JF Ptak Science Books Quick Post
Finding old tone in the 19th was attempted in the following way, an interesting if not myopic attempt to put some play-time in a brand-new violin:
Abstract of GB 190303723 (A)
Payne, R. H., and Broadbent, T. Feb. 17, 1903.
In an instrument for reproducing sound, a resonating-chamber is used instead of a diaphragm and a trumpet. In the construction shown, the resonating-chamber consists of a violin body C mounted on an arm D extending from the instrument A. Fig. 2 shows means which may be employed for the mounting. The pin E passes through a hole in the neck C’, which is clamped by the nut E’. The pin E is mounted in the wooden block F journalled in the fork H on the swivelling-pin. Washers G, G<1> prevent the communication of vibrations to the arm D. The hole in the neck may be dispensed with, a screw or spring clamp being employed in place of the pin E. The reproducer K, Fig. 3, is cemented to the violin belly. The style K<1> is clamped in it by the screw K<2>. The violin has the usual sound post and f-holes in the belly and also holes C<2> in the back. Strings may be stretched across the resonator. When a violin body is used, the strings are stretched by the usual pegs in the neck.
This is not the most elegant invention for producing a more-interesting music from a stationary, non-human-played violin.
On the other hand, this is:
The work is by Henry Konrad Sandell, and the patent was for a magnificent machine that produced 64 notes on the violin, and was accompanied by a 44-note piano, both played at the same time. It is a very impressive accomplishment, with several thousand of them produced over two dozen years by the Mills Novelty Company.
Source, here. Mills Novelty, here Henry Konrad Sandell, and a photo of a restored and lovely Violinola, here with a sample of the music it produced (!)