Portable organ (barrel organ)
Portable organ (barrel organ)
Georgia, Tbilisi
Late 20th century
Organ maker Kitesov
Wood, metal, brass, steel, leather; woodwork, lathing, marquetry, painting, varnishing
50 x 37 x 70 cm
On pedestal facade: "НЕЧАДА Балковская № 191 ОДЕССА". On the keyframe: "2404" and notes names in Latin letters, on the inner keyframe: "А28"; on the top lid twice: "ВИНО КАХЕТИ"; on paper typographic blank: "Фабрика Органов и Оркестров И. НЕЧАДА, в Одессе Балковская ул. соб. Дом №191", "ПРОГРАММА № 2404" and handwritten list of eight tunes in the Georgian language
Portable organ in rectangular wooden veneered case, on the pedestal with corner feet, reinforced with brass chrome onlays. The facade is covered with a removable panel with three arched windows. The central window is wide, two side ones are narrow. The inserts with the painted images of the kinto in traditional clothes are in the lateral windows. Painted image of the Georgian cuisine dishes is in the bottom part of the central window.
Fourteen metal piccolo pipes closed with black chiselled plugs are in the open upper part. Painted backboard with flowers on green background is behind the pipes. The inscription "НЕЧАДА Балковская No 191 ОДЕССА” is below. All sides of the case and pedestal, including the panel, are decorated with floral ornament, images of cherubs with musical instruments and genre scenes, in the marquetry technique. The barrel axis with eight grooves according to the number of tunes is on the case left side. A plunger pin and a crank, which raises and lowers the keyframe to in the operating position is above it. Removable barrel lid is on the right lateral side. Two staples with the carrying strap and wrestler’s images are on both lateral sides. Image of a girl with two lambs, standing near the fence and curved metal crank are on the case rear side.
Two folding hinged lids with the image of four wine bottles, with stickers and inscriptions "ВИНО КАХЕТИ" (Wine produced in Kakheti), grape vine and two candles in candlesticks. The lids are hooked. Front lid opens access to the valve levers, the rear one - to the barrel and keyframe with twenty-eight keys, according to the number of basic tunes. A blank with handwritten list of eight tunes in the Georgian language is on the back lid inner side.
With the keyframe raised, the barrel can be moved along the axis and set to one of eight fixed positions according to the selected tune. As the crank is moved, the worm gear rotates the barrel and drives the bellows that inject air in the wind chest with valves distributing the compressed air between the slotted reeds serving as the sound source. The pins and brackets on the barrel raise the keys, which open the corresponding valves and a melody sounds. Music media: pinned barrel.
Инв.439/ММП