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Serinette

early 19th century
Not on view
This small mechanical instrument has a hand crank that when operated pumps a bellows and turns a pinned barrel that activates windpipes to play a tune. Known as a serinette, such instruments were typically used to teach songs to birds.


Technical description: rectangular wood case enclosing barrel organ mechanism operated by turning crank extending from right side of front; wood barrel pinned with brass staples (8 tunes); 10 metal flue pipes; wedge-shaped bellows at front of case, mounted below wedge-shaped reservoir; pipes (at rear of case) sounded by stickers pressed down by levers above the barrel, in turn pressing valves in small windchest below pipes.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Serinette
  • Date: early 19th century
  • Geography: France
  • Culture: French
  • Medium: Wood, metal
  • Dimensions: L. (along sides): 19.9. cm ( 7-7/8 in.); W. (across front): 26.1 cm (10-3/8 in.); H. (incl. lid): 15 cm (6 in.)
  • Classification: Aerophone-Automatic
  • Credit Line: Gift of Walter S. Poor, 1944
  • Object Number: 44.127
  • Curatorial Department: Musical Instruments
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