I realize the board hasn't exactly been that active lately, but I just thought I'd let people on here know that there is a "Sterling" for sale on ebay. I use the quotations because it's not an all original one and about 70% of the parts are actually new (faceplate, reed blocks, fingerboard, bass box, corners, stops, and possibly the frames). The 90% of the reeds, all of the flapper arms, and possibly one of the stops look to be off of an original Sterling.

John

Funny how your post got 30 views, but no comments. Why so hush hush everybody? Are yall greedely rubbing your hands together thinking about a last minute bid? LOL

It looks original enough to me..right down to having been owned by "Purvis Clement" an elderly now deceased Cajun musician. Looks about the right condition and age to have belonged to him. The question is that base side strap hardly looks stretched out enough to fit a hand in there. And its located in Kentucky?

Gotta watch out for them Sterlings people. There was a time when the original reeds got removed secretly by dishonest accordion builders when the Sterlings were bought in to be retuned or looked at after an interested family member wanted to learn about the Sterling to see just what they had after the old master passed away. Better have a look inside!

"Funny how your post got 30 views, but no comments. Why so hush hush everybody?...The Guy"
I tried looking for it on ebay when this thread started and couldn't find the listing. I found it this evening. I was just viewing the pictures of the ebay sterling and looking closely at the graphics on the treble board. They look suspicious to me. Compare the name Sterling and the corner "swirllies" with pictures of other sterlings. The ebay one looks different. I have a Globe gold medal accordion from the same era and made at the same factory. I got it out and looked at the graphics. On mine, they are embossed into the wood, the ones on the ebay sterling look like they are just painted on. Also the lines are thinner than mine are. The one pictures also had non original bellows and locks, but the flappers and rods and keyboard look original.

The faceplate and reedblocks were built by Elton "Balloon" Quibodeaux, also known for having built Teche brand accordions. Elton did this to a handful of Sterlings, Monarchs, and Eagle Brands. I know that because I own the one Balloon built for Reggie Matte. Reggie told me that the main reason Elton did this for a few people was because he was convinced that by putting in a new set of maple reed blocks and replacing the original one piece faceplate with a plywood one it would make the accordion more air tight and responsive.

What's really interesting to me is that the bass box, fingerboard, and corners were made by Marc Savoy. The flapper rods are original to a Sterling/Monarch and about 90% of the reeds inside are blue steel and probably belonged to the same Sterling the that the rods came off of.

I'm not trying to detract from the history of the box. I don't doubt at all that it was indeed owned by Purvis, I'm just trying to let people know that it's not an actual all original Sterling.

John

Elton Quibodeaux?!!!! That was the same man that introduced me to Louisiana Made Accordions with Hohner reeds in them. Match made in heaven. You could say I knew him pretty well. Good Man. Deceased now.