Thursday, August 10, 2000 11:49 AM Dear Friend of the mechanical music, My name is Lenuta Chirita and I am conservator at the "Stefan Procopiu" Science and Technique Museum in Iasi, Romania, a unit of the "Moldova" national museum complex housed in the Palace of Culture. This autumn I will organize an International Festival of Mechanical Music at Iasi, and I want to know some information about the hydraulic organ in the collection of the museum, which we know nothing about. The inscription on the boiler is undecipherable.  We presume that it had been made in Austria or Germany at the end of 19th century.  I wish for some information about the hydraulic organ: history and constructor firms.  If anyone has that kind of information please send me an email.  Thank you. P.S.  We have pleasure to invite you to the 2nd edition of International Festival of Mechanical Music, 8-10 September 2000 in Iasi. Yours sincerely Lenuta Chirita "Stefan Procopiu" Science and Technique Museum Iasi, Romania E-mail: palatis@mail.dntis.ro http://home.dntis.ro/~palatis/uk/index.htm

Two cylindrical metal barrels, such as might be used for boiling clothing, are nested.  The tiny organ sits atop the inner inverted barrel which floats on the water, and as the organ sinks slowly the weighted fabric cord turns the pinned cylinder inside the organ.  The water barrel is only 30 cm (12") diameter  and 80 cm (32") tall.  The little organ measures 22x20x18 cm  (about 9x10x7 inches).