528 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



this has been obviated by altering the slope of the bellows, so that the 

 feeding- or exhausting chamber is icithin the body of the case, and therefore 

 a disagreeable doformitj is expunged. The cross-piece to which the pedals 

 are attached, called the "stretcher," is readily removed, when the legs, 

 which are hinged, fold up beneath the case, the bellows receding at the 

 same time; and the whole instrument occupies a space the size of the case 

 alone. The tcp«is hinged at the back — as is also the case in each of the 

 other styles — and is opened to expose the interior arrangements of the 

 instrument without diflSculty. The " sounding board," which is a thin strip 

 placed perpendicularly^ lengthwise the case, a few inches behind the keys, 

 is removable at pleasure, by which the reeds are exposed to view, and 

 taken out, tuned and replaced, with the utmost ease and facility. The 

 extreme simplicity and perfection in the construction of these instruments, 

 enables a person with the least intelligence to comprehend them at a 

 glance. Again, if by any unforeseen circumstance, a reed should get 

 broken or cracked, by just writing to the manufacturers, and mentioning 

 the name of the note, another is forwarded by mail that is sure to suit the 

 instrument; such equality in the notes is only arrived at by the superior 

 machinery with which they are manufactured. 



The Piano stylo is made with from five to seven octaves, and in its 

 internal arrangements is about the same as the above described. In 

 external appearance they are precisely like a small piano. They are 

 finished with octagon and fancy-carved legs, panneled, and mouldings to 

 suit the tastes of the most fastidious. 



The "double reed" has two sets of reeds, named the "principal" and 

 "diapason." They are tuned an octave apart, and may, by means of the 

 stops, be played together, or separate, producing a pleasing variety. 



The Seven Octave Parlor Melodeon is a style unique to this establish- 

 ment, and either as a superior musical instrument, or an elegant piece of 

 furniture, it is equally deserving of gracing the drawing-room of the most 

 distinguished in the land. In regard to the musical qualities of these 

 melodeons, the best judges in Europe and America have pronounced them 

 superior to any other in the world. 



PARLOR ORGAN. 



• Our new Parlor Organ just completed, is the best and most complete 

 instrument of the kind. The great objection to instruments having double 

 blowing pedals, has been the want of a swell which would be under com- 

 plete control of the performer at all times. As both feet are employed to 

 supply the bellows, various mechanical contrivances have been applied to 

 produce the crescendo and diminuendo, among which may be named swell 

 or forte stops, to be drawn with the hand; swell levers, projecting in front 

 to be operated by the knees; and several devices to operate the swell by 

 means of the contraction and expansion of the bellows, as in the automatic 

 swell, &c. It will be readily seen that the appliances named do not place 

 the swell (upon which depends the finest effects of the instrument), under 

 complete control of the performer. The forte stop produces no gradation 

 of power whatever; it is either loud or soft; besides which, the hand of 

 the player must be removed from the key-board to operate it. The knee 



