Felix Savart (1791-1841) is probably best known for his 1820 investigation (with Biot) of the strength of a magnetic field as a function of the geometry of a wire and the current through it. But, most of his research dealt with acoustics, including the first explanation of the operation of a violin.
The edge of the cup or bell of Savart's apparatus is set into oscillation with a violin bow to produce a sound of definite pitch. The sliding piston of the resonator is then moved in and out to give the maximum amplitude of sound. Note that the relatively large diameter of the resonator gives large end corrections; the wavelength of the resonant wavelength is larger than four times the interior depth.
The Union apparatus is by the Paris firm of Lerebours et Secretan, and is listed at 400 francs in the 1853 catalogue.
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