only 2 patents attributed to him and the dates don't match.

• 1929: Not really a tone chamber (the rotated reedblock opens up into a perforated cover - refer to the photo JerryPH posted)
  
  US1781394A - Accordion - Google Patents
• 1936: Containing a double tone chamber (LM specifically)
  
  US2069447A - Accordion - Google Patents

It's possible that an earlier patent might be missing, however Google's patent list definitely goes back to at least 1900, so in theory it should be available.

Also, while those patents contain a cassotto structure (whether single or double) as a part of it, the whole patent is about more than just that by itself. With the given information I would at best say Candido Iorio held a US patent on something containing a double cassotto.

 

[oldbayan]

If you read this entire post you will see that Candido Iorio had INVENTED & PATENTED the double
tone camber in the early 1920's.

I did read it! He patented the double tone chamber, it does not mean he invented it
If you speak with Americans they will tell you Edison invented the moving pictures, but the French say it's the Lumière brothers...

 

[Zevy]

I did read it! He patented the double tone chamber, it does not mean he invented it
If you speak with Americans they will tell you Edison invented the moving pictures, but the French say it's the Lumière brothers...

I think Ken Iorio told me that his grandfather invented it and he wished that he patented it. Now this goes back a number of years, so my memory might not serve me well. Especially since I didn't know what a tone chamber was at that time!

 

[ackordio]

According to Beniamino Bugiolacchi, Direttore di Museo Int.le della Fisarmonica di Castelfidardo and doubtless an authority in the field, the casotto was developed by Pasquale Ficosecco, active in Loreto from 1889-99 and then until 1927 in Castelfidardo. Unfortunately, the article is now only accessible in the internet-archive http://web.archive.org/web/20190613...lfidardo.an.it/visitatore/index.php?id=400027
But as Beat's collection shows, the principle was used before and suggests that the casotto was a development variation from the transition from the flat mounting of the reeds of the earliest instruments to the reedblocks of later instruments, as this fine example shows: https://akkordeon-museum.ch/redaelli-carlo-1860-70/

 

[dunlustin]

A very attractive 'box' in the example.
I see the reeds are screwed to leather - didn't realise this was such an early feature.

 

[NigelB]

I have a 1938 Candido Iorio 4 reed treble with 2 in tone chamber. I have found no other American or Italian made accordions that
offered a tone chamber (Cassotto) this early. The craftsmanship is unique and the sound quality is very full BUT, the accordion
itself is quite large & heavy compared to a modern 4 reed tone chamber. A few accordionist friends have played it and jokingly
have named it "Godzilla" because of it's large size & weight . I won't refurbish it for resale but on my next trip to see my friend
Paul Ramunni I'll place it in his Museum ---

Google Search

And as far as who invented the double tone chamber -- Zevy you were on the right track -- the original Iorio firm started business
in 1907 on 44 Baxter St in New York, NY . By 1923 the Iorio Co. had already established one of the finest reputations among the
manufacturers in New York. By that time Candido had already INVENTED THE DOUBLE TONE CHAMBER , along with a long list of
refinements that included invisible bass & treble shifts, aluminum shift plate mechanisms, and celluloid cases.

I have an Iorio Philiharmonica Lightweight LM in cassotto just like this.

Iorio Light Weight Philaharmonica Accordion | #463388710

SOLD AS SEEN Iorio Light Weight Philaharmonica Accordion I don't know much about this except it was my late fathers. Not Returnable For delivery outside of UK please contact for price.

www.worthpoint.com

I’d love to know the year. I took it to Alodi in London who said it’s an early cassotto design. The chamber is actually just the space under the grill but the reed blocks are flat against it like a cassotto. Reeds seem nice and the tone is close to what you’d expect from a tone chamber but not quite as mellow.

 

[boxplayer4000]

Regarding the Hohner Morino 1, I had it confirmed by Hohner this morning that this 1930s accordion was produced with a cassotto.