MANUFACTURER BACKGROUND
Walter Kadlubowski Jr. was once the owner of Star Concertina Manufacturing Company. After selling the business, he built four new concertinas (1977 – 1980) from a small shop located in his home. He called the new brand, Eagle Concertina, and displayed engraved Polish Eagles prominently on the front of the instruments. Walter quickly sold the four instruments and soon had orders for four more. Eagle Concertina was off to a good start!
While Walter was showing the new Eagle Concertina to a group of musicians at a concertina music festival in Union, Michigan, a young man named Rich Raclawski (photo above) asked Walter to please teach him how to build concertinas. About a year later, Walter got in contact with Rich, and in 1988 Walter Jr. and Rich Raclawski began working together to build the Eagle Concertina and to perform repair and restoration work on all makes of chemnitzer concertinas.
In November 1992, Walter H. Kadlubowski Jr. passed away. He was a master builder and concertina technician who unselfishly gave his time and talent so that the concertina would live for another generation to enjoy. Rich Raclawski continues the tradition of building new Eagle Concertinas, one at a time, as well as repairing and restoring vintage concertinas.
For more information on Eagle Concertina, please visit the official Eagle Concertina website.
Serial Numbers and Manufacture Dates
The following table provides the approximate year of manufacture for instruments with a serial number that falls within the range shown. Data is from Eagle Concertina records and visitor-supplied information. Date ranges will be adjusted to be more precise if and when additional data is obtained.
Serial Number : Manufacture Year
1 : 1977
2 : 1977
3 : 1979
4 : 1980
88-5 : 1988
89-6 : 1989
89-7-1 : 1989
90-8 : 1990
90-9 : 1990
91-10-2 : 1991
94113R : 1994
06124R : 2006
13135R : 2013
15146R : 2015
NEED MORE INFORMATION?
Additional information can be found by using the Frequently Asked Questions feature. Please see the Glossary of Terms feature for simple definitions for many chemnitzer concertina related terms. If you have other concertina related questions, please visit the community supported Facebook Group.