Accordion

Accordion, engraved, 'Toscano Bros Representatives'. 1925 This ornate accordion was made in Italy and belonged to Carlo Mario Cesare Romiti. Known to his family as Cris, he was a talented musician from an Italian migrant family who settled in Liverpool’s ‘Little Italy’, a thriving community centred around Gerard Street. The accordion’s unique double button design, without a keyboard was designed to Cris’ exacting specifications. Cris and his wife’s cousin George Bell formed the musical duo the Toscano Brothers. Performing under the names of Cesare and Georgio they toured music halls in the 1920s. Wearing red velvet coats they performed lively accordion pieces and were featured in The Stage magazine in 1929 as part of The Speed Show Tour. Their music brought joy and reflected their Italian heritage. The accordion case holds memories of their career, including handwritten scores, a music stand, and sheet music from Liverpool and New York.