Harpsichord: a musical instrument similar to a piano. It was played especially in the 17th and 18th centuries.
Learned from: the short story The Garden of Time by J.G Ballard. You can read the story here.
Picked one of these up for £25 from a charity shop the other day and I am immediately in love. It is so beautiful and loud and you have to wait a few seconds after turning it on for the fan to kick in and make it work