Accordion
In the 1830s, Paris became a major center of accordion production, which flourished until the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71. To compete with makers in Austria and Germany, Paris manufacturers successfully marketed their instruments by applying rich and costly decoration. This instrument follows a model by Demian of 1831, and is one of two surviving instrument of this type to have a second button row for the accidentals, it is therefore known as a "Paris accordions perfectionnes" or a "perfected" accordion. Only two such instruments are known to exist.
Artwork Details
- Title: Accordion
- Maker: Alexandre Pere & Fils
- Date: 1850–55
- Geography: Paris, France
- Culture: French
- Medium: Wood, metal, mastic, brass, tortoiseshell, gilt brass, mother-of-pearl, silver foil
- Dimensions: Closed: 15 3/16 × 5 5/16 × 6 7/8 in. (38.5 × 13.5 × 17.5 cm)
- Classification: Aerophone-Free Reed-concertina / accordion
- Credit Line: Funds from various donors, 1998
- Object Number: 1998.70
- Curatorial Department: Musical Instruments
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