Vital organ

For several years hubby had talked about the old pedal organ from the late 1800s that he used to 'play' on as a child in his grandparents' house.  When his grandparents passed on, this organ came to his parents' house, then on to a second cousin, a good friend of hubby, when his parents moved into a retirement village with limited space.  Recently, when the second cousin and his partner considered downsizing, the organ needed a new home.  Needless to say, hubby was keen, and several hundred dollars later the organ was tenderly transported professionally from Melbourne to Sydney.

Hubby was overjoyed of course, since the organ brought back many happy memories of his grandparents and their home.  Then he had the bright idea of 'googling' this make of organ to see how much it was worth.  Big mistake!  It turns out that Mason & Hamlin reed organs were produced at the rate of 200 a week in the late 1800s. Consequently there are oodles about, and the resale value down-under, even for a specimen over 130 years old in fine condition, is not that great, and certainly much less than it cost to transport it from Melbourne to Sydney.  But, hey?  What price can you place on sentiment?  And, it is a nice, if somewhat heavy, piece of furniture.

The family jewel

I will, however, hold hubby to his promise to learn to play the &*!* thing in retirement.