Duaine Hechler said, "I was watching a Spencer Tracy movie called
"Captains Courageous" (1937) and saw a violin looking hurdy-gurdy.
... Any ideas on pictures or more info?"

A hurdy-gurdy is sort of a weird violin.  It uses a revolving disk
instead of a bow, it has drone cords, and has buttons to finger notes.
It is a distant relative of the Violano, but otherwise is as separate
from mechanical as a reed or pipe organ is.

You can find a lot of information on hurdy-gurdy through Google.
A good starting site is http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurdy_gurdy

It is interesting to watch someone play one.

Wallace Venable