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SLOAN, JOHN
ROS Reg No. 6586


Finished wood, metal, brass and fabric travelling/portable melodeon (a). The bellows fold up into the body after the mid-piece is removed. One leg goes up before the other. It has 32 ivory keys, and 22 ebony keys. It has a flat, hinged lid. There are three brass hinges at the front of the lid, and two brass hinges to access the back area above the bellows. There is a small, plain keyhole with no escutcheon at the front. The key is no longer extant. The right side of the keyboard has a round brass knob lever in a clipped, cornered-style brass lever plate with an "L"-shaped cut-out. The left side of the keyboard has a rectangular wooden block with a large wire staple. It holds a rather flat, ornate, hinged brass hardware piece. Two plain metal rods are stored inside, at the top. They are (b) and (c), and would be vertical when installed to connect the pedals to the rest of the melodeon. One of the rods has a round, flat end. The other rod has a slightly irregular end, with a small, off-center socket in it. Two square-cut sockets are visible on the underside, at the rear, where they would be installed. The left foot pedal has an ornate, cast iron shank which ends in an inset, convex and ovoid brass pedal area. The right pedal is somewhat longer, but has a similar floral casting. It has a brass roller at the front. The wooden bottom of the bellows is black-finished. Red and maroon fabric is present in the bellows and keys. There is also a sheer blue fabric used at the top inside area, which appears to be more recent. When opened at the top rear, a printed paper surface is visible, which is likely original to the piece. It was mended with a couple of pieces of wallpaper. The top rectangular area of the instrument is decorated with narrow, nailed-on moulding at the top and bottom. The item appears to have been refinished. It was broken and repaired.

Information
ROS Reg No.6586
Date Registered4/6/2021
Views16185
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Serial
Manufactured Date1856 - 1899
Case StyleLyre-leg Melodeon
Maker LocationOwen Sound, Ontario
Model
Knee swells?
Wood
Keys49
Manual(s)1
RangeC
Stops0
Pump methodPumped by Foot