Free Reed

Hohner Accordion w/Bell - STL Worlds Fair

Germany
Western Europe

Brass, Metal, Reed, Wood, Leather
1904

Height: 11.5"

This is a rare 1904 World's Fair Accordion with a bell. It is a bellows-driven free-reed aerophone, sometimes referred to as a “squeezebox.“ The accordion's basic form is believed to have been invented in Berlin around the 1820s. The earliest examples of the instrument were button accordions. Later, the piano keyboard was added to one side, and in 1829, Dyrill Demian added buttons that would activate a pre-formed chord in the bass and patented this as an Accordion. It was first played in German speaking regions, then both the button and piano forms spread throughout Europe becoming a favorite of folk musicians. This Bell Accordion has its original leather case.

Owner:
Catalog#: WE-AEFR-26

© Hartenberger World Music Collection