Sandman,

I believe the diatonic accordian was used as an English folk instrument a good hundred years before 1949.

Did you read the article?

Jon Boden suggests, " . . . . studying the phrasing and emphasis of the Morris dance or country-dance melodeonist: the ‘yup’ sound created by an anticipatory swell of the bellows building to a staccato stab on the beat (not an easy thing to achieve on a fiddle, but quite effective when you get it right; it’s helped by a glissando and left-hand ‘damping’ to stop the note ringing on); the use of double-stopping to create rhythmical swagger rather then sweet harmony; trills; aggression; and air between the notes. Rather than aping the bowing patterns of the pre-Victorian fiddle . . . . . we should follow the melodeon patterns.

Using this model, the fiddle can become almost indistinguishable from the melodeon, while simultaneously bringing the ability to glissando, vibrato, growl and more to the limited repertoire of sounds afforded by the free-reed system of the melodeon. This is not really a new approach – fiddlers have been subtly imitating the melodeon since it was invented. All I’m suggesting is that we should approach it a bit more head-on".

Although I wouldn't want my fiddle to ever be "indistinguishable from the melodeon", I can certainly see the merits in 'borrowing' the phrasing of other musicians; even hammered dulcimer players.

Harry