Book Harmonium
Lepuye French
Not on view
A book organ (or bible regal) was a popular type of small pipe organ that when folded up took the shape of a large book. This instrument takes that much older idea and updates it with a free reed harmonium in the 19th century.
Technical description: Dark-stained oak case in form of a rectangular book, cover, fastened by 2 metal hooks and eyes, hinges up to reveal a folding (see attached card) music rack and keyboard (bone naturals, ebony accidentals) at front of compartment, behind this a hand-pumped 3-fold feeder bellows at left and similar reservoir at right, both with oak tops and covered with embossed paper with leather corner reinforcements; feeder secured by metal hook when closed; below keyboard and bellows, a windchest sealed by a leather gasket, with conduit at right rear, contains 42 brass free reeds riveted to brass mounts, the mounts fastened in place by 2 screws; solfége syllables stamped on exposed side of mounts and non-consecutive numbers stamped on opposite side; (see attached card) keys, set on balance pins and front pins, terminate at rear with perpendicular downward stems that hold leather-faced blocks serving as valves over channels above reeds; compass C-f2.
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