Automatic pianos with real violin(s), made by the Mills Novelty Company, Chicago, IL, circa 1909-1930. (Mills marketed the violin-only Automatic Virtuosa by 1906).

Coin pianos made by the Operators Piano Co., Chicago, IL, circa 1909-1912.

Four generations of family members have built and repaired portable hand-cranked organs, street organs (including the world-famous Dutch street organ “The Arab”), fairground organs, and dance organs since 1884. Business names have included Jan Verbeeck (1884-1914, Antwerp, Belgium); J. Verbeeck & Sons (Birmingham, then London, England, 1914-1949); Pierre Verbeeck (Antwerp, Belgium, 1918-1938); Verbekson (Deurne, Belgium, 1944-1947); and Verbeeck Zoon (St. Job-in-‘t-Goor, Belgium, 1965-1979). Johnny Verbeeck and his wife Marijke have operated the business in St. Job-in-‘t-Goor under the name J. Verbeeck since 1979.

Puurs, Belgium. Built and converted fairground and street organs circa 1890-1930.

Antwerp, Belgium. Acquired Mortier’s remaining parts when that firm went out of business in 1952; continued building dance organs and electronic dance organs for several years.