Portable Reed Organ
Not on view
A reed organ is a keyboard free reed instrument. To produce sound, it uses vibrating metal tongues, like those found in other free reed instruments such as harmonicas, accordions, and concertinas. To activate the reed, air is forced over the metal tongue allowing it to vibrate freely and create sound.
Technical description: small rectangular mahogany box with leather shoulder strap (broken) screwed over one long narrow side (top); below strap, beneath a hinged cover, a 29-note keyboard (compass f - a2) with white celluloid naturals, dark-stained curved accidentals; below the keyboard, a reed board mounted on edge, holding two parallel rows of steel free reeds in brass holders; in front of the reed board and hinged to the bottom of the box, a single-fold wedge-shaped reservoir which forms one side of the box; a similar bellows, pumped by the left hand, forms the opposite side; between bellows and back of reed board are the pallet valves, attached to brass rods fastened directly to the key tails and returned by wire springs; access to the pallets is gained by removing two screws flanking the reeds and pushing back the bellows; a row of intake holes perforates the box bottom opposite the keyboard.
