Single-manual organ, with some original pipes, in a rosewood cabinet with gilt scrollwork, cornicing and puttis; case of three parts, as originally made to straddle a fireplace. Central section with reserve for overmantel mirror, with two flanking sections, made to look like cabinets, with scrolls and putti in rectangular reserves; manual and pedal keyboards in sliding drawer in right hand section. Pipes hidden from view. Trackers and wind-trunk connected with left hand section by passing behind central mirror. Some pipes kept separately. This organ was erected in Prince Albert's private organ room in Buckingham Palace. Gray & Davison's records state: "23 January 1841: an organ erected at Buckingham Palace £271.15.10. Removing temporary organ and cartage £1.16.6. A set of mahogany pedals for practice £1.1.0." The organ had the following stops: Manual compass CC to f (54 notes), Pedals one octave from CCC. Open Diapason TC Stop Diapason TC with bass octave always on Dulciana TC Principal Fifteenth Hautboy TC with Trumpet bass Pedals Double Diapason CCC, always on Pedals Four composition pedals: 1. Dulciana, 2. adds Open and Stop Diapason, 3. adds Principal and Fifteenth, 4. adds Hautboy and Trumpet bass. The organ was illustrated in the 'Musical Times' of 1 July 1902 and was described by Messrs. William Hill and Norman Beard Ltd as being: '...installed in the Prince Consort's private apartments, the bellows being outside in a passage and made to look like a table. The organ was divided each side of the fireplace, the trackers passing behind a mirror from one section to the other. Each section looked like a cabinet or ornamental design; no pipes were visible, and the keyboard and pedals, situated on the right-hand side of the organ, could be slid back into the case which then became similar in appearance to the corresponding wing.' Mendelssohn (1809-1847) played on this instrument during his five visits to Buckingham Palace in 1842, 1844 and 1847. He described it in a letter to his mother, 19 July 1842: 'Prince Albert had asked me to go to him on Saturday at two o'clock, so that I might try this organ before I left England. I found him alone; and as we were chatting the Queen came in, also alone, in a simple morning dress. She said she was obliged to leave for Claremont in an hour, and then, suddenly interrupting herself, she exclaimed, 'But, goodness! What a confusion!' for the wind had littered the whole room and even the pedals of the organ - which made a very pretty feature in the room - were covered with leaves of music from a large portfolio that lay open. As she spoke she knelt down and began picking up the music; Prince Albert helped, and I, too, was not idle. Then Prince Albert proceeded to explain the stops to me, adn the Queen said that she would meanwhile put things straight. I begged that the Prince would first play me something, so that, as I said, I might boast about it in Germany. He then played a chorale, by heart, with the pedals, so charmingly and clearly and correctly that it would have done credit to any professional; and the Queen, having finished her work, came to sit by him and listened, and looked pleased. Then it was my turn, and I began my chorus from, 'St. Paul', 'How lovely are the messnegers!' before I had got to the end of the first part they had both joined in the chorus, and all the time Prince Albert managed the stops for me co cleverly - first a flute, at the forte the great organ, and at the D Major section the full organ. Then he made a lovely diminuendo with all the stops, and so on to the end of the piece, and all by heart - that I was really quite enchanted.'