Recently, a patron in Pennsylvania contacted the Newberry asking for information about her grandfather's antique accordion. The accordion bears a tag stating that it was manufactured in Chicago by Dom. Pontarelli of the Italian Accordion Manufacturing Company.  No date is included. 

Newberry librarian Autumn Mather used several tools available on ChicagoAncestors.org (http://chicagoancestors.org/#tab-tools), including city directory listings, street guides, and the street renaming guide, to help determine that the accordion must predate 1918 and likely predates 1909.  Using this information, the patron has now posted the accordion up for sale on Craigslist.  The deductive process Autumn used, as well as some interesting photos of the accordion, are included in the Craigslist listing, available here.

If anyone has or knows of a good home for the accordion, or has further information about Dom. Pontarelli or the Italian Accordion Manufacturing Company, please contact the patron/seller at: sale-zsdyn-1594446110@craigslist.org