This small accordion, or ‘squeezebox’, belonged to Wilhelm Reuter’s grandson, Wilhelm (Willi) Richter. It was manufactured between 1887 and 1900. The fact that Willi played the accordion might indicate that the accordion was the unnamed instrument played by his grandfather, Wilhelm Reuter. The button accordion was invented in Germany in 1822 and was in widespread use by the 1840s when Wilhelm came to Texas.

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