Excelsior Excelsiola Art Van Damme Model 730 Value?

[lesliekurzweil]

Hello, this is my 1st post to this forum. I am a full time musician (keyboard player) & am trying to get information on the potential value of an Excelsior Excelsiola Art Van Damme Model 730 accordion from the late 50’s. My father purchased it new and gigged with it every weekend up into the early 70’s when he purchased a Cordovox. I’ve played it a couple of times over the past several years and everything seems to work on it. I’ve searched ebay & the internet and can’t find any information on this particular model. I appreciate any input on this. Thanks!

Wally

 

[Thomas N]

They are worth: a lot.

I have one and they are relatively rare. It was my early learning accordion as a student in the 80s. It has an LMM configuration with tone chamber a la Art Van Damme. They are light accordions and have that beautiful jazz sound that Art was known for.

I saw a couple sell for $3K+ a year or two ago. They were in excellent condition. I've been offered $2K for mine and it needs some minor work. A lot depends on how it was stored, how much it was played, if the bellows are in great shape, etc.

There's an entire thread on this forum about the 930. Do a search on Art Van Damme or maybe just Excelsior 930 and the thread will pop up. There is a lot of great input from some very knowledgeable users. In fact, it's the way I discovered these forums!!!

Best of luck to you!

EDIT: Ahh...just noticed...you are calling it a 730...it's actually a 930. That's why you're coming up empty on searches. That "7" is really a "9"

 

[JIM D.]

No That is a L M M H 730 Excelsiola with factory mic's. I had one for years and sorry I've parted with it. Also made as a 720 without tone chamber.

 

[Thomas N]

Jim -

What's the difference between the 730 and the 930? Only the piccolo reed?

I've never heard of a 730! Looks identical to my 930; right down to the crack on the exact same key and the broken lightning bolt on the Excelsior logo. Bizarre that they break in the same place.

 

[JIM D.]

As a general rule of thumb, From the early 50's to the mid 60's all Excelsior models had a clone and these clone's were tagged Excelsiola and carried a different model #. Although the bodies of these accordions were the same, the Excelsior clones were lighter mainly because of lighter weight reeds. The Excelsiola's also had a lower price tag. The Excelsiola models were preferred by many Pro musicians because of the lighter weight and brighter tone compared to a Excelsior of the same size. Although the Excelsiola's were priced lower than an Excelsior when new, in today's used market they tend to fetch the same prices. A good used 3 reed Excelsior or Excelsiola will fetch $1500 to $2000 in the US and 4 reed models from $2000 to $3000. Add $500 for tone chamber.

 

[Soulsaver]

Didn't some Van Dammes have 2 low reeds, 1 in chamber - note the register markings here suggest that; with a M (or N as discussed previously). This looks like a rare 2 bassoon reeder - LLM & no combinations on the markings for a H?

PS Hi Wally and welcome to the fold. Thanks for bringing such an interesting instrument for us to banter about..

 

[nagant27]

Yes 2 low reeds. One in the chamber and one outside the chamber. This is a 730. I also was confused by this for a while. I always thought mine was a 930, and when I looked at really closely it says 730 too, but is really worn so I never knew. I love it, great tone, great instrument.


Also there is a 740 double tone chamber also with LMMH, and like as mentioned a 720 (LMMH, no chamber)

 

[nagant27]

Also the van damme has the extended keyboard!!

 

[Thomas N]

Also the van damme has the extended keyboard!!

That is correct! Thanks for bringing that up. I had forgotten about that. It would be an easy way to tell the difference between a 730 and 930. I guess technically they are both Van Dammes.

 

[Soulsaver]

Also the van damme has the extended keyboard!!

That is correct! Thanks for bringing that up. I had forgotten about that. It would be an easy way to tell the difference between a 730 and 930. I guess technically they are both Van Dammes.[/quote]
This VD 730 has extended keyboard, too.

 

[nagant27]

Now is a 740 also considered a Magnate like the 940?

 

[lesliekurzweil]

Thank you all for all the responses! What a great forum. I talked with my father this morning and told him of my post on the Excelsior. He told me that he actually purchased it about a year or so prior to going into the Marines in October 1951 and remembers playing it in clubs in Calumet City, Illinois & South Chicago in 1950-51 prior to going into the service.

wally