INSTRUMENTS

INSTRUMENTS

Here is a small sample of the instruments in our collection. Come and visit to see our other rare and interesting exhibits.

EGYPTIAN PIANO

<B>EGYPTIAN PIANO</B> | <i>Dreaper, Liverpool UK (1880)</i><BR>Designed by architect brothers W&G Audsley, the ebonised casework,<BR> with its carved sphinxes at each end, has been restored and the worn gold leaf replaced. <BR>Only four such pianos are known to exist.

CONCERTINA (Forty Keys)

<B>CONCERTINA (Forty Keys)</b> | <i>Lachenal, England (c.1870)</i><BR>This is a three-row 40-key concertina and is a great entertaining model having two scales and a third row sharps and flats.<BR>It also has two extras for duck quacks and chicken chirps.

SAILING SHIP PIANO

<B>SAILING SHIP PIANO</B> | <i>Aucher Freres, Paris (1837)</i><BR>Found in New Plymouth, this piano was built for entertainment on sailing ships of the day. <BR>It is very small and compact with its foldaway keyboard, bolted to the wall to keep it from moving in heavy seas. <BR>The walnut case is beautifully finished and the lower doors open to increase the volume.

PINK ACCORDION

<B>PINK ACCORDION</B> | <i>Busson, France (c.1840)</i><br>This pretty French accordion can play 1 or 2 reeds simultaneously<BR>The bellows only play inwards, but hold compression.<br>It has a lovely sweet sound with brass reeds.

UPRIGHT GRAND PIANO (R. Lipp)

<b>UPRIGHT GRAND PIANO</b> | <i>Richard Lipp, Stuttgart (1914)</i><br>This beautiful piano has a rich, even tone and is still suitable for concert use.<br> The length of the strings is equivalent to a 6ft 6in grand piano, and the large soundboard amplifies the sound to fill a concert hall.<br>
The piano was totally restored in 1990 and more recently the bodywork was re-ebonised, and the gold leaf restored by local craftsman Richard Postel.

FAIRGROUND ORGAN

<b>FAIRGROUND ORGAN</b> | <i>Gebruder Wellerhaus, Saarn (1900)</i><BR>This fairground organ is also known as a Calliope, a steam-driven organ that can be heard for miles and often used as a very loud form of advertising that the circus is in town.