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Four Stopped Pipes of Different Shapes

Physics

This set consists of four wooden organ pipes with bodies of various shapes:
2013.ph.611.1 is tetrahedral;
2013.ph.611.2 is cubical;
2013.ph.611.3 is cylindrical,
2013.ph.611.4 is spherical.
These bodies are all of equal volume, and each have a round hole cut into one of their surfaces. Attached to each body is a mouthpiece.

Accession Number: 2013.ph.611.1-4

Alternative Name:

Primary Materials: Wood

Markings:

Each mouthpiece is marked “110” near its base. Each pipe body is marked “RUDOLPH KOENIG A PARIS” and “110.”

Dimensions (cm):

2013.ph.611.1: Height=18, Width=13, Length=14.5; 2013.ph.611.2: Height=14, Width= 17.5, Length=7.6; 2013.ph.611.3: Height=14, Width=17.8, Length=8; 2013.ph.611: Height=14, Width=20, Length=9.5

Function:

These pieces are meant to demonstrate that equal volumes produce similar sounds.

Condition:

Good. There are a few minor scratches and chips on the bodies of the pipes, and the varnish is worn in places.

Associated Instruments:

Manufacturer: Rudolph Koenig

Date of Manufacture: Mid-nineteenth century

Provenance:

University of Toronto Physics Department

Additional Information and References:

Patalony, David. Altered Sensations: Rudolph Koenig’s Acoustical Workshop in Nineteenth-Century Paris. New York: Springer, 2009, 253-154.

Historical Notes:

Themes: