Like many of you, I too have a Vicente Llinares 'Faventia' street barrel
piano.  Someone recently offered a barrel for sale and I purchased it.
The picture he sent looked correct except for some added stuff on the
end of the barrel.

I received the barrel and upon closer examination found it was in fact
slightly different.  The standard barrel has six tunes on it and is
shifted by means of a cam assembly.  This barrel appears to be pinned
spirally, with only one tune played over a period of six revolutions.
The barrel is the exact same size as the standard barrel; it even has
the gold paper with the Faventia label.  The gears and bearings are
all the same.

On the back ("Behind") end, a plastic or phenolic disc is attached,
the same diameter as the barrel and about 9/16" thick, which has a
spiral groove on its edge.  (If you remove this plastic disc, the
barrel is really exactly like the others, labels and all).  There are
two metal spring-steel tabs attached to this disc, which must have
something to do with the start/stop/reset of this barrel, as they are
at the beginning and end of the spiral groove.  It moves left-to-right
as it plays.  The wooden gear end of the barrel has the number "42"
stamped on it.

To play the barrel, one obviously needs the proper end mount which
allows the barrel to track properly and advance while turning.  I tried
to play the barrel and manually advance.  I know this was stupid, and
it didn't work.  But I did verify that the pins and action did line up
properly.

Has anyone seen this action in the Llinares piano?  There is no mention
of this instrument in the Bowers' "Encyclopedia".  If you have this
action, is it something I could build if I had a drawing?  If not, does
someone out there have the version of this piano that will play this
barrel and is interested in obtaining another barrel?  Help, please.

Thanks

Jim Quashnock

 [ This nice description of the 32-note Faventia barrel piano is at
 [ MMDer John Ledwon's site, http://www.organhouse.com/faventia_piano.htm
 [
 [   "The Faventia is a miniature of the well known Hurdy Gurdy which
 [ was seen and enjoyed on the streets of the larger cities all over
 [ the world before and after the turn of the last century.  The
 [ original type was the size of an upright piano and operated with
 [ a crank mechanism, mounted on a cart, drawn through the streets,
 [ a joy to young and old, and still remembered by many.
 [
 [   "About 1950 a well known Spanish piano manufacturer, Vicente
 [ Llinares, Barcelona, created its miniature counterpart consisting
 [ of a beautifully made small mechanical piano for enjoyment in homes
 [ and parties.  The Faventia Piano is 23" high, 22" wide and about
 [ 12" deep."
 [
 [ -- Robbie