Reed Organ (Physharmonika)
The physharmonica is a small version of the melodican and harmonium. Designed in Vienna in 1821 by Anton Haeckle, the physharmonica stood in many parlors by the end of the nineteenth century. Alexander-François Debain was a French builder of reed keyboard instruments including harmoniums, accordions, and smaller reed organs like this Physharmonica.
Technical description: Small rectangular mahogany chest with short ivory and ebony f-f3 keyboard on top, single-fold wedge bellows on back, single-fold wedge reservoir on front, 5 stops over keyboard marked on brass plaques (L or R): crescendo; tremolo (missing); celeste; forte fixe; bellows pumped by wide trapezoidal fabric-covered pedal mounted between 2 front legs of iron tripod base with turned and fluted wood central column, base attached to chest by 2 bolts with floral heads
Technical description: Small rectangular mahogany chest with short ivory and ebony f-f3 keyboard on top, single-fold wedge bellows on back, single-fold wedge reservoir on front, 5 stops over keyboard marked on brass plaques (L or R): crescendo; tremolo (missing); celeste; forte fixe; bellows pumped by wide trapezoidal fabric-covered pedal mounted between 2 front legs of iron tripod base with turned and fluted wood central column, base attached to chest by 2 bolts with floral heads
Artwork Details
- Title: Reed Organ (Physharmonika)
- Maker: Alexander-François Debain (French, Paris, 1809–1877 Paris)
- Date: early 19th century
- Geography: Paris, France
- Culture: French
- Medium: Wood, metal
- Dimensions: Width of chest: 56 cm (22-1/8 in.)
Height of chest: 17.6 cm (7 in.)
Depth of chest: 11 cm (4-3/8 in.) - Classification: Aerophone-Free Reed-harmonium
- Credit Line: Gift of Claire Vanderplank Samstag, 1986
- Object Number: 1986.101
- Curatorial Department: Musical Instruments
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Alexander-François Debain
ca. 1860
Alexandre Pere & Fils
1850–55
Courtois frères
1833
Claude Laurent
1813
Triebert
1870–75
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