Nostalgic Verbena Organillo with Polychrome Decoration. Barcelona, 1950s

This evocative and colorful street organ is an antique and original piece made in Barcelona in the 1950s. It preserves all its decorative power and the undeniable charm of the popular designs from decades ago. The organ is made of wood pieces (planks and turned elements) and is painted in dark red enamel with a nice stencil decoration. It preserves all its original component parts and works fine: it can play four complete melodies on metal rods, bells, cymbals and flamenco box. The tunes are printed in a page stuck to one of the organs sides and are the following: La Calesera, Serranillo, La Violetera and Una Morena y Una Rubia. The last two songs are not in order and the fourth is played before the third. At the front side of the organ, to the left we can see the models name printed in golden lettering: Verbena. One of the sides bears the engraved and painted inscription PATENTADO REIG MADE IN SPAIN MUSIC BY REIG. This indicates that the organ was made by Claudio Reig S.A., a firm founded by the Catalonian businessman of the same name. Reig started its business making voices for dolls together with four friends. The toy manufacturer Payá was one of their first clients. But his love for music led him to the manufacture of mouth organs, music boxes and street organs just like this. This fascinating instrument boasts a lively and colorful decoration. Over the red lacquer that covers the whole piece we can see a series of painted motives depicting different themes: festive, gallant and folk. The motives are performed with paint and stencils, using some kind of airbrush-like blowing tool. The color palette used to paint them is wide and bright and the predominating colors are yellow, red, blue, orange and green. As well as the stated motives, at the top of the street organ we can see a green and yellow wooden lyre that adorns the center of the fabric pane that let the sound come out. The only fault it has is that the melody selector is a little misadjustment. So, to play the melody 1 you must place the selector between 1 and 2; to play the melody 2 you must place the selcctor between 2 and 3, etc ... As decorative as nostalgic, this street organ is a really evocative piece with an undeniable charm. Measurements: Width: 15.3 in / 39 cm. Height: 14.9 in / 38 cm.