HARMONICOR DE JAULIN, 19th. c.
Invented by Louis-Jules Jaulin in Paris and patented in 1861, the harmonicor is a free-reed instrument of the mouth-accordion family.
Famous reed maker, L.J. Jaulin had a hand in the history of the harmonium. Working with Alexandre Debain (1809-1877) he studied different metals and alloys, different shapes and sizes and made up a classification of timbres and tones. Imitating the sound of flute, oboe, clarinet or english-horn, his reeds gave to harmoniums, then to the accordions, their first diversified registers; « taking out the monotony of these instruments », as Fétis said in his Report about the Universal Exhibition.
Promoter of numerous inventions, including a « piano-organ » in 1846, a transposing keyboard in 1853, he attracted attention with his Harmonicor.
This one, very easy to play, imitated the oboe and, according to the period advertising, could replace it in the orchestra.
He is composed of a cylindrical mahogany or walnut body on which is put a two chromatic octaves reed set. These reeds were set in nickeled brass pipes and worked with ivory and ebony knobs, according to a piano keyboard.
Length: 49cm.
Bibliography:
Pontécoulant: « Organographie », Paris 1861. T II, pp. 199/466/467/521/524…
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