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Symphonium - Variant 2B

The Symphonium is a free reed musical instrument
Invented in 1829 by Charles Wheatston
(English scientist and inventor 1802-1875)

Around 1827 the first harmonica instruments came to England from Germany.
(The inventor of the harmonica is unknown, the technology was known in several countries at the same time, the period of the invention of the harmonica is between 1810 and 1825)

The harmonica was then called Aeolian in England.

Charles Wheatstone was already building improved Aeolian instruments around 1828.

In December 1829, Charles Wheatstone filed patent No. 5803 in which he presented improvements and further developments of the free reed technology as used in the Aeolin/harmonica.

The patent contains 6 prototypes of his newly invented instrument, the Symphonium.

3 prototypes of further developments of the Chinese Sheng organ.

And a prototype of the future English concertina.

All instruments are based on a free reed technique.