General Information

Serial #

112815

Part Number

1

Total Parts

1

AKA

N/A

Patents

N/A

General Description

Wooden reed pump organ.

Dimensions

Note: These reflect the general size for storage and are not necessarily representative of the object's true dimensions.

Length

100.0 cm

Width

60.0 cm

Height

160.0 cm

Thickness

N/A

Weight

106.0

Diameter

N/A

Volume

N/A

Lexicon

Group

Communications

Category

Music

Sub-Category

N/A

Manufacturer

AKA

Bell

Country

Canada

State/Province

Ontario

City

Guelph

Context

Country

Canada

State/Province

Ontario

Period

Used up until 1997 when it was found in a newly purchased house in the east end of Ottawa.

Canada

The instrument was made and used in Canada. The organ was made in Guelph, Ontario by a Canadian manufacturer of pianos and organs, the Bell Piano and Organ Co. Ltd. It was first purchased in 1907. The Bell Piano and Organ Co. is an important Canadian instrument builder. The company was established in 1864 in Guelph by William and Robert Bell. The company grew fast; by 1880 it produced over 1200 pianos and organs per year. When it closed down in 1934, the company had manufactured almost 200,000 pianos and organs. These were excellent instruments, and Bell exported all over the world. Bell pianos and organs were purchased by Queen Victoria, kings and queens of Italy and Spain, and even by a Turkish sultan. The company also sold records, phonographs, and sheet music, and published a trade magazine. In 1934, it was sold to Lesage Pianos.

Function

A free-reed musical instrument in which air is forced through the reeds by bellows to produce sound.

Technical

Bell Co. was one of the first organ manufacturers who introduced Reed organs to Canada. There were two types of reed organs built around mid-19th century; Small organs popular in the 1840s and 1850s were called melodeons or cottage organs; the larger type introduced in the 1860s was known as a cabinet organ and were often reffered to as pump organs. Bell Piano and Organ Co. operated two factories in Guelph, along with its own lumberyard. Unlike many other manufacturers, Bell made entire instruments. Woodworking, staining and finishing, polishing and varnishing were done within Factory 1. Bellow making, trimming and action making were done within Factory 2. The reed organs were promoted as less expensive, lighter and easier to maintain instruments than pianos. Their volume and tonal range however was limited. The organs made by Bell had keyboards of four to five octaves, two small horizontal bellows and decorated foot treadles to pump the bellows. This organ is a good example of a Bell high-end, good quality, parlour instrument, made at the time when organs were still popular on the market. It was intended for home use and had no decorative pipes.

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

Above the organ keys: " GUELPH /. ONTARIO, TRADEMARK. /. CANADA " On each of the foot treadles: " PAT'D FEB 24.1887. /. MOUSE PROOF PEDAL "

Missing

Two decorative pieces are missing from the inside front of the end panels on top of the organ (the two boards attached to the ends of the mirrored back board.) The entire piece is missing from the bass-side panel, while only the top rear section of carving is missing from the other. The organ apparently had brackets on the ends to support candles or lamps; these are also missing. 5 stop-knob labels are also missing.

Finish

Large brown wooden organ with cabinet exterior that has a varnish coat. The keys of the organ are celluloid-covered and are slighty yellowed. The back panel of the organ has multiple silver metal screws.

Decoration

N/A