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W-D Stained Glass Circus Calliope Music Box Kit
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Item no:
0478
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Whittemore-Durgin
item:
0478
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Retail price:
$85.53
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In stock:
0
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Made to order
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In Greek Mythology, Calliope was the Muse of eloquence and epic poetry. (The word means, literally, "the beautiful voiced".) The steam operated calliope was invented in Worcester, Mass. in 1855. In its heyday it was mainly used on steamboats to entertain the passengers, and to attract crowds to the landing places as the boat approached. A mature calliope in full voice could be heard from 5 miles away, and was sure to arouse the countryside.
The power came directly from the main boiler of the steamboat, and was delivered to the 32 pipes through a manifold. The keyboard artist had to be an extremely sturdy individual, because the keyboard consisted of heavy brass keys which required great pressure to depress. When the keys were operated, the steam from the manifold was permitted to enter the particular pipe through its sounding vent, and into the atmosphere in close proximity to the operator. By the time the musical interlude was completed, the operator was parboiled, and usually staggered somewhere in search of cooling liquids.
Calliopes soon found their way onto circus wagons, and into carrousels, but were operated by compressed air delivered similar to the way that pump organs operated. It does seem safer. Our calliope has a boiler. And pipes. And even four bells (a matched set) on the roof. It has a mirrored keyboard and stands about 6 inches tall. It is gorgeously apparelled in red, white and blue iridized opalescent glass and tastefully decorated with all manner of brass trimming which we tinned to a silver color. Our version is outfitted with a music box that plays "Over the Waves".
Click here to listen to the
Over the Waves music box movement included in this musical stained glass kit.
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