France
‘No Name’

Metal, wood, cardboard
ca.  1845-1850’s
Length: 12.25 in; Width: 4.5 in; Height when closed: 5 in
Wind Instruments – Free Reeds

This flutina is a French precursor of the modern-day diatonic button accordion that is based on the free reed system, and it dates circa 1845-50.   It is made of rosewood inlay with a design in a lighter wood of leaves and birds on each of the four sides.  The keys are made of mother-of-pearl and are configured to have the tonic of the scale, on the ‘draw’ of the bellows, with a pair of basses on the left, generally those of tonic and dominant. They are operated by the interpreter’s right hand, while the left hand operates an air valve (silent except for the rush of air).

Since French Jesuit Jean Joseph Marie Amiot (1718-1793), who lived in Qin-Era China, introduced the sheng, a free-reed aerophone from China to Europe in 1777, organ manufacturers began to investigate the possibilities of his system. There were several steps that were followed over time to reach the instrument that would serve as the embryo of our current accordions, including this flutina from France.