Inspired in the 1950s by the collection of nickelodeon pianos at Angelo Valente’s “House of Nickelodeons”, (also known as the “Mil-Arm Inn”, at the intersection of Milwaukee and Armitage in Chicago), the Sanfilippo music machine collection was started in 1978 with a small Nelson-Wiggen coin piano, a Bruder band organ, and a Welte Concert Orchestrion. The Wurlitzer opus #1571, built in 1927 for the Riviera Theatre in Omaha, has been expanded to 80 ranks of pipes. The overall result is the most versatile orchestral theatre pipe organ ever built. The carousel building, completed in 1997, is the home of the most complete example of a European salon carousel in existence – the ‘Eden Palais’ (or Eden Palace), built in 1890. The American Orchestrion Room, featuring a colorful display of some of the most beautiful art glass-front orchestrions ever made, including a Coinola SO, a Peerless Wisteria, a Peerless Arcadian with fancy carvings and hanging lamps, a Peerless Elite with flute pipes. All of the events open to the public are listed and updated regularly on the collection website, and in its E-Newsletter.
MBSI
Musical Box Society International