Can anyone advise what wood was used for the outer casings of
German organettes and similar instruments?  I am currently restoring
an Ariston Orpheus which uses Ariston Organette discs to play
a small piano-like mechanism.  Two panels of the case are very badly
wood-wormed, to the extent they are unusable, so I need to find
replacement timber.  It is straight fine-grained, pale coloured,
and was obviously capable of providing a very smooth surface for the
shellac rosewood coloured "scumble" finish originally applied.

Also, the carcass timber has also been attacked on the surface where
the outer panels were fixed. There is sufficient wood remaining but
the surface is badly pitted in places.  What would be the best type of
"filler" to build this back up such that the outer panels can be glued
on.  I would expect to use PVA to glue these outer panels back on --
any concerns with that?  They don't need to be "removable".

Next, these panels have a simple pattern impressed into them; any
ideas how this was made?  I am sure it wasn't hand carved, it is too
'perfect' and hand work would probably have cost too much.  I wonder
whether it was burnt in using brands of some sort.  Any ideas?

Finally, regarding the shellac finish, I have experimented with several
methods of trying to replicate this finish, but none seem quite the
same.  Has anyone got the 'perfect' method?  The final effect is of
a dark rosewood colour with lighter patches and darker streaks, and
the finish is very smooth and shiny similar to French polish.  Again,
I can't imagine the makers spending more than a few minutes for each
instrument.

Hope someone can help,
John Farmer
UK