Recently I was enjoying an ouzo in the Plaka in Athens, Greece when
an old man passed by pushing an organ grinder-like instrument on a
push cart.

As he turned the crank, the instrument made beautiful, bazuki music
with an occasional ding from a bell.  It was not an organ and did not
sound like a barrel piano; it made a mandolin or bazuki sound.

On the left side were two bars which he manipulated to change tunes.
On the front was a glass heart with a picture of a girl.  At the
bottom, it said, "FSA. CARMELO" (I'm not sure of the "R") and then
"Constantinopoli."  The later refers to the city now know as Istanbul.

I followed him for several blocks, after paying for my ouzo of course,
and enjoyed the lovely music.  I tried to speak with him but he spoke
no English.  I found a shopkeeper who seemed to know the man and he
said there were only 5 or 6 of these instruments in all of Greece and
that only one man, who is now 85 years old, services the instrument.

Does anyone know what the instrument is and anything about the history?

Gerry Bay

P.S.:  I only had one ouzo so I believe my account is reasonably
accurate!