Tickets
English
DonateMembershipTickets

Rocking Melodeon

Caleb Packard American
ca. 1843
Not on view
The "rocking" melodeon or organ received this moniker because it had to be pumped up and down (the keyboard therefore rocking) in order to pump the bellows to sound the reeds.

Technical description: Rectangular case of rosewood veneer above a diagonally-divided double bellows; removable top panel with paper label on front portion, keyboard along rear edge; compass G-g2, ivory naturals, ebony accidentals; brass free reeds beneath front portion of removable face panel, each reed with an incised roman numeral (I through VIII, repeated); reeds blown rather than sounded by suction; U-shaped reed holders set with ends pointing up; lower bellows leather separated from wooden frame, revealing the inside of the leather lined with newspaper dated June 5, 1843

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Rocking Melodeon
  • Maker: Caleb Packard (American, Brockton, Massachusetts 1818–1906 Brockton)
  • Date: ca. 1843
  • Geography: Bridgewater, Massachusetts, United States
  • Culture: American
  • Medium: Wood, various materials
  • Dimensions: Length 52.5 cm, Width 24.7 cm, Depth 13.0 cm, 3-octave span (G to g2) 46.5 cm
  • Classification: Aerophone-Free Reed-harmonium
  • Credit Line: The Crosby Brown Collection of Musical Instruments, 1889
  • Object Number: 89.4.1522
  • Curatorial Department: Musical Instruments

More Artwork

More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Naval Presentation Sword, Ames Manufacturing Company American, Steel, copper alloy, gold, walrus tusk, wood, American
On loan to The Met
Naval Presentation Sword
Manufacturer Ames Manufacturing Company
Designer John Quincy Adams Ward
ca. 1865
Rocking Melodeon, Abraham Prescott American, Wood, various materials, American
Rocking Melodeon
Abraham Prescott
1825
Basket, Ash splint, wood, paint, Pequot (?)
Basket
Pequot (?)
ca. 1840–60
Rocking Melodeon, Wood, metal, leather, American
Rocking Melodeon
American
second quarter 19th century
Pipe Organ, Thomas Appleton American, Mahogany veneer, rosewood veneer, pine, gilt, ivory, ebony, maple, walnut, chestnut, metal, American
Pipe Organ
Thomas Appleton
1830

Related Content

Publications

Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please contact us using the form below. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.

Send feedback

Content Notice

The Metropolitan Museum of Art presents over 5,000 years of art from around the world, and our online collection reflects ongoing work conducted over the course of our more than 150-year history. You may encounter objects or images that may be inappropriate for some viewers or information that may be outdated.