I read (as usual) with much interest the article by Robbie about the
various names of the portable mechanical organ, according to the
countries.  There would be much to say about the French expression
"orgue de Barbarie", but I am afraid I have very little time to-day
to comment...

The 1997 French article mentioned by Robbie seems to me a bit
approximate, as an harmonium is not a small organ, nor an "organ in
miniature", but a different instrument in itself: some harmoniums
with two manuals and a Pedal division are much bigger than some
classical "organs" !

As for "Barbarie", it is true that North Africa was sometimes called
"Barbarie", but in the 17th and 18th centuries, when the expression
"orgue de Barbarie" first appeared (apparently ca. 1700), Barbarie
meant only "foreign", without the pejorative connotation it took in
the 19th century.

A period engraving (ca. 1760) shows a "joueur d'orgue de Barbarie ou
plutot d'Allemagne", [player of the organ from Barbary or instead
from Germany"] as it was thought then that the instrument was invented
either in Italy or in Germany.

There are many other interpretations for that expression "orgue de
Barbarie", but sorry, that's all for my to-day's contribution !

Best regards,

Philippe Rouille (Paris, France)
http://www.cnam.fr/museum/musica_mecanica/

 [ Thanks for writing, Philippe.  I am now receiving replies on this
 [ topic from the organ grinders of the French forum "musiquemecanique"
 [ (including a little humor about a "Duck of Barbary"!).  I will
 [ write a summary soon.  Best wishes for a nice auction at the
 [ Chartres Galerie on Sunday 20 May!  -- Robbie