Kenton, Ohio

Historic House, Specialized

Never heard of an organette? Envision a small hand-cranked organ, perhaps designed to sit on a table in the parlor of your victorian home. Internally it operates by pumping air through small brass reeds, which vibrate to make the mellow sound. The music is automatically produced as you turn the crank.  But you probably only think of the enjoyment your family receives playing a variety of music without formal training and without a huge expense. Hymns, popular music, classical--it's all available by buying new music sheets, discs, or rollers for your instrument. Popular from the 1870s through the early 1900s, hundreds of models were manufactured, playing thousands of tunes.