Barrel organ
Christopher Gerock (fl.1804 - 1837)
Category
Musical instruments, devices and recordings
Date
1810
Materials
Wood, Iron, Lead, Textile, Leather, Paper
Measurements
1235 x 477 x 342 mm
Place of origin
Bishopsgate
Order this imageCollection
Snowshill Manor and Garden, Gloucestershire
NT 1335368.1
Summary
Barrel organ by Gerock (Christopher - ), London, c.1810. Label: Instruments tuned / repaired / & / Let on Hire // Regiments supplied / with complete / sets of / Instruments // C Gerock / Musical Instrument / Manufacturer / Music Seller / No.1 Gracechurch Street / (and 76 Bishopsgate Within) / LONDON; pencil label: C Gerock 1 Gracechurch Street & 76 Bishopsgate St London. Three stops: wooden Stop Diapason, metal Principal and Triangle. Four barrels. Housed in tall cabinet in built-on stand with four legs. Thin wooden panels, top hinged to cabinet and also hinged to fold. Inside, label listing the 10 tunes on each of four barrels. Front panel has two cut-out, arched windows containing carved, gold painted organ pipes, backed with (modern) red, silk material. Lock in a carved ivory plate set into the top of the panel. The whole panel be slid upwards to remove. Left hand side panel has a small square door in it with a brass handle and hinges. Opens to reveal the in-use (currently no. 2) barrel, and permit its removal. Right hand panel has one vertical and one horizontal, interlocking, sliding mechanisms to enable change of barrel and engagement of the playing mechanism. Inside the cabinet is one barrel, the playing mechanism, lead and wooden organ pipes, and a triangle. Below the cabinet is a box section. It has a drop-down door on the left side, and contains two more barrels. The fourth barrel is separate. In notebook no.4, page 6 (1340945.4) Charles Wade refers to: 'Music Room 48 Barrel Organ Mahogany "gothic" case, wood or lead pipes. Triangle, 3 stops, 4 barrels, by Guerock. 4' 0" x 1' 6" on stand which houses the 2 spare barrels. [Belonged to Bridget (Lloyd) wife of Aug. Bulwer, D.D.]'.
Provenance
Given to the National Trust with Snowshill Manor in 1951 by Charles Paget Wade.
Makers and roles
Christopher Gerock (fl.1804 - 1837)
References
Wade, 1944: Charles Paget Wade, Contents of Snowshill Manor. Volume 4 First and Second Floor, 1944, page 6