For Jill Morgan, of McHenry, IL, providing a permanent memorial to loved ones is a high value for many donors. Her mother, Dorothy Anderson and grandfather Gunnar Anderson, played Chemnitzer concertinas of the Silberhorn brand now displayed prominently at a main isle of the museum.
Henry Silberhorn’s concertinas were readily available and popular in the 1930s Chicago area. He did not make the concertinas but modified the products of others and placed his name on them, a common practice in industry. His instruments were enhanced by the use of “Perloid,” an improved celluloid offering many colored marbleized effects and often ornamented with rhinestones and etched designs. Their acoustic performance was described in Silberhorn literature as follows1:
“104-keys, full triple reed trebles with quadruple reed contra basses. Steel reeds, tempered to tone, hand-filed. Sound-boxes are so constructed that every size reed has the proper tonal chamber. A scientific lever action makes playing “soft” as velvet. Reinforced air-tight bellows (15 folds with two reinforcement frames) are protected with silver staves on all sides and covered with decorative paper. Handmade throughout by artists—every part fitting together perfectly—in perfect harmony—in true balance. No part of the inside workmanship has been neglected.
In your hands, the instrument will give you the pleasure that comes with complete satisfaction. Each reed, whether high or low, responds to the touch immediately. The tone is full, clear and rich—a ringing tone that carries and is heard in the largest hall. You can play very loud, but the tone is always pure—not harsh. This is the concertina that will do justice to your abilities.”
Dorothy’s 1937 “Black Beauty” model was given a carrying case with special plaque stating it to be a “Special Deluxe made especially for Dorothy Anderson.” The gloss-black exterior is decorated with white etched and painted designs often centered with a rhinestone. The owner’s name is inlaid in white rhinestone covered letters. The treble section offers the option of a single shift that omits the low reed bank.
Gunnar’s “Clarion” model, in marbleized pastel green with etched and painted ornamental designs in red, orange, and green, also sports many small rhinestones and a white scroll cut plate bearing his name. The instrument was manufactured prior to 1937 and also offers a single treble shift that cuts out the low reed bank.
A beautifully hand-written book of music with numbers-system accompanied the donation. The lack of manuscript errors disguises the time-consumptive difficulty of writing music for these instruments.
[1] Rippley, LaVern. The Chemnitzer Concertina: A History and an Accolade. St. Olaf College Press, 2006.
