POWERHOUSE COLLECTION

Physical Description

Reed organ (1), portable, wood/metal, Yamaha/Nippon Gakki Co, Japan, c.1905. Portable reed organ. Compass 3 octaves and 2 semitones (F-g2). Naturals keys wooden with white non-ivory covers and red painted or lacquered fronts; accidentals keys of black lacquered wood. Black lacquered nameboard has gold painted lettering: "YAMAHA ORGAN HAMAMATSU Made in Japan" and 15 painted medallions. No serial number visible. Polished red-brown wooden case rests on hinged folding wooden stand of similar finish. Case contains bellows, reeds, keyboard, etc. Top of case made up of two hinged sections. Rear section is screwed down; front section opens to reveal keyboard, collapsible music stand, nameboard. One wooden knee control (probably swell) attached to front of case. Wooden carrying handle on each end of case. Beneath case are visible the bottom of the two bellows, attached to pedals by vertical metal rods. Pedals covered in linoleum (quite worn) with geometric pattern. Sides, front and back of case and sides of stand ornamented with stencilled gold painted design of stylised floral and geometric shapes.