Copied from http://www.concertina.net/gs_adventures.html by George Salley.

“Now, in addition to the Jeffries and Dipper I have a funky old Scholer, that I use for tear-jerkers like “Johhny Todd”. I tell the audience that such an instrument was more likely to have been in a sea chest than a Crabb, etc., since it has more seaworthy brass reeds, wooden action, paper and cardboard bellows rather than leather. Sailors did not have the benefit of silica gel, nor water resistant cases, thus steel reeds would become piles of rust and leather grow strange new life forms (thus the rope handstraps). Additional appeal for a sailor of the time would be because they were brightly (garishly) decorated; and CHEAP! Current research indicates that German concertinas could be had for a dollar in the late 1800s. Also the double reeds give an accordian sound, and are more acceptable if out-of-tune, which mine generally is. But since such was more than likely the case on shipboard, it adds to the “authenticity” of my performance. ”

Regards

Andrew Bowles