Bird Organ
about 1770 (Made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The case of this bird organ was made by Leonard Boudin (1735-1804) of Paris, a specialist in floral marquetry. Bird organs were used to teach caged birds to sing different tunes. The user would wind a handle, which pumped the bellows in a wind-box and simultaneously rotated a cylinder, used to control the air-supply to individual organ-pipes and thus produce different tunes. Different types of bird organ were used in France. This example is a serinette, which copied the sound of finches. Others included a merline, which copied blackbirds and a turlutaine, which copied curlews.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Walnut and possibly poplar, veneered with sycamore inlaid with walnut, sycamore (partly stained with various pigments), partly engraved, the engraving filled with red and black pigments, pearwood, boxwood and purplewood; musical instrument of turned wood (unidentified) painted black, brass and leather, steel springs; gilt brass mounts, steel key. |
| Brief description | Bird organ or serinette, beechwood case with marquetry decoration, Leonard Boudin, Paris, French, about 1770. |
| Physical description | Case of walnut and possibly poplar, veneered with sycamore inlaid with walnut, sycamore (partly stained with various pigments), partly engraved, the engraving filled with red and black pigments, pearwood, boxwood and purplewood; musical instrument of turned wood (unidentified) painted black, brass and leather, steel springs; gilt brass mounts, steel key. Stamped L*BOUDIN and JME on the front rail of the bottom |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | Boudin (Stamped on the base. Initial uncertain but most likely Leonard Boudin.) |
| Gallery label |
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| Object history | The Museum bought this object from a certain Mr Whitehead in 1868 for £50. |
| Summary | The case of this bird organ was made by Leonard Boudin (1735-1804) of Paris, a specialist in floral marquetry. Bird organs were used to teach caged birds to sing different tunes. The user would wind a handle, which pumped the bellows in a wind-box and simultaneously rotated a cylinder, used to control the air-supply to individual organ-pipes and thus produce different tunes. Different types of bird organ were used in France. This example is a serinette, which copied the sound of finches. Others included a merline, which copied blackbirds and a turlutaine, which copied curlews. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | 629-1868 |
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| Record created | May 16, 2001 |
| Record URL |
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