aeolina

noun

1. (historical)An early type of harmonica with metal plates enclosing free reeds.

   “When in the 18th century, European organ-builders, acousticians, physicists, etc., heard this remarkable free reed, they obviously were fascinated by it for a wealth of free reed instruments appeared in the early 19th century. These instruments varied in size and type. Some were portable, small and mouth-blown like the “blow accordion,” harmonica, aeolina, and symphonion.”

   “Organ-builders were early on the scene in the eighteenth century, but soon there were the first mouth-blown instruments such as the aeolian or aeolina, which was a simple set of free reeds mounted side by side.”

   “Aeolinas and aeolodicons were similar to the more popular physharmonica, a four-octave keyboard instrument with free reeds invented by Anton Haeckl of Vienna.”

   “The principle applied to the aeolina was of a series of small springs fitted in apertures in a metallic plate, which vibrated when breathed over.”