The Barrel Organs

Through a school friend who’s father had a business manufacturing spring steel products and another whose parents owned a music store, Hartley was encouraged into the design and manufacturing of a number of musical saws. The blades for these were made by Coulter’s Springs and the assembly, design, hand-carved handles, and engraving etc. was done by Hartley. (You can read more about this at The Saw Lady’s Website.)

His first "barrel organ" was made as a stage prop for the Repertory Theatre Company and was only an empty cabinet with a moving handle. Because of his interest in making musical instruments and his skills in organ pipework he decided to make another one that actually worked.
This began a path that saw the building of quite a range of musical instruments over the years, including a large number of Jaw Harps, a ¼-sized harpsichord, tuned cowbells and as many a seven working barrel organs. See our Educational Page for more information.

Hartley also designed and built a huge range of stage props (such as giant strawberries made from unopened pine-cones, several full-sized Santa Sleighs, etc), marionettes, magician's apparatus and clown's props.

Music Samples Selector

This page contains samples of music from the various Barrel Organs built by Lionel Hartley.
Select from the pull-down menu below.
Be sure to close the active music player window before choosing another selection.

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