In answer to Christian Greinacher [980417 MMDigest] about Serinette
and items.

> I have six of the very early (around 1800) mechanical music instru-
> ments in my collection which I would like to know more precisely when
> they were made.  Three of them have a signature.  Could anybody tell
> me from these signatures when the instrument makers lived or operated
> their workshop?
>
> 1. Instrument: Type "Serinette"
> Signature: HUSSON - JACOTEL / Facteur d'Orgues et de Serinettes /
> A Chatenois / par Neufchateau / departement des Vosges.

1a. Instrument type: Serinette (one stop with 10 tin pipes, barrel
diameter ca. 69 mm, length ca. 173 mm).  This serinette was made by
Husson-Jacotel, a very well known Serinette- and organ-maker.  Pierre
Francis Husson, married with a daughter of Auguste Jacotel. 1790-1840

1b. Instrument type: Merline (2 stops with 10 tin pipes each, one open
and one closed, diameter ca. 70 mm, length ca. 218 mm)

> 2. Instrument: Type "Perroquette"
> Signature: Francois Goery Dumont / Facteur d'orgues et de Serinettes /
> a Mirecourt, No. 36.

2. Instrument type: Perroquette (3 stops with 10 tin pipes each, 2 open
and 1 closed, diameter ca. 71 mm, length ca. 266 mm) was made by
Francois, Goery Dumont, serinette and organ maker in Mirecourt
1767-1834.  The wood barrel for Merline, Perroquette or chamber organs
have 2 possibilities to play:

  (1) 10 short tunes: with 10 parallel scores on the axle, each score
was made for one tune

  (2) 1 long tune: with only one helicoid score

The word "Turlutaine" shows the 3 sorts of little bird-organs
(serinette, merline, perroquette)  made in Mirecourt.

Bibliography:

  The Bird Fancyer's Delight, London, 1777, last issue London 1954

  Hervieux de Chanteloup, "Neuer Tractat von denen Canarien Voegeln",
Leipzig 1712, 3e. issue 1718.  (Hervieux de Chanteloup was the governor
of the Canaries birds of the princess of Conde in Paris.)  XVIII century.


> 3. Instrument: Type "Orgue de Salon"
> Signature: Lichon, Facteur de Serinettes / Mirecourt.

3. instrument type chamber organ (orgue de salon).  The name was Pichon
and not Lichon.  He was serinette- and organ-maker in Mirecourt
1778-1843.  He was also known as a musician.

> I hope that a MMD member from France, specialized on Serinettes, will
> read this query.
>
> Christian Greinacher


If you have any other questions, please E-mail !

Francoise Dussour
Mirecourt Organs (France)
fdussour@club-internet.fr