One newspaper article presenting some new additions to the Horniman Museum’s collection. Unknown publication, unknown year.
The first additions described by the unknown author are various new musical instruments displayed in the orchestral organ room, opposite the organ. Most of them are from China, Malaya, India, Africa, but European musical instruments are also present; for example, a German lyre made of satin wood by Joseph Scnwerzer, or an Italian guitar inlaid with ivory. As for the Chinese instruments, the large guitar or “pepa” has no sound hole similar to European guitars, being fitted instead with a vibrating balance inside. The Chinese horn, made of brass and wood, can be drawn out as a telescope. The very interesting African piano is made of different size wood pieces aligned as to form consecutive notes, and can be played by gently hitting the strips with a stick.
The Oriental Saloon also houses a few new exhibits, such as Chinese and Japanese playing cards, Chinese dominos, Chinese ladies’ small shoes, etc.
Other new additions, to be found in the Ethnographical room, are a collection of Chinese opium pipes and all the paraphernalia connected with it, as well as Chinese water pipes for smoking tobacco.
