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Historical Authenticity The handmade harpsichords of Selway Robson are closely based on historical prototypes, and his pipe organs generally follow the style prevalent in Germany and the Netherlands around 1700. They inevitably, however, reflect his personal taste in the choice of tone colours and voicing. Pure mechanical action is always used, for the most sensitive and responsive touch, and the entire instrument – keyboards, windchests, action, wooden pipes and casework – is handmade by him. The metal pipework is made for him by Jacques Stinkens, Zeist, Holland.
RIGHT – Copy of 17th Century Italian Harpsichord [1985] |
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| BELOW L & R – Double-manual Flemish/French harpsichord assembled for The Paris
Workshop, for U.K. client Catherine Oxtoby. July 2010. | ||
| PRICE (subject to change) depends on decoration e.g. Double manual Flemish, 8'8'4' Buff in two colours + Flemish Papers + gold
leaf banding: US$ 21145 ex Cape Town. Convert: |
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A Tradition of Craftmanship Selway Robson is a craftsman who, out of preference, works with hand tools, some of which were inherited from his grandfather, Walter Selway. He makes use of locally grown timber where appropriate – there are beautiful woods available in the Cape where he lives, at the southern tip of Africa. Restoration He has frequently been entrusted to carry out restoration on antique harpsichords and pipe organs, and is a skilled repairer of stringed instruments. |
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ABOVE – Copy of Thomas Barton Spinet (c.1720) – Transposable A415/440 [1998] ABOVE RIGHT – Copy of Italian Spinetta [1981] PRICE (subject to change): US$ 4 860 ex Cape Town. Convert: RIGHT – Copy of 16th Century Italian Pentagonal Spinet [1988] RIGHT – Copy of 16th Century Fretted Clavichord [2007]. This instrument was made for Akihiko Yamanobe, Tokyo Japan BELOW – Fretted Pedal Clavichord. Instrument made for Rutgers University USA  |
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Spinet made by Selway Robson in 1973, shown here after resoration in 2011 RIGHT – Close-up of the spinet jack rail |
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Portable Italian Virginal BELOW – The shoulder bag, lightly carried by Lynne-Marie Eatwell, contains incredibly, a complete Italian Virginal including it's fold-up legs. |
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| Below right, Selway Robson is seated at the pipe organ he completed for St Norbert's Priory, (Kommetjie - Cape Town) in 1996 | |||
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Continuo Chest Organ [2000] This chest organ has been designed for continuo, but is useful for a wide range of solo music. It is easily transported owing to its compact size and low weight, and it can be carried in any position. When not in use, the keyboard can be retracted. For authenticity, foot-pumped bellows are standard, but there is provision for an external blower. |
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Specification Two of these organs were recently supplied to Akihiko Yamanobe of Tokyo Japan who wrote... "Incredible! They are super. They are more excellent than I could imagine..." PRICE (subject to change): US$ 18 575 ex Cape Town. Price includes custom made transit case by Barry Stott. Convert: |
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Chest Organ [1997]
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Chest Organ [2007] This organ was acquired by the the Norbertine Order at Grimbergen Abbey, Belgium
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Portable Chamber Organ [1997]
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House Organ [1975] This organ is one of the earliest examples of Selway Robson's work, and a permanent part of his personal collection. He recently made minor modifications to this organ. Shown to the right is the rear view of the partly dismantled instrument with the pedal action on the floor. |
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St Pauls, Faure [1981]
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RESTORATION of mid-20th century 'Positive' organ, attributed to Paul Ott. This tracker action 'positive' organ of 4 stops has recently been restored and completely revoiced by Selway Robson. It has found a new home in the Parish Church of Saints Simon and Jude, in Simon's Town. The lower case originally housed a hand-pumped bellows assembly which has been replaced by a Subbass 16' for the Pedal. The twelve largest pipes plus the pedal windchest, electric blower and new wedge-bellows regulator are all contained within a space of approximately 4'6" x 2'6" x 1'6" (1370 x 760 x 460 mm). This has been achieved by double-mitring all twelve pipes, C(1) to B(12). The remainder of the 16' uses the lowest fifteen pipes of the manual Gedackt 8' by transmission. The entire organ (4'10" x 2'10" x 7'1" high)(1420 x 860 x 2160 mm high) excluding pedalboard, is now mounted on castors for easy mobility. |
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 The restored 'Positive' Organ, originally attributed to Paul Ott |
 View showing pipework, blower and windchests |
 Close-up view of the Subbass 16' pipes, blower and Pedal windchest |
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Elegant Wooden Music Stand This unique handmade music stand of solid African Mahogany will last a lifetime. |
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It features... PRICE (subject to change): From US$ 236 ex Cape Town. Convert: |
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From Engineer to Instrument Maker As an accomplished performer, the wish to make his own instruments led Selway Robson to suspend his initial career as an electronics engineer. He had graduated from Southhampton University with an honours degree, having first obtained a mechanical engineering diploma with distinction, at the Bristol Aeroplane Technical College. To date he has completed over forty handmade instruments of the harpsichord family, as well as a dozen pipe organs. These have gone to satisfied customers worldwide, including the UK, Europe, Australia and Japan, as well as throughout Southern Africa. |
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SELWAY ROBSON Postal Address: Box 214, Noordhoek Cape 7979, South Africa Cel: +27 71 567 5241 |
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Selway Robson is the African Agent for The Paris Workshop
Mr Robson recommends Barry Stott Aluminium Cases