Accession No
5975
Brief Description
Wheatstone symphonium, by Charles Wheatstone, English, 1830 (c)
Origin
England; London; Regent Street; 20 Conduit Street
Maker
Wheatstone, Charles
Class
sound
Earliest Date
1830
Latest Date
1830
Inscription Date
Material
ivory; metal (silver; brass; ); cloth (silk; cotton)
Dimensions
width 64mm; height 62mm; depth 24mm
Special Collection
Provenance
Purchased from Trevor Philip & Sons, 75A Jermyn Street, St James’s, London, SW1Y 6NP, 8/10/2003.
Inscription
BY HIS MAJESTY’S LETTERS PATENT
C. WHEATSTONE
INVENTOR
20, Conduit St. Regent St.t
LONDON
55 [serial number on inside of front panel]
Description Notes
Silver plated unit with ivory lined mouthpiece and 15 keys with ivory buttons (two ivory buttons missing). The unit sits on four engraved scrolled legs decorated with swags and leaf designs. The back panel is decorated with a circlet of olive leaves. When removed the back panel reveals the lever arms which connect to the ivory buttons and control the vibrations of the 13 metal reeds. The inside of the back panel has a brown silk pad attatched to it. The front panel and mouthpiece detatches to expose the 13 metal reeds screwed into poition. Inside the back of the front cover the serial number 55 is etched.
This instrument was the forerunner to Wheatstone’s concertina and was patented in 1829.
References
Torben Rees; 'Wheatstone's symphonium'; Explore Whipple Collections online article; Whipple Museum of the History of Science; University of Cambridge; 2009: https://www.whipplemuseum.cam.ac.uk/explore-whipple-collections/acoustics/wheatstones-symphonium
Events
Description
This tiny wind instrument is a direct forerunner of the concertina. You play it by blowing into the oval ivory mouthpiece. This causes a reed to vibrate, creating the sound. You can change the notes by pressing the buttons on either side. This adjusts how much breath can escape from the instrument.
Its inventor, Charles Wheatstone (1802–1875), also invented the stereoscope and designed one of the first electric telegraph systems. He made an early telephone and microphone using vibrating reeds, as in the symphonium. Wheatstone was an apprentice to his uncle, a musical instrument maker, so it's no surprise that he was fascinated by sound.
22/07/2024
Created by: Hannah Price on 22/07/2024
Description
Wheatstone symphonium
Made by Charles Wheatstone. English, c.1830
Sir Charles Wheatstone patented the symphonium, a musical instrument that is the direct predecessor to the concertina, in 1829. Unlike the concertina, which is bellows powered, the symphonium is played by blowing into the oval ivory mouthpiece and pressing the keys, which are positioned on the sides of the instrument.
28/01/2004
Created by: Ruth Horry on 28/01/2004
FM:46439
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