• Thulé, Bror Axel 1908
• 1 stop, 1 manual, no pedal
• pneumatic action and mechanical stop action

The Ilmajoki Regional Museum has a small organ that used to be the property of Katri Virkkunen, wife of Paavo Virkkunen, Dean of Ilmajoki. The exact history of this instrument is not known, but it was undoubtedly built by Bror Axel Thulé. This is evident from the design and appearance of the instrument. Moreover, Mrs. Virkkunen was the daughter of Bror Axel Thulé.

The catalogue of B.A. Thulé contains only one instrument that matches this one. Thulé built a lendable organ for his own use in 1908. This must be the instrument that later found its way into the Virkkunen household.

Appearance and technical features

The organ is a school organ in type, albeit a rather large one. The top lid can be opened using knee levers, and at the bottom of the organ there are two large foot levers which operate the wedge-shaped feeder bellows and the parallel reservoir above them. The action is pneumatic, one of very few of its kind in a school organ. Behind the keyboard is a row of valves operated by released pressure, and there is a separate pallet for each pipe. The upper and lower octave couplings are mechanical. The instrument is manufactured with great care, and it has remained in good shape. The birch case is stained brown and varnished.

Musical properties

The pneumatic action makes the touch light. The organ only has one stop, Principal 8’. It is a moot point whether it should be described as a Geigenprincipal, being rather narrow in scale. The sound is rich and broad.

Disposition