This accordions is very interesting for many reasons. The story tells us that the instrument was commissioned by Jaakko Luoma (“Jak Luoma” bass in the bellows frame), living in the United States in the 1890s. Jaakko’s last wish for his wife was to take the instrument to Finland. However, the first owner of the instrument is probably Valentino Cazzola, not Jaakko Luoma, as Cazzola’s name is engraved on the metal part of the diskant side. The “Jak Luoma” text is clearly a decoration added to the accordion afterwards. In addition, the accordion has clear signs of a sixth row. Putting the owners name on the accordion was still in fashion in the 1940s.
Despite the story, the instrument was made only around 1910 in New York. The matter is confirmed directly from the manufacturer.
The history of Iorio instruments begins in 1872 in Italy, where the founding members of Iorio Accordions made church organ. They began building accordions in 1898 and eventually they moved to the United States in 1907. The new factory was called Iorio Accordion Co. At work were Fran and Augusto Iorio, Alex De Lisi, Candido iorio and Biagio Quattrochioche. The company also had sales of other instruments, and later on Augusto’s boy Vandido was also helping. They lived in Jamaica, New York. In 1959, accorgan, an accordion electricorgan, was introduced by the Iorio factory. Iorio Accorgans were built in Castelfidardo from 1964 to 1977.
Tauno Ylönen, founder of the Collection of the Finnish Accordion Museum, acquired the accordion in the picture in 2001. The instrument had to be put in good shape at the time, but it was stolen and was lost for several years until the fall of 2007 it was returned to Ikaalinen. I’ve put this instrument ready for the museum display. The bass keys were painted red and the keyboard board was painted white. As you can see from the picture, the former appearance was restored back to visible. The instrument is out of shape.
The second thing that makes this instrument very interesting is that it is very advanced technology in its time: it has four sets of reeds, two of which are in the cassotto chamber and the valves are in three rows. The key system is a variant of the c-system, i.e. the so-called finnish keyboard. The sound range is es-a³. The instrument has been repaired at home, from which some traces are visible on the insides and on the outside. It is very difficult to say that whether the key system has been the same from the beginning. It’s possible, but the accordion was once completely renovated, so there’s no guarantee.
The bass is with five sets of reeds and keyboard is 3+3, i.e. the accordion has three basic basses (minor change) and three cord rows (M, m .7). The treble and bass keyboards are staggered and the outside of the treble handle has a registry switch (16′-cassotto sound). The instrument has been ahead of development for 30–50 years, as the steps on melody side was not taken widely in use until the 1930s and the cassotto chamber rose to popularity in the 1950s.
Outside the accordion stands “A. Iorio & Figli NY”, which is Italian and means “A. Iorio and boys NY” in English. In each reed block, the manufacturer is indicated with an address.