PEDAL ACCORDION
Accordion “monster” actuated by pedals. Brass-plated wooden body engraved with peasant scenes in the style of the 18th century.
Signature “WOJCIECH – FREJUS” followed by the Polish inscription: “TULACZ – WIECZNY” (« The eternal wanderer») Initial: W.F. 15-fold bellows. The mechanism is covered with a nickel-plated plate and engraved with an eagle bearing the motto: “POLAKNA OBCZYZNIE” (« Distant Poland»), and signed “Raymond, 1933”.
The right key board is also decorated with a nickel-plated plate on which is inscribed in Greek: “Mneme-Melete- Aoide”… (The song keeps the memory)
Chromatic singing keyboard with 6 rows. 116 mother-of-pearl buttons. Two registers. 10 rows bass keyboard. 240 mother-of-pearl buttons.
Copper plate attached to the back, marked: “1927-1937/ FABRYCACYA FRANCUSKA WYNALAZEK-IWYKINCZENIE / W.A. FREJUS RAMY – I MUZYKA CHRISTIN / MACHANISM J. VIALA / DECORACYA R. RAMSTEIN”. FRENCH FACTORY INVENTION AND EXECUTION / W.A. FREJUS RAMY – AND MUSIC CHRISTIN / MECHANISM J. VIALA / DECORACYA R. RAMSTEIN”.
Acccordion width: 62cm. Height: 53,5cm. Depth: 34cm. Total height of the instrument: 148cm. Width: 78cm. Dpth: 74cm
Too heavy to be placed on yhe musician’s knees, the instrument is originally attached to a wrought iron frame. The bellows slides on rails by means of two leather straps attached to the pedals. A wooden saddle, covered with bmack velvet is fixed to a wrought iron support at the bach of the instrument. A velvet curtain surrounds the lower part of the instrument.
During the cleaning, a hiding place was discovered inside the saddle. It had been made to hold a gun and bullets. A cloth and a tool for cleaning weapons were still in place…
The box specially made to contain the instrument hid a false bottom. Many holes had been drilled inside to hold bullets.
Sheet music for dance music was with the instrument as well as a handwritten notebook, in the name of Frejos, containing a plan of the accordion, French exercises, accounts and pornographic stories…
Found in Lyon, research has been undertaken on the Resistance movements during the Second World War, particularly around the famous M.O.I. (immigrant labor) but no relevant information has been discovered so far…
