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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
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Accordions
New Zealand Bound |
After collecting
instruments my entire life, I had accumulated dozens and dozens
of accordions during the course of my travels and friendships
made within the accordion world. I had instruments stored in boxes,
basements, attics and storage facilities all over the place, so
one day decided it was time to begin work on finding a home where
they could be proudly displayed.
Even though I have resided in the USA most of my life, I always
remained passionate about my home town, so I approached the Dargaville
Museum to see if the might be interested in housing the instruments
in their current Collections Hall. After several discussions and
meetings, we established that there was a definite interest in
the collection, and we would examine further the appropriate means
with which we could display them.
On my next visit to New Zealand, exciting developments had taken
place. Museum Manager Pene McKenzie proudly announced that due
to a wonderful turn of events, my dream of a Music exhibition
was going to become a reality, and that the Museum had acquired
the Aratapu Library, and it would be used to house my accordion
collection and musical heritage of the area. This was all the
confirmation I needed, and while the Museum was beginning their
several year project of relocating the Aratapu Library to the
Museum and subsequent restoration, I began the arduous task of
shipping some 100 instruments back to New Zealand.
One by one, the instruments were gathered from their various storage
places in the USA and Europe, packed and then shipped by sea and
air to New Zealand. As the instruments began arriving at my Mother's
house near Dargaville, the Rural delivery mail person became quite
acquainted with the project as box after box after box began arriving
from their long journeys from the northern hemisphere. |
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Above:
Box after box of instruments stacked to the ceiling as
the instruments arrived in Dargaville
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Above
left and below: Whiskey was most interested in the proceedings
and loved to sleep among the instruments
Above right: Some of the instruments as they were unpacked
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Above:
The instruments as they were unpacked
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Above
left: at the Kravatti instrument at the "Accordion
House" in Ikaalinen at the
beginning of the long journey down-under to New Zealand.
Above right: in London at the house of Raymond and Anna
Bodell
Note: While some instruments were shipped
back to New Zealand, others were hand carried, such as
this Kravatti instrument from Finland. The instrument
was hand carried from Ikaalinen to Helsinki, London, Paris,
New York, Los Angeles and Tahiti before arriving in New
Zealand.
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Above
left: in La Salle sur le Bied near Paris at the house
of Frederic Deschamps
Above right: in Papeete, Tahiti
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Kravatti
finally being welcomed to her new home at the Dargaville
Museum
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| Destination
- Dargaville Museum |
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After months of shipping and transporting,
all the instruments arrived safely via sea and air to the rural
community of Dargaville, New Zealand, where they were transported
to their new home, the Dargaville Museum.
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2012 Accordions Worldwide. All rights reserved.
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