Buttons and levers by dulciknit

Buttons and levers

This is a detail of part of a melodeon - otherwise known as a diatonic button accordion. You can see a complete melodeon here : http://365project.org/dulciknit/on-the-day-extr/2012-07-06

The buttons, on the left, operate the levers, raising the palettes (wooden blocks on the right of the shot) to unblock the holes to the reeds and allow air from the bellows to flow across them, sounding the notes.

If you've never heard a melodeon and would like to listen to one, Lester and I put a photo clips video together a while ago for my 365 project and backed it with a tune with him playing melodeon and me on hammer dulcimer : http://365project.org/dulciknit/365/2012-01-03

It's rained most of the day again today and it's going to be doing it some more - there are flood warnings all over the country for the weekend. :-(

My goodness, more rain, I think the drought has been broken. Did Lester make this melodeon?
July 7th, 2012  
@jenrobcarr No, this is was in with a lot of parts that were thrown in for free with a melodeon he bought for refurbishment (the one in the other shot) on ebay.
July 7th, 2012  
Lovely to see the instrument close up.
I was wondering if on your travels you have been to Lacock and the home of Fox Talbot as there is a photography museum there?
July 7th, 2012  
@jenrobcarr Many, many years ago we used to go to a folk festival there but haven't been to the Fox Talbot museum. Lacock's not very far from where Lester's family lives.
I was never really into photography properly until 365. :-D
July 7th, 2012  
One day I'll come to England and we can go there! (hopefully sooner rather than later!)
July 7th, 2012  
@jenrobcarr That would be terrific!
July 7th, 2012  
Really neat looking - you've really expanded my learning
July 7th, 2012  
I had never heard of the melodean before and would have just assumed this was some kind of accordian. What beautiful music....so lilting and festive! Reminds me so much of the festivals I went to as a child.
July 7th, 2012  
This is a great shot. It is so nice to learn about other instruments. Are you going to put any music on 365 for us to listen to. I loved the last time you did.
July 7th, 2012  
Love the POV here. Great angle. Interesting insight to the instrument.
July 14th, 2012  
Great shot and loved the music and video
July 15th, 2012  
great perspective!
August 2nd, 2012  
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