Barrel Organ
about 1810 (Made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Barrel organs were fitted with organ pipes and bellows, and wound with a crank-handle, which rotated a wooden cylinder or 'barrel' and pumped air as well as controlling its supply to the individual pipes. This process enabled different tunes to be played, and this example contains one barrel, which plays 10 tunes. Barrel organs provided dance music and also hymns for services in domestic chapels.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
|
| Materials and techniques | Joined, planed and varnished mahogany case; gilded pipes |
| Brief description | Barrel organ, English, ca. 1810 |
| Physical description | "Miniature Barrel Organ of Mahogany. It is of rectangular form. The front has in the centre two pointed and curved arches outlined by applied mouldings, each containing five imitation pipes of gilt wood. On either side are narrow panels formed of moulded and filleted members. The base, also moulded, stands on four turned feet. Within is a barrel playing ten tunes, the names of which are inscribed on a piece of paper below the lid" - Registered Description, Victoria & Albert Museum, 29th November 1932. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | 1. La Carnaval de Venice
2. La Pantalon
3. La Poule
4. Isle of France
5. La Pasame
6. Vulcan's Cave
7. Polacre
8. Tyrolese Waltz
9. Miss Gayton
10. Danish Waltz (List of ten tunes written on a piece of paper on the inside of the lid of the barrel organ.) |
| Credit line | Given to the Museum by Mr and Mrs F.W.Crewdson. |
| Object history | This barrel organ was given to the museum by Mr and Mrs F.W.Crewdson in 1932. |
| Summary | Barrel organs were fitted with organ pipes and bellows, and wound with a crank-handle, which rotated a wooden cylinder or 'barrel' and pumped air as well as controlling its supply to the individual pipes. This process enabled different tunes to be played, and this example contains one barrel, which plays 10 tunes. Barrel organs provided dance music and also hymns for services in domestic chapels. |
| Bibliographic reference | Raymond Russell: Victoria and Albert Museum Catalogue of Musical Instruments. Volume I. Keyboard Instruments. (London, 1968), p. 70. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | W.39:1-1932 |
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| Record created | June 24, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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