New accordion day! (12 bass Hohner)

[Rosie C]

I've been looking for a little 12 bass for a while, and I'd settled on a Hohner Student II. This one came up on ebay so I headed out yesterday on a 330 mile road trip to collect.

Generally it's very good - no bad smells and everything plays as it should. The bellows are air tight. It looks like it's been restored at some point.

I'll have to work on my technique as the bass is relatively loud compared to the treble. We have a morris dance out tonight and I think I'll take it along.

 

[Tom]

Oh that’s a nice one! Have fun Rosie!

 

[Morgan28]

I like it. It looks great i love the design.

 

[Rosie C]

I like it. It looks great i love the design.

I do too! It's been nicely restored and for example the gold bellows tape picks out the gold in the flowers.

Does any have any idea of age? I'm thinking with the long keys and other details maybe 1930s?

 

[Ventura]

i have wondered about the plastic covered colorful covering
on what are apparently pre-war accordions (by style)

the history seems to say 1935 or so for it being introduced and
finding popularity in manufacturing.. over here there were a
couple old companies, one out of Chicago who used a blue
base instead of cream color. Were these flowery paint decorated
accordions covered in this new plastic? By the early 1840's Black
and Art Deco and the modern look had pretty much taken
over BUT after WW2 how did the Hohner company recover ?
and might they have continued with tech they had before
the war or did they somehow find the money/manpower
to modernize quickly ? when did their 12 bass student line turn black ?
would their modernization focus have been on the more expensive
models first ?

so then, considering the photo evidence, it is seldom we see
old bellows from pre-ww2 still looking this robust.. even if unplayed
for 90 years it would have to be so dried out the corners would
be popping off.. so is this one possibly newer ? post-war ?
(and if you have by now picked up a crimping tool, i might suggest
giving each a delicate pinch or 2 just because)

also, the surface layer seems to show very even coloration suggesting
not much rubbing from clothes or hands,, so maybe it has sat
quietly and unnoticed all this time just waiting for you

oh, BTW, what are you going to name her ?

 

[Rosie C]

so then, considering the photo evidence, it is seldom we see
old bellows from pre-ww2 still looking this robust.. even if unplayed
for 90 years it would have to be so dried out the corners would
be popping off.. so is this one possibly newer ? post-war ?
(and if you have by now picked up a crimping tool, i might suggest
giving each a delicate pinch or 2 just because)

also, the surface layer seems to show very even coloration suggesting
not much rubbing from clothes or hands,, so maybe it has sat
quietly and unnoticed all this time just waiting for you

oh, BTW, what are you going to name her ?

I've had a closer look. It appears to be wood with white paint, then the floral decoration is screen printing I think, or maybe some sort of water transfers. The bellows are certainly in good order - it looks like they've recently had new bellows tape applied. The bass buttons have a worn-away gold finish, which I'd guess is a modern spray paint applied when restored and already worn - though it is worn evenly over the buttons which is strange.

Hard to restore parts such as the nickel-plated treble cover don't show much sign of wear, so maybe it has sat on a shelf for years, then had a thorough restoration?

One clue - on the back it says "M Hohner", not just Hohner, does that give any indication of the age?

As to a name, I've not named other accordions, but this one just perhaps deserve one!

 

[Rosie C]

The maker label...

 

[Ventura]

Matthias

whether his name was commonly used early on or if it
was used later as a retroactive name drop i don't know..

nor do i know if he was an accordion guy or really a harmonica
guy and entrepreneur to create a larger than one product company

probably could find an image of him on an old tin or
ancient magazine advert !

 

[Tom]

I've had a closer look. It appears to be wood with white paint, then the floral decoration is screen printing I think, or maybe some sort of water transfers. The bellows are certainly in good order - it looks like they've recently had new bellows tape applied. The bass buttons have a worn-away gold finish, which I'd guess is a modern spray paint applied when restored and already worn - though it is worn evenly over the buttons which is strange.

Hard to restore parts such as the nickel-plated treble cover don't show much sign of wear, so maybe it has sat on a shelf for years, then had a thorough restoration?

One clue - on the back it says "M Hohner", not just Hohner, does that give any indication of the age?

As to a name, I've not named other accordions, but this one just perhaps deserve one!

Rosie?

 

[Squeezebox Of Delights]

Does any have any idea of age? I'm thinking with the long keys and other details maybe 1930s?

Yes, these are '30s boxes. They updated the Student accordions at some point - presumably in the 1940s - to a streamlined design with metal trim, but still retaining the long keys and general boxiness of earlier instruments. This is clearly an earlier instrument, so I'd place it firmly in the 1930s. They were revamped entirely in the 1950s, when the famous red pearloid Student line was born. The Student 1 - a small 22/8 box - disappeared somewhere along the line. Even though it is the smallest and arguably least useable of the line, it is still surprisingly popular because it has the same body as the Pokerwork melodeon, and makes a good candidate for conversions, if you swap out the reedblocks and keyboard!

 

[Squeezebox Of Delights]

Here's a 1936 catalogue showing an instrument that is identical to yours in all but the decoration.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/155842398392

It's safe to assume yours was built somewhere around this point. This catalogue is from 1948, and shows the updated Student designs.

https://www.antiquarius.com/product/91470/Hohner-Accordeons

I've tried looking for an advert/catalogue featuring the 1950s designs, but there seems to be a distinct lack of 1950s Hohner ephemera on the internet!

 

[Ventura]

you seem to know your stuff about artsy old Hohners and
other Euro brands too from way back when

thanks for the info

 

[Morgan28]

I do too! It's been nicely restored and for example the gold bellows tape picks out the gold in the flowers.

Does any have any idea of age? I'm thinking with the long keys and other details maybe 1930s?

Sounds like the 1930s to me long keys and gold bellows tape fit that era. Lovely restoration. Any maker’s marks or labels inside to confirm?

 

[Dingo40]

Does any have any idea of age? I'm thinking with the long keys and other details maybe 1930s?

Yes, I agree, 1930s.
Here he is:
Matthias Hohner

Hohner Music

On december 12th in 1833 Matthias Hohner the founder of HOHNER was born!

www.facebook.com

 

[Rosie C]

Sounds like the 1930s to me long keys and gold bellows tape fit that era. Lovely restoration. Any maker’s marks or labels inside to confirm?

I had a quick go this afternoon to look inside, but the bellows pins were tight and I wanted to use it on a gig tonight (!). I'll have another go tomorrow.

 

[Rosie C]

Here's a 1936 catalogue showing an instrument that is identical to yours in all but the decoration.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/155842398392

It's safe to assume yours was built somewhere around this point. This catalogue is from 1948, and shows the updated Student designs.

https://www.antiquarius.com/product/91470/Hohner-Accordeons

I've tried looking for an advert/catalogue featuring the 1950s designs, but there seems to be a distinct lack of 1950s Hohner ephemera on the internet!

Thanks, that's fascinating!

 

[Rosie C]

Not the best video, but its debut in our Morris band last night. There's also a Hohner Concert IIIS playing, though the violin's amp is pointing at the camera...

 

[Rosie C]

Rosie?

I'm thinking "Helga"

We all know it's the condition inside that matters, so I pulled the bellows pins this morning, and I'm fairly happy with what I found. On the treble side there's a fair few leathers needing replacement, and a couple of reed blocks have a white residue which I'm guessing is corrosion. I'm intrigued by the "nails and wax" construction, those reed blocks aren't going anywhere!



The bass is similar. While the treble was playing well last night, the bass reeds are a bit uneven in volume, particularly the 'D' reed which is louder and different in timbre to the others. I poked my camera inside and the leathers need some on the inside too. But I'll not be doing those now, as it's playing OK.

 

[Waldo]

It also features a diatonic style air release button. Much better than the in-out type IMHO.

 

[Ventura]

g'morning

early on reedplates were made from Zinc rather
than aluminum i believe, and the whitish stuff
is just oxidation i think