Franklin Correspondence
Here is the complete correspondence to and from Franklin in which the armonica is mentioned at all, as well as a ship's log entry, and the remarkable diary entry by Elkanah Watson on Nov 19, 1781, in which he describes dining with Franklin in France, hearing Franklin play his armonica, and then their evening is interrupted with the news that the American Revolution has been won.
'PBF' refers to The Papers of Benjamin Franklin.
| Date | From | To | PBF | Subject |
|---|
| 1762, Jul 13 | BF (London) | Beccaria (Italy) | 10:126 ff | How Franklin Invented the Armonica and How To Build One | | 1762, Dec 7 | BF | William Strahan | 10:169 | "I hope he has got the Armonica in order" | | Uncertain | BF | Messrs. Huges & Co. | 10:180–182 | How To Make Armonica Glasses | | Unknown | [Grey] Cooper | Mr. Franklin at the bottom of Craven Street | 10:185 | Paying a Musical Visit | | 1763, Feb 26 | BF (Philadelphia) | Cadwallader Colden | 10:205 | "I amused myself...contriving...a new musical instrument" | | 1763, Mar 25 | BF (Philadelphia) | Mary Stevenson (London) | 10:235 | "I am vex'd with Mr. James... | | 1763, Nov 28 | BF (Philadelphia) | Jonathan Williams (Boston) | 10:383 | "The Armonica Arrived Safe" | | 1763, Dec 11 | BF (Philadelphia) | Sir Alexander Dick | 10:384 | "I play some of the softest Tunes on my Armonica.." | | 1764, Apr 24 | BF (Philadelphia) | Jonathan Williams (Boston) | 11:178–179 | "It grieves me that the Glasses are not yet come" | | 1764, Sep 1 | BF (Philadelphia) | William Strahan (London) | 11:333 | "The Musick of a new baby" | | 1764, Nov 3 | BF (Philadelphia) | Jonathan Williams | 11:426–427 | "Glasses from London" | | 1764, Nov 6 | Benjamin Humphreys | BF (Philadelphia) | 11:446 | Bill/receipt for armonica spindles | | 1765, Feb 14 | BF (London) | Deborah Franklin (Philadelphia) | 12: 64 | "Put her on Practising on the Armonica" | | 1765, Oct 6–13? | Deborah Franklin (Philadelphia) | BF (London) | 12:294 | "[T]he Blewroom has the Armoneyca" | | 1766, Apr 28 | BF (London) | Jonathan Williams (Boston) | 13:253 | "...I have not yet been able to procure one" | | 1766, Apr 28 | [Mary] Rich | BF (London) | 13:548 | A glass armonica hand-crank | | 1767, Jun–Aug | From [Mary] Rich (Grosvenor Square, London) | BF (London) | 14:204 | "Miss Davies has been performing..." | | 1767, Jul 6 | BF (London) | Rudolph Erich Raspe (Hanover) | 14:210–11 | "I wish your Artist may succeed in making the Armonica | | 1769, Jan 5 | BF | Michael Hillegas (Philadelphia) | 16: 8 | "...disappointed of your Glasses by their being broken..." | | 1769, Apr 15 | Michael Hillegas (Philadelphia) | BF (London) | 16:111 | "...am much Obliged...for the making of Glasses..." | | 1769, Nov 25 | Michael Hillegas (Philadelphia) | BF (London) | 16:236 | Still no armonica glasses | | 1771, Nov 25 | Beccaria (Turin) | BF (London) | 18:109–110 | "...your new and really harmonious harpsichord with glasses..." | | 1772, Jan 17 | William Outram (London) | (Ship's Log) | 19: 38 | "commissioned...to take care of buying and shipping a good armonica" | | 1772, Sep 28 | Count of Belgioso (London) | BF (London) | 19:305 | "...where the person lives who makes the Glasses..." | | 1772, Dec 8 | BF (London) | Jacques Barbeu-Dubourg | 19:422 | "Some on the side, some on the edge..." | | 1775, May 20 | Jonathan Williams Jr. (London) | BF (London) | 22: 49 | "the Plan of your Armonica improved..." | | 1775, Jun 7 | Jonathan Williams Jr. (London) | BF (London) | 22: 61 | Armonica repair went well | | 1778, Jan 29 | Cecilia Davies (Paris) | BF (Paris) | 25:543 | Dinner Invitation | | 1778, Jan 30 | Cecilia Davies (Paris) | BF (Paris) | 25:550 | Dinner Invitation Declined | | 1778, Sep 24 | Cecilia Davies (Paris) | BF (Paris) | 27:456 | Schmoozing Franklin | | 1778, Dec 10 (?) | BF (Passi) | Madame Brillon (Passi) | 28:215 | Paradise | | 1779, Nov 1 | Franz Mesmer | BF (Passi) | 31: 5 | Invitation | | 1779, Nov 1 | Madame Brillon (Passi) | BF (Passi) | 31: 8 | More on 'Paradise' | | 1779 (?) | BF (Passi) | Unknown | 31:311ff | "Some Directions for the Drawing out the Tone from the Glasses of the Armonica" | | 1780, Dec 10 | BF (Passi) | Madame Brillon (Passi) | 34:145 | "...he had the patience to listen to me play..." | | 1781, Nov 19 | Watson's Diary | (His diary) | 36: 73ff | Franklin plays his armonica, hears that the Revolution is won | | 1782, Jul 25 | Faesh | BF | 37:676–7 | Who is an armonica supplier? | | 1783, Jul 25 | Marianne Davies (Florence) | BF (Paris) | N/A | Appeal for help | | 1783, Oct 17 | Marianne Davies (Florence) | BF (Paris) | N/A | Another Appeal for Help | | 1784, Jul 1 | The Count de Saluces (Turin) | BF (Paris) | N/A | Keyboard Armonica | | 1784, Jul 5 | BF (Paris) | The Count de Saluces (Turin) | N/A | Keyboard Armonica | |