Accordion

G. Kaneguissert

ca. 1860 · Wood (palisander, softwood), mother-of-pearl, paper, leather, brass, nickel-silver · Musical Instruments

One of two Paris accordions perfectionnes. In addition to the two-row keyboard, it has five basses and two registers of different reeds to produce different timbres. In the 1830s, Paris became a major center of accordion production, which flourished until the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71. To compete with makers in Austria and Germany, Paris manufacturers successfully marketed their instruments by applying rich and costly decoration. Following a model by Demian of 1831, the two instruments have a second button row for the accidentals and are therefore called "perfected" accordions. In contrast to accordions made in Vienna and Germany, the lowest note speaks at suction.

Artist

G. Kaneguissert

Date

ca. 1860

Medium

Wood (palisander, softwood), mother-of-pearl, paper, leather, brass, nickel-silver

Culture

French

Department

Musical Instruments

Credit line

Purchase, Robert Alonzo Lehman Bequest, 2005