Barrel Organ thumbnail 1
Barrel Organ thumbnail 2
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Not currently on display at the V&A

Barrel Organ

1815 - 1820 (Made)
Artist/Maker
Flight, Benjamin (Made)
Robson, Joseph (made)
Place of origin
London (Made)

This minature barrel organ was made by Benjamin Flight and Joseph Robson, who formed a partnership in about 1800 and styled themselves as 'Organ Builders to the Prince Regent'. They were most famous for their Apollonicon, a large organ displayed at their showroom in St Martins' Lane, London, which they claimed could reproduce the sounds of an entire orchestra. One of the tunes listed on the inside of the lid of this minitaure barrel organ was The Waterloo Dance, which suggests that it was made soon after the famous battle of 1815.


Object details

Category
Musical Instruments
Object type
Barrel organ
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Barrel Organ
  • Key for Barrel Organ
Materials and techniques
joined and varnished mahogany, brass feet, gilt dummy pipes
Mahogany
Gold Leaf
Brass
Cloth
Gilding
Varnishing
Joining
Brief description
Barrel organ, solid mahogany case, Flight & Robson, London, 1815-1820.
Physical description
Rectangular mahogany case, with mahogany lid at the top and brass crank handle at front on the right-hand side. The case stands on brass claw and ball feet. Seven dummy organ pipes placed in a diamond shaped frame on red cloth backing, set in the door of the instrument.
Dimensions
  • Length: 29.2cm
  • Width: 17.2cm
  • Height: 29.2cm
Measurement in inches in departmental catalogue
Marks and inscriptions
  • Flight and Robson, organ builders to the Prince Regent. 101 St Martin's Lane, London (Printed on the barrel of the organ.)
  • No. 1 1. Bath Waltz 2. Copenhagen Waltz 3. Miller and his Men 4. The Alexander 5. Paddy Carry 6. Sociable 7. La Belle Brunette 8. Calder Fair No. 2 1. Saxon Dance 2. Sicilian Dance 3. Dolce Marta 4. Barosse 5. John of Paris 6. Harlequin Whittington 7. Hornpipe 8. Lord St. Orville No. 3 1. La Clara 2. La Honorina 3. Trip to Brussels 4. Forest of Bondy 5. The Farmer's Wife 6. For England Ho 7. Miss Johnson 8. Waterloo Dance (Written on a piece of paper on the inside of the upper lid.)
Credit line
Purchase made possible through the gift of an anonymous benefactor.
Summary
This minature barrel organ was made by Benjamin Flight and Joseph Robson, who formed a partnership in about 1800 and styled themselves as 'Organ Builders to the Prince Regent'. They were most famous for their Apollonicon, a large organ displayed at their showroom in St Martins' Lane, London, which they claimed could reproduce the sounds of an entire orchestra. One of the tunes listed on the inside of the lid of this minitaure barrel organ was The Waterloo Dance, which suggests that it was made soon after the famous battle of 1815.
Collection
Furniture and Woodwork Collection
Accession number
W.43:1&:2-1975

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Record createdNovember 4, 2008
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O171546/barrel-organ-flight-benjamin/
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