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104 Tone Bandoneon, (ELA) Black with Mother-of-Pearl - $875 (Saint Cloud)
condition:
good
make / manufacturer:
104 Tone Bandoneon ELA
model name / number:
Ernst Louis Arnold (ELA)
size / dimensions:
18" x 10" x 10"
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I believe this musical instrument was made in Germany in the early 1900’s. Has a beautiful “French” romantic tone, with 30 buttons on the right side and 22 on the left…each of those buttons has two tones for a total of 104 (the tone varies relative to the bellows being expanded versus compressed). These instruments are very hard to find.
It measures 8” X 8-3/4”. The inside of the bellows has a paper label that has a neat squeeze box logo along with some wording that translates to “registered trademark”.
The instrument is made of wood (possibly thin plywood) with a veneer of what appears to be either ebony or rosewood that has mother of pearl inlay. The veneer is in good condition, but it does have some wear or lightening of the finish on the areas around some of the buttons, where the heels of the hands would rest when playing, and on the bottom where it probably rode on the knees of the musician. The buttons all work, although two are missing their mother of pearl inlay - I do have one of the inlays that needs to be reattached. While the buttons all produce two tones, some of the tones are discordant, so I believe that the piece needs some tuning in this respect. The metal on the outside, such as the front ELA grillwork and the metal trim on the bellows has slight corrosion of the plating…but to be expected with instruments of this vintage. There is one small piece of the white celluloid (I’m guessing) trim missing on one of the ends.
The bellows are good in my estimation. While the box is not completely airtight and does have some leakage, to me it appears that most of the problem is with gaskets. The corners of the bellows are not weak or leaking.
The mechanics of the keys (buttons) look good, and they work as they should. The metal reed holders themselves are zinc. Included photos adequately show the condition of the instrument.
The carrying case that comes with the Bandoneon measures 10”X10”X18” and does not appear to be original to the instrument in my estimation but is serviceable and has a new handle. The carrying case it is missing its lining and, of course, shows signs of use, scratches, scratched name or lettering and some small rips in the outer covering. The closures work well on the carrying case, although the key is missing for the lock.
All in all, this appears to be a sound old instrument that could be easily put back into good working order by someone who knows what they are doing with old squeeze boxes. There are lots of instruction videos for playing, tuning, and maintaining the instrument on YouTube.
Perfect for the musician seeking a "romantic" sound! Thanks for looking.