Seraphine

Unknown

ca. 1840 · Wood and various materials · Musical Instruments

The seraphine is a type of small free-standing reed organ, not unlike the European physharmonika. Technical description: Rectangular rosewood veneer case with hinged lid, standing on 2 pairs of folding legs, with 2 pedals on crossbar between legs, the left pedal operating a diagonally-closing swell shutter located beneath the pallet board, the right pumping the bellows; keyboard with ivory naturals, ebony accidentals, compass C-c3; brass free reeds beneath keyboard, each reed stamped with its pitch name; rectangular air reservoir behind keyboard assembly, and beneath this a wedge-shaped leather bellows; reeds blown rather than operated by suction.

Artist

Unknown

Date

ca. 1840

Medium

Wood and various materials

Culture

American

Department

Musical Instruments

Credit line

The Crosby Brown Collection of Musical Instruments, 1889