412.132-62 Sets of free reeds with flexible air reservoir

English system. Serial number 546. Sold to JM Cripps Esq Jr on 25 Oct 1842. Later oval paper label, 'C Wheatstone & Co, manufacturer, London WC, 15 West St, Charing Cross Road'. Flat rosewood ends, thick simple fretwork, pine backing. Conventional end frames with a split between end-frame and action frame, with flush to bellows frame construction. 50 ivory buttons, 25 each side, with felt bushing. Red Cs, white stamped naturals, black accidentals. Later green leather straps, original leather-clad carved-ended finger rests. The straps are screwed into circular brass insets in the action frame. Later six-fold black leather bellows, fitted to the original bellows frames (numbered 546). Pans are mounted on a cradle of triangular wooden wedges in the corners of the bellows frame. Square-end brass reeds with nickel tongues, note names stamped on reeds, pan with central pan-hole. There are for cork crosspieces across various smaller reed chambers. The action has simple levers cut from sheet brass, and pivoted in split cylindrical brass columns, inserted direct to the action board, and with wound brass springs. The pallets are cardboard, and the levers connect to the buttons through bushed holes in the ivory shaft.