The Dargaville Museum (New Zealand) presents...
'Accordion Gems' by Kevin Friedrich
...A Master Collection of Accordions through Time...

Aratapu Library Purchased - June 2006
Dedication of the Accordion Gems Display - 3 December 2006
Aratapu Library relocated to Harding Park - January 2007
Grand Opening of New Music Wing at the Dargaville Museum - 21 October 2007 at 1:00 PM
Launching of Accordion Gems Exhibit in Display Cabinets - 29 March 2009

Supporting Accordion Gems

Anyone wishing make a donation to the 'Accordion Gems' exhibition at the Dargaville Museum is invited to contact Kevin to arrange details, shipping reimbursement or to request further information.

The museum display offers a great opportunity to house instruments and related accordion items in a beautiful facility, where they will be cared for and admired by the public. Your name will be listed as a donor as well as any information about the instrument that you would like to provide. Instruments may include any model or vintage, as they all pertain to the gradual evolution of the accordion. We invite you to consider supporting the accordion exhibition at the Dargaville Museum in any of the following ways:

  • 'Accordion Gems' Instrument Donation
    Your instrument(s) will be housed in a beautiful glass display case for the world to see with credit to the donor and/or donor's family.
  • 'Accordion Gems' Instrument Sponsor - 'Adopt a Gem!'
    Accordion Gems is searching for specific instruments to compliment this important display. We invite you to consider sponsoring the purchase of an important accordion not currently included in the collection. This will serve as a valuable and long lasting contribution to this one of a kind exhibition preserving this unique and beautiful instrument that has brought happiness to millions.
  • 'Accordion Gems' Accordion Related Item Donation
    Supporting items include manuscripts, recordings, publications and other accordion related items which help add interest and information to the instrument displays.
  • 'Accordion Gems' Financial Supporter
    Donations are always welcome to help support efforts to restore the instruments to top playing order and the securing and shipping of additional rare instruments.
  • 'Accordion Gems' Assistant
    We can always use assistance and expertise in in helping find additional instruments, repairing the current instruments and helping research the history of the current instruments on display.
Accordion Gems Wish List

The recently established Accordion Museum exhibit... 'Accordion Gems - A Master Collection of Accordions Through Time' is still searching for some additional instruments to compliment the existing collection.
 
Housed in New Zealand, and the only accordion specific exhibition in the Southern Hemisphere, the instruments will be proudly displayed in the new wing of the Dargaville Museum, New Zealand which opened on October 21, 2007.
 
Currently featuring more than 140 representatives of the accordion family dating back to the early 1800's, the collection is still looking for some specific examples of members of the accordion family including:

  • Tanzbar (or Sonatina or similar) metal disc playing instrument - found
  • Tanzbar Concertina shaped roll playing instrument - 16 keys - found
  • Meinel & Herold (c 1910) 'Symphonetta' - found
  • Diatonic style accordion mounted with a sound horn - found

Any leads that might help secure examples of these instruments, or others that might be of historical interest would be greatly appreciated.
 
For all information regarding support of the 'Accordion Gems' exhibition at the Dargaville Museum, please contact:
 
Kevin Friedrich
P.O. Box 150393
Kew Gardens, NY 11415-0393
USA

 
Examples of instruments still desired for the Accordion Gems exhibition:

TANZBAR (or Sonatina or similar)
metal disc playing instrument

found
TANZBAR Concertina shaped
roll playing instrument - 16 keys

found
Meinel & Herold c 1910 'Symphonetta' two halves of an accordion attached side by side to separate bellows mounted onto a table
found

Diatonic style accordion
mounted with a sound horn
found


Contact for the Accordion Gems Exhibition: Kevin Friedrich
 Copyright© 2012 Accordions Worldwide. All rights reserved.