Pomelle Bubinga Tree of Life, 4 Sets of German Reeds

The artwork for this magnificent harmonium was inspired by my first impression upon arriving in Delhi. I was standing at the New Delhi train station waiting for our taxi and was struck by the grandeur of a huge banyan tree across the street. The original artwork was done by an SRF devotee, and the carvings and stone inlays (malachite, lapis, mother-of-pearl, and coral)all hand crafted in Jodhpur, Rajasthan. The white keys are beautiful mother-of-pearl from shells of the seas of South India. I found this rich quarter sawn African Pomelle Bobinge hardwood at a special lumber wood warehouse in New York and hand delivered several pieces to Biba to make this harmonium. 

The heart of this harmonium are the very old German reeds. These reeds were ‘mined’ from at least 15 different vintage Indian harmoniums from about 1850 to 1930 to find a balanced set of bass, male, female, and male reeds. We spent years traveling throughout India seeking out very old third and fourth generation harmonium makers to find these reeds. Hosting them in this harmonium for a magnificent and highly unique sound and voicing. These vintage reeds are rare and have a purity of resonance and efficiency of sustain found only in European technology and craft. Enjoy this one of a kind in the world, coming together of beauty and sound and dynamics.