Civil War Era Organ/Melodeon.
"Cabinet (flat top) Reed Organ", made by The "S.
D.
& H.
W.
Smith Organ Company" of Boston, in 1862.
Has a "metal tag with the number 4571", and several locations where that same number is embossed in the wood.
Has several locations where "Patent July 3, 1860" is embossed.
It's oak, has 54 keys (32 white and 22 black), and is 36 1/2" L by 21"D by 34 1/2" T.
Is in rather good shape for it's age.
All mechanical functions seem to work.
The left side of the keyboard produces individual note sounds.
The right side of the keyboard produces a general music tone that the individual keys do not seem to change.
I'm guessing it needs restoration of the keyboard/reed assembly and bellows.
The cabinet is solid, some minor scratches, no apparent repairs, but is missing some of the edging trim on the top folding cover pieces.
The cabinet looks very much like that of a French harmonium, including the wide pedals, but this is clearly a suction-type (American) reed organ.
The inverted arrangement of
the bellows, with the exhausters horizontal above the reservoir and being pushed up by the large wooden linkage attached to the pedals, is unique.
Suspect it may be a transitional instrument; something of a cross between the traditional lyre-legged or heavier four-legged melodeon and the emerging cabinet reed organ with vertical bellows.
WAS $450.
00 NOW $400.
Pick up in Mays Landing, NJ 08330
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