Lap organ (reed organ), sometimes called a melodeon or seraphine. Hinged lid, comes with a painted and grained pine box. Manufactured by James A. Bazin (1788 - 1883), in Canton, Massachusetts, about 1835 - 1850. Stamped on reeds: BAZIN Owned by Mrs. Frank Dyer, gift from her uncles, Erastus and Stephen Nark (Nash?), Weymouth. Donated by Walter Peirce. Range of slightly less than three octaves. Chromatic only down to f, top note a' ', with individual buttons for e, d, c, and G. Buttons arranged in conventional layout. Operated by pushing down on the case with the left forearm and pressing the buttons with both hands. Reeds are stamped with Bazin's surname and the "reed plate, with turned-over edges, forms a shallow channel with a cross section like the letter U. In this particular lap organ they are held in place by small brass clips that are screwed into the surrounding wood". Case dimensions are 15 3/16" x 8 15/16". Interior of case primarily yellow poplar, outside veneered with rosewood. Keyboard buttons are mahogany, with caps of ivory for the naturals and ebony for the accidentals. Instrument was not in condition to determine pitch and tuning Details come from Darcy Kuronen's article "James A. Bazin and the Development of Free-Reed instruments in America", Journal of the American Musical Instrument Society, Volume XXXI, 2005, which describes the instrument in detail. The box the instrument was supposed to come in is missing.
