A Mustel harmonium has been found in a chapel in the UK. It's in fully working condition, but with a bit of woodworm. Here are the photos - including a dessicated rat !
Click the photos for enlargements.
Many thanks to David for sharing these, and braving the rat !
This fabulous beastie is a Melophone.
Click on the pictures for enlargements.
What is it ? It's a cross between a guitar and a harmonium.
Each button on the 'fretboard' is linked to a reed inside the body of the instrument. The wind is
supplied by a double action bellows concealed within the instrument and
actuated by a piston working through the lower end of the case.
It was invented by Leclèrc in Paris 1837 who seems to have been a clockmaker.
There can't be too many examples around; there's one at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston (although I don't remember seeing it there) with 104 'keys' and another one at the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney, Australia with 84 'keys'. The one above also has 84 keys.
The one in Australia was made by Brown & Cleric, indicating that there may have been more than one company that made these.
This particular example is for sale soon, priced at $6500 US. Here are the full details.
A rare and all original French Melophone from the mid 19 century in astonishing condition. Birdseye maple body and the sides of the cover, spruce top of the cover decorated flower ornaments in ink. A complete restoration had been performed some years ago to make it fully playable, but it is not guaranteed that everything still works after changing hand a couple of times. The whole mechanism is very complicated, brass keywork seems to be in tune and every note works. I have never seen one in this great condition and I think there is hardly anybody around who knows how to restore a melophone. It was propably made for some important person since there is an original coin plaque of the French general attached to it, reading: Henri de Lorraine, Comte de Harcourt, Grande Escuier (Ecuyer) de France. 8 chromatic Bass reeds 9 chromatic Tenor reeds 13 chromatic Alto reeds 13 chromatic Soprano reeds 12 chromatic Sopranino reeds 84 Ivory roller buttons - total length without airbellhadle 29 inches - length of the body 19 3/4 inches - upper bout 9 3/4 inches - lower bout 11 1/2 inches - middle bout 8 5/8 inches - body depth 4 3/8 inches - body depth including cover 7 1/4 inches.
Link: Melophone for sale
This nice lap organ by Daniel B. Bartlett recently appeared on Ebay. It needs a bit of restoration to the bellows and the case needs a bit of work but other than that it's a decent example of an instrument that dates from the 1840s. It sold for US $315 (£155). I think these instruments may actually be called 'Seraphines', but I'm not sure. Let me know if I'm wrong.
I don't think I've ever featured a harmonium with foot pedals on Squeezytunes. This is probably because there don't seem to be many around.
This is a nice example though. I'm not quite sure how you were meant to be able to pump the bellows at the same time as playing the pedalboard. Perhaps these always had electric blowers ? If you know the answer then please leave a comment.
Also, I'm trying a new way of posting to Squeezytunes - using the ScribeFire FireFox extension. Fingers crossed that it comes out ok.
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