System: Crane Duet

Aluminium alloy ends, metal buttons, 8-fold bellows. Extra notes on left are a low Bb and a low Fnat. on thumb key. Extra notes on right are Bnat at bottom of middle row, Bb and Anat little finger keys.

Year of make confirmed by Geoff Crabb.

Made by H Crabb (Henry Thomas). Serial number not known.

Built by Henry Joseph Crabb in 1947, this is a 67 button instrument. It has raised, plated nickel tops, nickel silver keys and an 8 fold bellows. It has long scale reeds therefore measures 10 inches across the flats and the range is down to G below mid C on the right, the left being an octave lower fully down to F.

Duralumin ends and levers, 8-fold bellows. Year of manufacture verified by Geoff Crabb. This concertina was owned by the late Cathy Scott, who played in the North London Concertina Band, which was run by Harry Crabb from around 1960 onward. Harry, Ivy, Neville and Geoffrey Crabb were all in the band, along with such luminaries as Tommy Williams.

Made in 1950 by Henry Crabb for his own use, with additional buttons outside the normal layout (see photos). Eight-sided, with aluminium ends, and eight-fold bellows.

Fretted wooden ends with steel reeds with duralium reed frames. Lovely player with gentle tone. Lowest note is D#2.

Restored with new six-fold bellows in 2011.
Standard 55 keys plus low Bb and F.

Etched Nickel Silver ends.

Built by Henry Thomas Crabb in 1928, this is a 70 button, with two novelty buttons, one a whistle, the other a cock crow, which has since been replaced by an extra note. It has raised, plated metal tops, nickel silver keys and an 8 fold bellows. It measures nine inches across the flats and the range is down to G below mid C on the right, the left being an octave lower fully down to F. It is a very rare model in that the metal tops are inset at the edges with an ebony bevel. Only about six Crabb instruments were ever made like this.