Welte Style 5 Concert Orchestrion
Mascotte
The Mascotte organette was made by Gately Mfg. It plays a 2.5″ roll, making it one of the smallest organettes ever produced. It has 14 notes.
Symphonia
The Symphonia organette was produce by the Wilcox & White Organ Co. of Meriden, CT circa 1894. It is a 20 note reed organ.
Polly Portable
The Polly Portable Phonograph was manufactured by the Polly Portable Phonograph Company of New York around 1925.
The unusual aspect of the Polly is that it does not have reproducer nor a horn. They are replaced by 16” diameter piece of stiff paper with an approximately 45-degree wedge cut out of it. It becomes a horn by bringing the edges of the wedge together and fitting a rivet on one edge into a notch on the other. The result looks something like a small satellite dish. When not in use, the horn folds into thirds and conveniently stores inside the lid.
The paper cone produces a nice tone and has adequate volume.
Single Violano
This is a Mills Single Violano-Virtuoso. The Mills Novelty Company produced from 4,000 to 5,000 Violanos between 1914 and 1930.
Unlike most automatic instruments, Violanos operate on electricity rather than air. Holes in a scrolling paper roll cause electrical contacts, which energize solenoids to trigger piano hammers, press metal fingers on the violin neck, and lower bow wheels onto the violin strings. The violin can play 64 notes, up to four at a time; the piano has 44 notes.
