G'day John c,

What you have seems to be a traditional Anglo-German concertina - the sort played by ordinary mortals ... not the stage wizards of the recent concertina revival. The street address almost certainly suggests that it is a Wheatstone as Lachenal (the main maker) didn't use an address on his labels, Jeffries (who made tremendously tough and powerful concers) was in Praed Street and Crabb (the last london factory) has no address on his labels.

The two rows are often in G and C, but I have had achenals in Bb/F (my first Anglo) and B/F# (an Australian-made Stanley from circa 1890). The old instruments were often pitched in keys to suit various types of 19th century bands - and often in old high pitch. it will usually be expensive to have a complete cleanup and retune, so the concertina needs to be in good condition to justify the expense.

Traditional high quality English-made concertinas can always be repaired (unlike cheap old German instruments) but it is skilled craftsman work.

If you have a good workable 20-key Anglo and no nearby teacher or skilled player, I would recommend starting to teach yourself with The Mel Bay Concertina Book. Don't be put of by the vintage photographs of the the author playing a huge German Chinese Lantern type concertina; the layout and instruction is quite good for a novice, teaches right hand, then left, then combining hands ... and even ends up with a dash of Mozart!

My wife learned from this book - then took possesion of my prized 22 key Lachenal (so I had to locate another). The books, tapes, &c, aimed at Irish-style playing are not much help to a 20-key as they use all three rows of the Anglo-chromatic concertina in a distinctively Irish pattern for playing in fiddle keys.

The best instrument to have as a background before Anglo is mouthorgan, since the tunings are closely related (but you end up 'puffing' reflexively as you play!). Button accordion is also related, in fact the German concertina, the parent of this one, was originally a square box with the two right hand rows of a button accordion slit up between two sides of a concertina.

Regards,

Bob Bolton