(990216 MMDigest)
-- forwarded message, please reply to sender and MMD --
From: remeyer@ozemail.com.au (Ralph Meyer)(fwd)
A couple
of years ago I acquired this home made (?) "serinette" type 4-tune barrel
organ. The auction catalogue assured me that it was circa 1850, and
on advice I paid a leg and an arm for it.
It appears that the housing came first, and that the mechanism was built into it. The outside box dimensions are 360(L) x 223(D) x 220(H) mm. The pinned barrel is about 240 mm long, and has 22 notes.
As shown on the illustrations, the mechanism, bellows, etc. are quite crudely constructed. Nevertheless the resultant sound -- all things considered -- is quite good.
There is nothing to further identify this very charming piece and I'm hoping that somebody out there much more knowledgeable than I am can throw some light on the history of this item.
Ralph Meyer
remeyer@ozemail.com.au
16 Feb 1999 22:40 -0800