There are around 300 instruments in the collection, dating back to mid 1800s. There are instruments from France, Germany, Switzerland Czech Republic, Poland, Russia, USA , China and Japan. 
These include examples of concertinas, button accordions (chromatic and diatonic) chemnitzers, bandoneons, flutinas, harmoniflutes as well as piano accordions.
Many beautifully inlaid in mother of pearl, abalone , brass and wood.
There are some unusual keyboards, some with bells and some with horns!
DISPLAYS
I am happy to take 25-35 accordions to display for events or Club evenings. When you consider I have to pack and unpack 25 instruments twice, my daily charges are very reasonable in comparison to a musician who plays for 3 hours with one instrument and still charges £100!!!
Giancarlo Caporilli and Gennaro Ruffalo from Italy playing two of my 1950s childrens accordions at Heather Smith's International Accordion Festival in Blackpool. (Click here to see the video on facebook)
Two more videos :
Giancarlo Caporilli and Gennaro Ruffolo playing 1950s rare red Hohner Morino VM with domino couplers and Scandalli - with flaps - at Heather Smith's International Accordion Festival in Blackpool. Click here to see the video
Another of Heather Smith's videos of Gennaro Ruffolo (at her International Accordion Festival in Blackpool) playing a Dallape accordion in my Antique Accordion Museum, Scotland collection. This model was approved by the Pope (in 1948) to be played in Catholic churches as it was shown to be just as capable of producing sounds found in a church organ. Click here to see the video
Video of Gennaro Ruffolo playing Caroline Hunt's Ranco. Click on the picture below to view the video on Facebook
Video of accordion made by Fratelli Crosio for French accordionist M Aimable being played by Jean Dauvin. This accordion is interesting both for the shape of the bellows and its sound.
Click on the picture below to view the video on Facebook
My lovely 1905 Hohner Echophone being played at Lewis Accordion and Fiddle club by Dol Macdonald - it was immaculate when I got it but out of tune and has been beautifully tuned by Frazer Mclellan. This just shows if you look after an instrument it can still play well over 100 years later!!! Click on the photo below to see the video on Facebook
All content and images on this website are © Caroline Hunt, antiqueaccordions.com
