This beautiful Grand Harmonicon was built in 1829 and is one of only several remaining in the world. The Grand Harmonicon was patented in 1825 by Francis H. Smith and revived interest in the glasses as a home instrument. The instrument is comprised of 24 tuned musical glasses, from which the player produces sound by rotating a wet finger around the rims of the glasses. It comes in a rectangular mahogany veneered case with a fold-up top and pedestal base, space for twenty-four mouth-blown, leaded glasses all marked with the appropriate note. One of the 24 glasses was replaced with a wine glass tuned to pitch. Glasses are labeled for each note, but labels are wearing off. Each glass is etched at the bottom with the note. The case is chipped, top is cracked all the way down the middle and front knob/key is missing. Heavy pedestal on shaped plinth with paw feet is slightly wobbly and has hear commensurate with its age.
Dimensions (approx.): 34" (high) x 35.25" (wide) x 21.25" (deep)
