Volume 65, No. 2 March/April 2019

Mechanical Music Mechanical Music
Journal of the Musical Box Society International
Devoted to All Automatic Musical Instruments

Volume 65, No. 2 March/April 2019

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Editor/Publisher

Russell Kasselman

(253) 228-1634

editor@mbsi.org

MBSI Editorial Office:

Iron Dog Media

130 Coral Court

Pismo Beach, CA 93449

editor@mbsi.org

Publications Chair

Bob Caletti

All manuscripts will be subject to editorial
review. Articles submitted for publication may
be edited or rejected at the discretion of the
Publications Committee and the Editorial
Staff. The article will not be published with
significant changes without the authorÕs
approval. All articles are considered to be the
authorÕs personal opinion. The author may be
asked to substantiate his/her statements.

Mechanical Music

Journal of the Musical Box Society International

Devoted to All Automatic Musical Instruments

Volume 65, No. 2 March/April 2019

MBSI NEWS
5 PresidentÕs Message
7 EditorÕs Notes

56 In Memoriam

Features

8 Nickel Notes
by Matt Jaro

15 The Hunt: Charles Levy

19 An E. Karrer-Hoffman
music box restoration

36 AMICA invites you to its
annual convention

On the Cover
Tom Kuehn walks us through the
restoration of Loesche Flute and
Violin Solo Piano serial number
2753. Page 20.
Mechanical Music (ISSN 1045-795X) is published by
the Musical Box Society International, 130 Coral Court,
Pismo Beach, CA 93449 six times per year. A Directory
of Members, Museums and Dealers is published
biennially. Domestic subscription rate, $60. Periodicals
postage paid at San Luis Obispo, CA and additional
mailing offices.

Copyright 2019. The Musical Box Society International,
all rights reserved. Mechanical Music
cannot be copied, reproduced or transmitted in
whole or in part in any form whatsoever without
written consent of the Editor and the Executive
Committee.

MEMBERS: SEND ADDRESS CORRECTIONS TO:
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Or, make corrections on the website at www.mbsi.org.

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CHAPTER
REPORTS

38 Lake Michigan
41 National Capital
44 Northwest International
46 Snowbelt
48 Southeast
52 Sunbelt
54 Golden Gate

MBSI has replanted 48 trees so far as part
of the Print ReLeaf program.

Orgelmuseum Belgium

Robby Peeters (son of Luc Peeters)
tempts you to take a tour of their
mechanical music museum in
Waterloo, Belgium. Page 30.

March/April 2019 MECHANICAL MUSIC 3

The World of Mechanical Music The World of Mechanical Music
Copy this page, and give it to a potential new member. Spread the word about MBSI.

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A
fascinating hobby! It combines all the appeals of
art, history, craftsmanship, and music all into one.
Automatic music doesnÕt just sit there; it is ever
willing to perform for those who care to hear it. Play an
automatic music machine in a room full of people and all
else will stop as the machine enraptures the audience with
the sparkling melodies of yesteryear!

A ÒMusic BoxÓ is any sort of automatic music instrument
that plays music via the plucking of teeth on a tuned steel
comb through various mechanisms; musical automata;
orchestrions; player and reproducing pianos and organs;
phonographs; and self-playing stringed, wind, and percussion
instruments of any kind.

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musical instruments. Founded in 1949, it now has members
around the world, and supports various educational projects.

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New members receive a welcome letter, a Goods & Supplies
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Regional chapters and an Annual Meeting held each year
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Members receive the scholarly journal, Mechanical
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The only requirements for membership are an interest in
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4 MECHANICAL MUSIC March/April 2019

By Clay Witt

MBSI President

I hope everyone is surviving the
winter, particularly the brutal cold the

U.S. north endured, and is encouraged
that Spring, at least for those of us
in the northern hemisphere, is just
around the corner.
Ostensibly, it might seem to be a
quiet period for MBSI, but things are
going on behind the scenes. Your trustees
and I have begun planning for the
trusteesÕ mid-year meeting that will
be held in Florida in early April. Our
annual meeting team at the National
Capital Chapter continues all the hard
work necessary to put on the 2019
MBSI Annual Meeting that will be held
Aug. 27-31, 2019, in Rockville, MD, a
Washington, DC, suburb. It looks to
be a great meeting! Work at my own
chapter, the Southeast Chapter, is
already well underway for the 2021
MBSI Annual Meeting.

I am continually amazed at the selflessness
of so many of our members
everywhere as they give their time, and
sometimes a bit of their treasure, to
making the Society work smoothly for
all our mutual benefit. One of the persons
who has done so is Trustee John
Bryant. He began his trustee service in
2014 and was scheduled to serve until
2022. However, John has resigned to
concentrate on health issues. I hope

topics of interest to mechanical musical
instrument collectors. Many of
these workshops are recorded and the
videos are available on the website in
the video library in the members area.
When you log in, you will see an icon
for ÒVideo LibraryÓ to click. Videos
from the workshops at the 2018 annual
meeting have recently been added.

There is also an icon that will take
you to the MBSI Meetings Manual
in the members area of the website.
This manual lays out just about
everything a local chapter hosting
an MBSI Annual Meeting will need to
know to get the job done. We believe
that having the manual on the web
will be a plus in terms of accessibly
and it will allow us to make updates
or corrections on the fly so that members
who need the information can
always get the latest.

you will join me in thanking John for
his service to the Society and wishing
him well.

I would like to extend our collective
thanks to the East Coast Chapter for
their generous donation of $3,500 to
the MBSI Museum Committee to use
for conserving one or more pieces in
MBSIÕs collection of mechanical music
items. I would like to also encourage
all our members who have the opportunity
to visit the American Treasure
Tour Museum in Oaks, PA (near Valley
Forge). Most of our instruments are
kept there and many of our interesting
instruments can be viewed during the
museum tour.

Finally, I would like to remind
our members and friends of what a
valuable resource our MBSI website
(www.mbsi.org) is, and note that more
content is being added all the time. For
example, a great slide presentation
prepared by our Vice President ,Tom
Kuehn, for the 2018 annual meeting
will let you know who won awards
from MBSI in 2018 and it provides
information about each recipient. You
can find it by clicking on the ÒMoreÓ
menu and then on ÒMBSI NewsÓ at the
bottom of that menu.

There are special resources for
MBSI members who sign in to the
members only section of the website.
We have workshops at every annual
meeting covering a wide variety of

A Lasting Legacy In order for anything
once alive to have
meaning, its effect
must remain alive in
eternity in some way

Ð Ernest Becker, Philosopher
Throughout its history, MBSI has fostered an interest in and
preservation of automatic musical instruments. Your gift to the The Musical Box Society International
Endowment Fund will support programs that will help future is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

All donations to the Endowment

generations appreciate these achievements of manÕs creative

Fund are tax deductible.
genius. Visit www.mbsi.org to learn more.

A gift of any size is welcome.

MBSI MEMBERSHIP DRIVE
EACH ONE/REACH ONE NEW MEMBER

MBSI is always interested in increasing its membership and is pleased to offer new members a $15
discount off their rst year’s membership. You are considered a new member if you have not been a
member in the past three years. This discount is also available on our website, www.mbsi.org.

Current MBSI members who sponsor a new member will receive a $5 discount off their next year’s
MBSI membership renewal for each sponsorship. Attach a copy of the discount voucher below to a
copy of the membership application form on Page 4 of this issue of Mechanical Music. Place your
name as ÒsponsorÓ on the application form.

Please make copies of these forms as needed and send the completed forms with checks to the MBSI
administrator at the address listed below.

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DEVOTED TO ALL MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
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ORGANIZED IN 1949
DEVOTED TO ALL MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
Musical Box Society International
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Phone/Fax: (417) 886-8839
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of $60); Canadians $55 (instead of $70; and, other International
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SPECIAL OFFER: Purchase one or more rst-year MBSI gift
memberships at $45 each U.S., $55 Canadian, or $60 other International
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Please mail this form together with your check made payable to ÒMBSIÓ to the MBSI Administrator at the address listed
above. Memberships are $45 for U.S. residents, $55 for Canadian residents, and $60 for other International residents.

EditorÕs Notes EditorÕs Notes
By Russell Kasselman

MBSI Editor/Publisher

Welcome to another jam-packed
issue of Mechanical Music full of content
I canÕt wait for you to read. From
the cover story on the restoration of
Loesche Flute and Violin Solo Piano
serial number 2753 written by Society
Vice President Tom Kuehn to the short
announcement about the discovery of
two unblemished tune sheets for a cylinder
box as reported by Mechanical
Music Library International Librarian
Bill Edgerton, this issue just begs to be
read from cover to cover.

I want to thank all the writers who
contributed to making this issue the
success it is. Regular columnist Matt
Jaro takes us through the formation
and history of the Nelson-Wiggen Piano
Co. and then Charles Levy follows up
with a great story for our column ÒThe
Hunt.Ó Charles details his fortunate
finding of a French automaton maker
and gives us the story of a long-term
relationship between two families that
found a way to share a passion despite
being separated by an ocean.

Robin Biggins adds to the mix with
a piece detailing his experience finding
and restoring an E. Karrer-Hoffman
cylinder box with bells, and then
Robby Peeters, from Belgium, provides
an inviting glimpse into the museum
that he, and his father and mother
operate in the township of Westerlo. In

my opinion, anyone heading to Europe
this summer (or any summer for that
matter) should seriously consider making
a stop for a tour and what are sure
to be some good conversations with
Robby and his family.

One unique feature in this issue is
an invitation extended to MBSI members
to attend the annual convention
of AMICA, the Automatic Music
Instrument CollectorsÕ Association.
The AMICA convention is set to take
place in Seattle, WA, and looks to have
several engaging tours scheduled. So,
if you are looking for a different way
to experience mechanical music, why
not check it out.

Another neat thing to know is that
AMICA, in its May/June 2019 journal,
The AMICA Bulletin, will publish a
similar invitation for AMICA members
to attend the MBSI Annual Meeting in
Rockville, MD, later this year. We hope
to see many of them join us as well!

It seems to me this sort of partnership
and information sharing between
AMICA and MBSI can only benefit
both groups and I look forward to
what it will bring.

Speaking of sharing, I have to especially
thank all the chapter members
who serve as reporters and photographers
for the meetings. We have
reports from seven chapters in this
issue allowing you to catch a glimpse
of who your fellow Society members
are and what they do when they get

MAILING ADDRESS

MBSI Editorial/Advertising
130 Coral Court
Pismo Beach, CA 93449

EMAIL ADDRESS

editor@mbsi.org

PHONE

(253) 228-1634

together. Honestly, I wish I could
spend a couple of years just driving
around the country to attend some of
these sessions. Everyone looks to be
having so much fun.

Now, for those of you who have
sent in an article and not yet seen it
published, donÕt lose hope. I have your
articles cataloged and saved, ready
to be published at the right time to
give Mechanical Music just the right
mix of good stuff to keep everyone
interested. If you have questions or
concerns about when your article
might be published, please feel free to
contact me at your convenience.

If you are working on an idea or
even an article you would like to see
published here, get in touch with me
soon and I will be happy to collaborate
with you on making it the best
presentation of material possible.

My contact information is on this
page. I look forward to hearing from
you.

Welcome new members!
December 2018
Luke Schaedle
Benton, ME
James Spangler
Langhorne, PA
Marvin & Susie Tuchklaper
Plantation, FL
Sponsor: Joel Jancko
Paul Lindsay
Guyton, GA
Sponsor: Frank McDonald
January 2019
Kara Kovalev Michael & Debbie Falco
Columbus, NJ Shirley, NY
Keith Olesen Elaine & James Napoda
Anaheim, CA Williamsburg, VA
Jack & Robert Flanigan Ronald Strojny
New York, NY LaGrange Park, IL
Larry & Laura Lupo Frank Blondale
The Villages, FL Troy, MI
Thomas Bera
Mauston, WI

March/April 2019 MECHANICAL MUSIC 7

Nickel Notes

By Matthew Jaro

This is an age when companies
frequently split by spinning off one
of their units into a new and separate
company. Companies also own other
companies that may seem to compete
with the owning company. Key
employees may quit a company and
start their own business, taking experience
and technology with them. Wait
a minute! Is this new? Ð It happened
in the golden age of the nickelodeon.
The creation of the Nelson-Wiggen
Company and the Western Electric
Piano Company are of specific interest
to collectors. This edition of Nickel
Notes presents Ð

The Seeburg Spin-off Saga

Jan. 4, 1906 (Presto)

The Presto trade journal reports
that the Marquette Piano Co., Chicago,
IL, was incorporated with a capital of
$50,000 with Justus P. Seeburg as the
organizer. J.P. Seeburg had a thriving
business making piano actions (the
Kurtz-Seeburg Action Company in
Rockford, IL). Marquette was organized
in 1905.

Aug. 29, 1907 (Presto)

NEW COIN-OPERATED
ELECTRIC ÒCREMONAÓ PIANO

Latest Production of the Marquette
Piano Co. of Chicago Attracts
Attention Because of Its Novelty and
Self-Evident Durability.

J. P. Seeburg, superintendent and
general manager of the Marquette
Piano Company, 415-417 West
Fifteenth Street, near Blue Island
Avenue, Chicago, is highly gratified
with the success his company has
achieved in the manufacture of a
new electric player pianoÑa new
The Marquette Piano Co. factory in Chicago, IL.

departure from every previous style
of coin-operated player known. None
of the mechanism is exposed in this
new instrument, which has been
named the ÒCremona.Ó

From this you can see that J.P.
Seeburg starts making Cremona
nickelodeons. This is important to the
history of the Western Electric Piano
Co.

Sept. 26, 1907 (Presto)

J.P. wastes no time — He forms the
J.P. Seeburg Piano Company with the
express purpose of marketing the
Cremona Electric Piano. H.W. Austin
provides the capital. Seeburg continues
as general manager of Marquette
(Cremona).

Feb. 6, 1908 (Presto)

J.P. Seeburg resigns from the Marquette
Piano Company.
Dec. 3, 1908 (Presto)

J.P. Seeburg announces that the J.P.
Seeburg Piano Company will handle
lines of other makers than Marquette.
Oct. 21, 1909 (Presto)

The J.P. Seeburg Company opens a

8 MECHANICAL MUSIC March/April 2019

Inside the Marquette Piano Co. factory.

Cremona from the Smythe collection.
Note original clear beveled window in
bottom board, likely intended for an
exposition.

factory to make their own machines.

ÒWe have not chosen a name for our
player piano,Ó said Mr. Seeburg to a
Presto representative Monday, Òbut
will probably call it the J. P. Seeburg
player piano. I am not very fond of
the names ending in ÔolaÕ because so
many of them sound alike, confusing
the buyer. ÒThe factory is running. We
put in some machinery last week and
are installing more machinery this
week. Oscar Nelson and P. Wiggen
are in charge of the factory, which is
on Clybourn Avenue near Division
Street. Our coin-operated electric
pianos are well known and our player
pianos will soon have a very wide
sale.Ó

Oscar Nelson and Peter Wiggen
would form the Nelson-Wiggen

company years later, but now they are
really in charge of things for Seeburg.

Oct. 25, 1911 (Music Trade Review)

Mr. Seeburg, himself a practical
action, piano and player manufacturer,
is extremely exacting as to the
quality of his product, and his watchword
is that of constant improvement
and advancement. He has had able
lieutenants in the development of the
Seeburg coin-controlled piano.

Oscar Nelson, superintendent of the
Seeburg factory, and Peter Wiggen,
the assistant superintendent, are both
young men in point of years, but old
in practical experience. Mr. Nelson
was for years connected with large
western factories, and for several
years prior to going with the Seeburg
Co. at the inception of its business
had specialized on player and electric
piano construction. Mr. Wiggen, like
many player experts, gained his fundamental
knowledge of pneumatics

March/April 2019 MECHANICAL MUSIC 9

in the building of pipe organs, and
from this graduated into the field of
player construction some years ago.
These men, working in conjunction
with Mr. Seeburg, are continually
developing additional improvements
and devices, and the records of the
United States Patent Office furnish
constant evidence of the creative work
being done in the Seeburg factory.

Did Mr. Seeburg realize he had
future competitors in his midst?

Dec. 12, 1914 (Music Trade Review)

Oscar Nelson and P. Wiggen are
practical pneumatic and mechanical
experts of long experience, and have
from the first worked in co-operation
with Mr. Seeburg in the creation of
the Seeburg instruments and in the
perfecting of the factory equipment
and organization. They are both
financially interested in the company.

Aug. 24, 1918 (Music Trade Review)

Oscar Nelson in Hospital

Oscar Nelson, superintendent of the

J. P. Seeburg Piano Co.Õs factory, was
operated upon for appendicitis on
Wednesday of last week in the Columbus
Hospital of this city. For a time
Mr. NelsonÕs condition was serious,
but owing to the excellent work of the
attending surgeons he was brought
through the crisis in an excellent
manner and is now on the road to
rapid recovery. It is not expected that
Mr. Nelson will be able to resume his
duties as factory superintendent at
the Seeburg plant for at least a month.
Jun. 5, 1919 (Presto)

Now things start moving pretty fast.
The headline is

J. P. SEEBURG CO.
CHANGES OWNERS
Sale of the Industry Which Has
Grown to Large Proportions in Chicago
in Phenomenally Short Time, Is
One of the WeekÕs Interesting Items.

J. P. Seeburg Piano Company has
bought out the Seeburg interests in
that concern, whose well known and
prosperous factory is at 413-419 West
Erie Street, Chicago. In other words, J.

P. Seeburg has sold out. It is his intention
to devote his time and talents to
manufacturing pianos, including
the Marshall piano, as Presto said
in a recent issue. The purchasers of
the Seeburg interests in the Seeburg
Piano Co. are H. W. Austin, who has
been elected secretary and treasurer;
Henry Hogans is the new president;
O. Nelson, the former superintendent,
who is the vice-president and general
manager, and Peter Wiggen, who is
the superintendent.

The New Owners.

Mr. Wiggen and Mr. Nelson take
two-thirds of the stock, and the rest is
to be held in the treasury temporarily.
The four gentlemen mentioned are
the stockholders. Mr. Nelson, who
has succeeded Mr. Seeburg to the
active management, when seen this
(Thursday) morning at his office by
a Presto representative, said: ÒWe
will continue making the lines of

10 MECHANICAL MUSIC March/April 2019

J.P. Seeburg
goods that the Seeburg Company has
been manufacturing. There will be
no change, but we will continue the
business and work it up to the highest
efficiency.Ó

Mr. Hogans is not going to be
actively engaged in the conduct of the
business. As Mr. SeeburgÕs successor,
Mr. Nelson brings into the office
familiarity with all the details of
Seeburg manufacture, having been
formerly superintendent of the factory.
He knows all the economies; he
will take care of the customers in the
right way. He has been connected with
the concern since it was organized.
It was Mr. Wiggen and Mr. Nelson,
who originated the Seeburg automatic-
devices on which the patents were
secured that have proved such great
successes for the house.

Mr. SeeburgÕs New Industry.

Several weeks ago it was announced
that Mr. Seeburg had organized a
new company, to be known as the
Marshall Piano Company, for the
purpose of manufacturing player
pianos. It was then known to this
paper that the change here referred
to was in contemplation. In fact, Mr.
Seeburg actually made an offer for
the ÒEverettÓ piano with a view to
manufacturing that instrumentÑbut
meantime the Everett had been withdrawn
as a possible purchase. Later
it was announced that the new enterprise
would be conducted by Marshall
Seeburg, son of the well-known

Chicago manufacturer. It now seems
that the purpose was, as Mr. Seeburg
has since said, to procure a going
business for his son, who recently
returned from overseas. There is, of
course, no connection between the J.P.
Seeburg Piano Company and the new
Marshall Piano Company.

Dear reader, do you really believe
there is no connection? Ð Read on.

Jan. 15, 1920 (Presto)

Nelson is still an officer of the See-
burg Co. into 1920:

THE SEEBURG EXHIBIT.

The Seeburg style X will be especially
featured by the J. P. Seeburg
Piano Co., Chicago, at the Bush Terminal
Building, New York, during the
week of the annual conventions of the
music trade organizations. The display,
which will be made particularly
attractive to dealers, will be in charge
of Oscar Nelson, vice-president and
general manager of the company.
Other officials will also attend.

Jun. 19, 1920 (Presto)
Oscar Nelson is general manager
of the J.P. Seeburg Piano Company
and Walter Hogans (HenryÕs son) is
wholesale sales manager. Walter is in
charge when Oscar is on vacation.

Aug. 7, 1920 (Presto)

Guess what? — J.P. Seeburg buys
back his own company.

MERGER OF THE TWO
SEEBURG INDUSTRIES

J. P. Seeburg Piano Co. and Marshall
Piano Co. Combined Under Control of
the Founder of Both Industries.
The combination of the J. P.
Seeburg Piano Co. and the Marshall
Piano Co., which has been generally
talked about for three weeks past, has
been consummated. Mr. Seeburg, who
established both of the industries, will
head the coalition, and the new Marshall
instruments will be continued.
The chief activity of the industry will
be the production of electric pianos.
Mr. Seeburg has made a record as a
successful manufacturer and there
can be no question of the still greater

progress of the combined industry.
The officers of the company will be: J.

P. Seeburg, president; Walter Hogans,
secretary, and N. Marshall Seeburg,
secretary.
Now J.P. has a piano company so he
wonÕt have to buy pianos from Gram,
Hadoroff or Seybold anymore for the
Seeburg machines and he has control
of his old company back. Notice that
Walter Hogans is now secretary of the
company. This is probably a misprint
since Henry Hogans is listed as Secretary
in other 1921 articles. But what
happened to Oscar Nelson and Peter
Wiggen? Was there an argument? Did
these guys take the opportunity to
cash out?

Jan. 8, 1921 (Presto)

O. NELSONÕS NEW
ENTERPRISE.
A new repair and player piano
rebuilding industry has been
established by O. Nelson, for a time
president of the J. P. Seeburg Piano
Co. Mr. Nelson is an expert player
man whose experience perfectly
fits him for the undertaking he has
assumed. His place of business is at
208 Sigel Street, Chicago. It seems
almost unfortunate, however, that
Mr. Nelson has chosen a name for
his enterprise which has long been
in use by a Boston company. It is the
National Piano Company. Mr. Nelson
is already doing a good business in
the repairing line.

Nelson is definitely out of the See-
burg Piano Company.

Feb. 5, 1921 (Music Trades)

Numatone Mfg. Co. Launched

CHICAGO, Feb. 2.-The Numatone
Mfg. Co. has been incorporated
under Illinois laws with a capital
of $100,000 to manufacture the
Numatone, an electric motor and
reproducer for player-pianos. The
factory will be in Cincinnati and the
executive offices and salesrooms on
the fifth floor of the Republic Building,
Chicago. Oscar Nelson, former
vice-president and manager of the J.

March/April 2019 MECHANICAL MUSIC 11

Oscar Nelson

P. Seeburg Piano Co., and P. Wiggens,
former superintendent of the Seeburg
factory, will have charge of the manufacturing
end.
Notice that the player piano repair
business did not last very long. By
May, Nelson moves to Cincinnati,
because of a takeover involving Numatone
(Smith and Nixon Corp.).

Feb. 11, 1922 (Music Trade Review)

Oscar Nelson Resigns

Oscar Nelson has resigned as
superintendent of the factory of the
Smith & Nixon Corp. He has not yet
announced his plans for the future,
Mr. Nelson is one of the best-known
factory men in the West and has
experience in all lines of piano manufacture,
although he specialized for
a number of years in the production
of coin controlled instruments.

Jul. 8, 1922 (Music Trade Review)

Now Oscar Nelson makes his big
move —

ENTER COIN-OPERATED
FIELD

Nelson-Wiggins Piano Co. Orga

nized With Manufacturing Plant in

Chicago

CHICAGO, III., July 5.ÑOscar

Nelson and P. Wiggins, well-known

manufacturers in the automatic

instrument field here, have organized
the Nelson-Wiggins Piano Co., and
will manufacture coin-operated pianos
and orchestrions in a factory at
224 North Sheldon street, which they
occupied on July 1.

Notice that the name ÒWiggenÓ was
spelled as ÒWigginsÓ. Old man Seeburg
must be throwing a fit now that his old
managers have betrayed him.

Jul. 29, 1922 (Music Trade Review)

This photo of Oscar Nelson and Peder
Wiggen appeared in the Music Trade
Review on July 22, 1922.

Nov. 18, 1922 (Music Trade Review)

Nelson-Wiggen Now Shipping

The Nelson-Wiggen Piano Co., after
preparations lasting for some months,
have made their first shipment of
automatic instruments. Before many
more weeks have passed they hope to
be running on schedule time. So far
they have announced three models of
coin-operated instruments, namely,
the Piano Grand, the Harp-O-Grand
and the Dance-O-Grand.

The Piano Grand is their Style
No. 1 and the instrument upon
which they have earliest attained
production. It is a piano and mandolin
combination. Speaking of this
instrument President Oscar Nelson
says: ÒIt is offered to the public for the
reason that there are many keepers
of small restaurants and ice cream
parlors who are not in the market
for large coin-operated instruments
because these take up too much room,
but, nevertheless, are ready for a
small- instrument, incorporating a
quality as high as that of the larger
instrument.

ÒWe have combined all the quality
that can be put in the large size piano
in this Piano Grand and can assure
those who use it of maximum musical
results in a minimum of space.
ÒThis piano is finished in very attractive
veneer of two distinctly different
kinds. Probably the Nelson-Wiggen
Piano Co. is one of the first to incorporate
two-tone veneer effect in a piano,
although this has long been practiced
with certain of the well-known furniture
manufacturers.Ó

Nov. 3, 1923 (Music Trade Review)

Excellent Results During
First Year

The Nelson-Wiggen Piano Co. has
every reason to be satisfied with the
result of twelve months on the market,
as Mr. Oscar Nelson, president of
the company, remarked the other
day. The company is selling all it
can make and the output is being
steadily increased. This output is
really remarkable, considering the
short time the company has been in
existence, and could not have been
accomplished had it not been for the
wide experience and acquaintance in
the trade of the members of the house.
One of the minor, but really quite
important, features of the product
is the new banjo attachment, which
gets a very realistic effect. It is the
joint invention of Messrs. Nelson and
Wiggen and has been duly patented.

Aug. 15, 1925 (Music Trades)
One of the most well-known

machines from Nelson-Wiggen was

the Style 4-X. Here is its debut:

NEW NELSON-WIGGEN
ORCHESTRA INSTRUMENT
MAKES ITS DEBUT

Style Just Placed on Market
Contains Piano, Banjo Attachment,
Xylophone, Snare Drum and Triangle-:-
Available in Four Finishes

CHICAGO, Aug. 11.-The
Nelson-Wiggen Piano Co. here, manufacturer
of automatic pianos and
home player-pianos, has just placed
on the market a new Nelson-Wiggen
Orchestra, known as Style 4 X. It
contains a piano, banjo attachment,

12 MECHANICAL MUSIC March/April 2019

xylophone, snare drum and triangle
and is put out in beautiful mahogany,
walnut, mission oak or silver gray
oak to fit the more exacting needs of
better class places of amusement and
stores.

The new orchestra is sixty-two
inches in height, forty-six inches in
width and twenty-three inches in
depth. It is so compact that it will fit
into almost any convenient corner.

While the Style 4 X was only recently
announced to the trade, Oscar Nelson,
president of the Nelson-Wiggen Piano
Co., reports much interest among

dealers. Especially is interest being
shown in the various finishes which
make the instrument adaptable to
any surroundings.

A small special two-page catalog
telling about the various features
of the new instrument is being sent
dealers.

May 15, 1929 (Presto)

A NELSON-WIGGEN ITEM.

It is announced that the Nel

son-Wiggen Piano Co., manufacturers

of automatic pianos and organs, will

move their factory and headquarters
to Rockford, Ill., and become more
closely associated with the Haddorff
Piano Co. of that city. This evidently
signifies that the Nelson-Wiggen line
of automatic pianos will be entirely
produced at the Haddorff factory.

Early 1930
The Nelson-Wiggen Piano Co.

ceases its business activities. I havenÕt

been able to determine the exact date

because the trade journals generally

didnÕt report bad news for the industry.
What ever happened to Henry and

Walter Hogans, the officers of the

original Seeburg Piano Company?

Oct. 22, 1921 (Music Trade Review)

Smith Unit Organ Co.
Incorporates

The Smith Unit Organ Co., of
Chicago, has been incorporated with
a capital stock of $100,000 and factory
at Ô415-419 W. Erie Street. The
officers are Henry Hogans, president;

F. W. Smith, vice-president; Walter J.
Hogans, secretary and treasurer. The
company will manufacture the Smith
Unit organ.
Later, the company is renamed to

the Geneva Organ Company after

moving to Geneva, Illinois.

Dec. 8, 1928 (Music Trade Review)

Henry Hogans, President

Geneva Organ Co., Dies

GENEVA, III., December 5.ÑHenry
Hogans, president of the Geneva
Organ Co. and one of the leading
members of the organ industry,
passed away at his home here. Mr.
Hogans was sixty-nine years old
and has long been identified with
the organ business. In addition to
his widow and three daughters he
is survived by three sons, who are
Charles, Walter and Harry. His sons
are associated with the Geneva Organ
Co., having been carefully trained in
pipe-organ building by their father,
who was a master craftsman. They
hold important executive positions
in the business and will carry on the
affairs of the company.

March/April 2019 MECHANICAL MUSIC 13

Notice that there is no mention
of their involvement in the Seeburg
enterprises. Was this a period that
they would rather forget?

The story of the Western Electric
Piano Company is another story and
best left for another time, but J.P.
SeeburgÕs involvement with Marquette
(Cremona) played a large part.

I wish to acknowledge the assistance
of Art Reblitz with this article.

As always, emails are always welcome.
My email address is mjaro@
verizon.net

Email Matt Jaro at mjaro@verizon.
net if you would like any information
about style ÒAÓ, ÒGÓ, Ò4XÓ, ÒHÓ or ÒOÓ rolls.
Also, comments and suggestions for this
column will be appreciated.

Reprinted with permission of the
author and The Automatic Musical
Instrument CollectorsÕ Association
(AMICA). Originally printed in the January/
February 2013 issue of The AMICA
Bulletin.

The Music Box Makers, The History of the Music Box in Ste. Croix

Jean-Claude PiguetÕs compilation of two separate works chronicles the development of the musical
box industry in the Saint-Croix region of Switzerland. Beginning in the early 1800s before mass
communication and electricity were common and continuing through to the age of assembly lines,
this fascinating story describes the erratic fortunes of the people who were involved, their companies,
and the social and economic climate they endured. An outstanding and important work,
originally in French, now in English. Original Price: $77.50

SPECIAL: $10 PPD U.S.A.

The Golden Anniversary Book

A pictorial and editorial walk through 50 years of
MBSI. This is a 240 page hardcover treasure of
over 800 photos and 58,000 words. It is a must for
every member, new and old, of MBSI.
Original Price: $35.00

SPECIAL: $10 PPD U.S.A.

MBSI Pins

Proudly wearing your MBSI Pin shows your
membership in the society and will encourage
conversation about mechanical music.

$5 PPD U.S.A.

Order Online at
www.mbsi.org
Or send your order to: Administrator, P.O.
Box 10196, Springeld, MO 65808-0196
All prices here include U.S. Media Mail postage. Make
checks payable to MBSI, or Musical Box Society
International
Additional shipping charges for 1st class U.S. or airmail
foreign shipments are shown on the checkout page.
For other shipping options or quantity pricing, please
email info2008@mbsi.org.
Prices subject to change.
14 MECHANICAL MUSIC March/April 2019

The Hunt
Column Graphic by Mary Clegg
By Charles Levy
Photos courtesy Charles Levy
The Hunt
Column Graphic by Mary Clegg
By Charles Levy
Photos courtesy Charles Levy
As a lover and collector of musical
automata, I am always looking for an
opportunity to add to my collection
and to observe interesting automata
owned by other collectors or ones
available for view in museums.

A number of years ago, just prior to
a planned trip to France, I read Mary
HilyerÕs book entitled ÒAntique Toys
and AutomataÓ and was interested
to learn of the existence of a couple,
Messr. and Madame Farkas who lived
in a village near Brittany in France.
The FarkasÕ had, before their retirement,
manufactured small musical
automata that they distributed and
sold primarily in France. The items
were very popular.

On an impulse, and still a few days
before my wife Lydia, and I were
scheduled to depart for France,
I decided to write to Messr. and
Madame Farkas. I did not know their
street address but simply addressed
the envelope to them at the village in
which they were reported to live.

When I arrived at my hotel in France,
I was surprised to find a letter, written
in French, awaiting me. The hotel
concierge obliged and translated. It
was an invitation from the Farkas to
visit their home in Brittany.

Since my wife and I planned to
travel to Normandy to tour the World
War II invasion beaches, it was easy
to route the trip through Brittany.
When we talked about it, my wife suggested
we not accept the invitation,

pointing out that we were on a very
tight schedule. She felt that the stop
Òcould take all morning.Ó I, however,
was very excited about meeting
Messr. and Madame Farkas
and assured her that the
time spent would not be Òall
morning.Ó

Indeed, it was
morning; it was all day and
we look back upon it now
as one of the most pleasant,
delightful and memorable
days we spent.

As planned,
I reached the
square early in the morning,
Messr. Farkas was
waiting for me in his
previously described
automobile
wearing the blue
beret that the
invitation had
stated he would be wearing.
When I signaled to
him, he immediately
knew who I was
and indicated
for me to follow
him, which
we did.

Fortunately
for all of us,
Messr. and
Madame
Farkas had
a next-door

not all
when
village
and a
neighbor, a gentleman who was literate
in both English and French, and
served as an excellent interpreter.
The interpreter and his wife lived in
a most interesting home, a low
slung, stone house, set at the
immediate side of the ocean,
which at an earlier time had

served as a facility at which oysters
were shucked.

Messr. and Madame Farkas
had the most interesting of
homes. It was actually a home
museum together. On
the first floor the museum
consisted, primarily, of toys
of Marie AntoinetteÕs children.
A lovely, quaint and
comfortable living quarters
occupied the second floor.
Lydia and I spent a great
deal of time observing
and playing with the toys
that, before their motherÕs
head was removed
from her royal body,
had entertained Marie

AntoinetteÕs children.
While touring the

An example of one
of the automata
produced by Messr.
Farkas that is now
proudly in the Levy
collection.

March/April 2019 MECHANICAL MUSIC 15

museum, and to show what a great
history buff I was, I stated that ÒI
remember Marie Antoinette Ð it was
she who said Òlet them eat cake.Ó

Messr. Farkas reacted visibly and
negatively when the interpreter
translated for him. He claimed that I
Òchanged history.Ó When he saw how
puzzled I looked, he explained that
Marie Antoinette had not said Òlet
them eat cakeÓ but instead Messr.
Farkas claims she had stated Òlet them
eat brioche.Ó

The remainder of the day was
spent touring the local area enjoying
both lunch and dinner at which the
Farkases explained, through the interpreter,
that they had spent many years
making small musical automata and
were now retired from the business.
They had one or two of the automata
they had produced available for
viewing.

I was intrigued. I asked the Farkases
the total different styles of automata
they had manufactured and the
response was 16. I asked if they would
be able to manufacture all 16 for me
so that I could purchase them.

They were quite surprised and
pleased. However, they said they
had retired and did not want to go
back into the business. After a bit of
coaxing, Messr. Farkas said that he
felt that, from time to time, it would
interest him to again make an automata
and as he did, he would sell them
to me.

At that time, pre-Euro, the franc was
at the astronomical high of 91/2 francs
to the United States dollar. Since the
rate was favorable to me, I feared the
opportunity would fade and asked
Messr. Farkas if I could pay him, that
day, for all 16 automata I hoped he
would manufacture. He insisted he did
not want to undertake that much of a
commitment and he declined my offer
to prepay.

Over the years, we received communications
from the Farkases that they
had manufactured an automata or
two for us. Lydia and I were then frequently
visiting Europe and we would
schedule a stop in Paris. Messr. and
Madame Farkas or, on one occasion,
Messr. Farkas alone, would journey to
Paris. We would have a very pleasant

A second example of a Farkas-made automatons in the Levy collection.

More examples of the wonderful craftsmanship of the Farkases.

16 MECHANICAL MUSIC March/April 2019

A third Farkas-made automaton in the Levy collection.

The automata on the upper left and lower right in this image
were both made by the Farkases.

Intricate details and vibrant colors show the skill and careful
attention paid to these works by the Farkases.

lunch. He would present the automata
or two he had manufactured and I
would, of course, pay him.

Approaching the mid-1990s, when
Malibu, CA, was afflicted with fires
and then mudslides, we received a
letter from the Farkases inquiring as
to whether we had avoided these two
tragedies of nature or whether we had
been included in them. I was able to

respond that we had not been affected
by either the fires or mudslides but
that, unfortunately, our Santa Monica
home had been destroyed in the
January 1994 Northridge earthquake.
They responded with a very kind
letter expressing their sympathies and
wishing us well.

Not long after that, I was advised
that the Farkases had passed away

and their collection had been sold
at auction that I had known nothing
about.

Although I have gone on to collect
much larger and more important
automata, I still retain the automata
we purchased from the Farkas in our
collection and they always bring back
fond memories when I look at them
and play them for our guests.

March/April 2019 MECHANICAL MUSIC 17

Interesting Tidbits

William H. Edgerton, Mechanical
Music Library International librarian,
wrote in recently to report a donation
by Dave Bowers of two original
tune sheets for a Mermod Sublime
Harmonie-Piccolo cylinder box that
are in good condition and ready to
be Òre-homedÓ to someone that has a
cylinder box that plays the tunes.

The tune sheets measure 11-inches

wide by 71/4-inches high and they have
no holes, so they were never applied
to a lid. The first has a serial number
of 118478 and the second is serial
number 118479. Both sheets have six
airs, 36 lignes and 25 pouces at the top.

The first program is ÒLohengrin,
Invitation to the Dance.Ó It is hard to
read, but it appears to be ÒLoin du Bal,
Mignon,Ó and ÒSerenadeÓ of Schubert.

The second is ÒKunztler Leben,Ó
ÒCloches de Corneville,Ó ÒCarmen,Ó
ÒEstudiantina,Ó ÒDonauwellen,Ó and
ÒLes ???eaux.Ó

The tune sheets will be provided at
no charge, postage paid to the right
person.

Contact William at (203) 857-0240 or
by email at wedgerton@aol.com.

An E. Karrer-Hoffmann Musical Box

Story and Photos By Robin Biggins

I recently had an opportunity to
restore an unusual musical box, and
I thought it interesting enough to
document some of its features, since
machines of this make are quite rare.

In 1999 a comprehensive article
about this maker was submitted by
David Snelling (now deceased) to the
Musical Box Society of Great Britain
(MBSGB). It was published in two
parts: The Music Box volume 19-1-10
and The Music Box volume 19-2-36. In
order to avoid repeating all the information
David discovered and archived
via the MBSGB, I will just point out
some of the more interesting features
of this box.

There seems to have been some

family deviousness during the early
days of the manufacturing of Karrer
musical boxes. Rudolph Karrer married
Elise Hoffmann in 1868 and they
branched out with their own company
in 1880.

English Provisional Patent No. 3241
of Aug. 7, 1880 states that the inventor
was E.K. Hoffmann, whereas United
States Patent No. 241,373 was issued
on May 10, 1881 and lists the inventor
as Rudolph Karrer. So that is how
the E. Karrer-Hoffmann brand came
about. The basic provision of the
patents is the concentric direct spring
drive of the cylinder by a weaker than
normal spring mounted on the left
hand end of the machine, and wound
by a lever connected to a large gear
to increase the rotational moment.

The winding gear is clearly stamped
with ÒE. Karrer-Hoffmann, Teufenthal,
Suisse.Ó There is a female Geneva
stop-work mounted on the spring
barrel that limits 12 revolutions of the
mainspring barrel.

This machine is serial number 6433,
which is earlier than any of the eight
attributed machines discovered by
David Snelling, and the date is probably
1881. The cylinder is 20.5 centimeters
by 6.5 centimeters diameter, which is
a bit larger than Ònormal.Ó It plays six
tunes and has six engraved bells (all
with different patterns). The bells are
struck by beautifully decorated bees.
The accompanying photos show the
features. The tune sheet is similar to
number 202 in the MBSGB Tune Sheet
book.

March/April 2019 MECHANICAL MUSIC 19

The
Resurrection
of Lazarus

Also known as the restoration of
Loesche Flute and Violin Solo
Piano serial number 2753

Story and Photos By
Thomas Kuehn

This is the story of how an instrument that was dead,
really beyond dead, was resurrected and now functions,
looks, and sounds much like it did when new.

Not much is known about this instrumentÕs early history.
It was constructed in the shop of Paul Loesche in Leipzig,
Germany, most likely in the early to mid 1920s. It is a later
design than many existing Loesche instruments in that
it has a relatively simple two-tier stack for playing the
piano and a separate vacuum control box mounted above
the pump just below the keybed. The piano plate is not
marked PL for Paul Loesche as in many instruments but is
attributed to Gerbstaedt.

In addition to the piano with mandolin rail, this instrument
contained three ranks of pipes imitating a violin, flute
and clarinet. This piano was most likely used somewhere
in Belgium as it survived the ravishes of World War II and
may have been kept alive by playing music rolls manufactured
in Belgium after the German factory ceased roll
production.

Eventually, the instrument was imported to the U.S.
and given a second life by converting it to play American
G-rolls. The conversion included removing the entire
spoolbox shelf and all its components, except the mandolin
rail pneumatic, and replacing it with two pieces of angle
iron that supported a G-roll spool frame. An electric motor
replaced the original air motor to drive the roll frame. Bass
and snare drums were added as were an instrument cluster

that contained a triangle, tambourine, wood block and
castanets. The owner was someone named Moore. Then,
sometime after the conversion to G-rolls, the machine
went through a fire. The heat was most intense in the
upper right-hand side based on the damage observed on
the surviving pipework. Of course, the water used to douse
the fire caused additional damage.

Galen Bird purchased the remains at an auction in Tulsa,
OK. Having faith that it could be restored, he had Loun M.
Crawford of Clay Center, KS, install new sides for the case,
and fabricate a replica top, front and rear panels, and an
upper front assembly with blanks roughed out for some
of the carvings but no mirrors or lamps. Galen also began
the construction of a replica three-rank pipe chest, had a
replacement set of flute pipes made and began to acquire
other necessary missing components. Eventually, Galen
and Linda decided to move to the St. Louis, MO, vicinity
from their home near Kansas City, KS, and were willing to
sell the instrument along with two other partially-restored
Loesche pianos and miscellaneous Loesche parts and rolls
in a package deal.

This is where your author joined the story by purchasing
the three Loesche pianos and parts with the ultimate intent
of completing the restoration of all three. The one that
had been in the fire was quite a sight. Some might have
seen it as a Òdiamond in the roughÓ while others would
simply see a Òpiece of junk.Ó I was definitely in the Òdiamond
in the roughÓ group. As a mechanical engineer with
an inquisitive mind who likes to take on challenges, this
seemed to me to be an intriguing challenge. As every part
of the piano needed attention I had no reservations about
taking everything apart and starting over. In fact, some of
the disassembly work had already been done by the fire,
some components had literally fallen apart which resulted
in some pieces being identified as missing. Other parts
required more persuasion to disassemble as their screws
had rusted in place.

The good news was that most of the major components
had survived the fire and been retained albeit with significant
damage. These included the entire piano, electric
motor, pump and vacuum control box under the keybed,
the piano playing stack, the upper valve chest with the lock
and cancel and tremolo mechanisms, the electric switch
panel, all the clarinet pipes, some of the flute and violin
pipes, and various small parts. Figure 1 shows the pump
assembly as received in the bottom of the case. The main
components missing were the spoolbox shelf and its components
including the spoolbox itself, the pipe chest and
many pipes. All the original lead tubing was gone and had
been replaced with rubber tubing. Also missing were most
of the vacuum and pressure connecting conduits. The fire
had occurred many years prior to the purchase so no burnt
smell was evident.

The first task was to remove the pump assembly and clean
out the debris in the bottom of the case while identifying
and salvaging useful parts. A photo taken after the pump
had been removed is shown in Figure 2. Bits of charred
interior components and ash covered the bottom of the

Figure 1: The pump assembly as received in the bottom of the
case.

Figure 2: Instrument undergoing disassembly and cleaning.

case. Other components were also removed and carefully
photographed before any disassembly. The piano keys,
action, strings and soundboard were nearly all accounted
for with the exception of a few dampers and one extension
mounted on the rear of the keys. My thought going forward
was, if the piano can be restored, the rest of it should be
restorable also.

March/April 2019 MECHANICAL MUSIC 21

Figure 3: Piano and case ready to send to piano restorer.

Fortunately, most of the components
retained their original, factory
parts such as pouches, valves, leather
and cloth so it could be seen how the
instrument had been constructed,
although everything was in sad condition.
Not much had been changed
except the replacement of the components
on the spoolbox shelf and the
addition of the percussion.

To complete the front of the case,
the beveled mirrors and carvings
were needed. Gene Buck, who
operates a small wood carving shop
near Eau Claire, WI, was approached
about carving the roughed-out wood
blanks provided by Mr. Crawford that
included the dagger and shield molding
around the top, the top of the front
posts, and some other small sections.
Additional carvings were needed

around the oval mirrors and installed
on various locations on the front. One
original carving was on hand for most
of what was needed but not for the
top gallery. Dean Junker had restored
a nearly identical instrument for the
Music House Museum in Acme, MI,
and kindly sent closeup photos of the
carving needed on top. Ricky Diggs in
California was contracted to provide
these missing carvings. All carvings
were made using white oak. White
Bear Glass was given the task of
providing a new set of beveled glass
mirrors for the front.

The main case and piano was
stripped of all player components as
shown in Figure 3 and sent to AckermanÕs
Piano in Burnsville, MN. They
have experience with restoration of
pianos that have survived fires so

this piano was not an entirely new
experience for them. They completely
disassembled the piano and case and
began to work from the ground up.
The piano soundboard was badly
damaged so they had an entirely new
soundboard fabricated with the correct
ribs and bridges. The plate was
cleaned and regilded and a new pin-
block installed. The only original parts
retained on the harp were the plate
and the beams on the back. Most of
the action parts were replaced except
for the mounting brackets and some
of the rails. The keys were cleaned
up with new keytops added and the
bushings replaced.

As the case needed to be stained and
finished, two matching roll storage
cabinets were designed and built, one
for each side, and finished to match.

22 MECHANICAL MUSIC March/April 2019

Figure 4: Completed piano and case.

March/April 2019 MECHANICAL MUSIC 23

Figure 5: Pipe chest parts.

The shelves were designed to be
removable and could be inverted, one
side flat for rolls in boxes, the other
had wooden ribs that supported rolls
on spools.

The completed carvings were
supplied to AckermanÕs before the
staining began so they could be
attached and finished along with the
rest of the case. The mirrors were
added later using similar techniques
as in the original instrument with
cardboard and thin wood panels covering
the rear side. The only remaining
item needed on the exterior was the
hanging lamps. Some original lamps
were purchased in Germany, cleaned
up, rewired and installed with some
old glass beaded fringe.

This completed the restoration
of the piano and the exterior of the
case as shown in Figure 4 (previous
page). The piano could now be played
manually as a very large, fancy upright
but the ultimate goal was to bring it
back to its original automatic playing
condition.

As the pipe chest had disappeared,
a replica began by Galen was completed.
Fortunately, an unrestored

Figure 6: Bottom of completed pipe chest.

original three-rank chest from an early parts necessary and Figure 6 is a view
Loesche orchestrion was on hand in of the underside of the completed
the shop from another instrument chest showing how three valves, one
that was used to help determine the for each rank of pipes, are controlled
details. Figure 5 shows some of the by a single pneumatic using a wooden

24 MECHANICAL MUSIC March/April 2019

Figure 7 (above): Air motor parts. Figure 8 (below): Completed replacement air
motors.

connecting arm. By eliminating false
motion and minimizing the travel of
these components, very fast repetition
could be achieved.

A set of old violin pipes from an
unknown orchestrion was purchased
from Germany. They were in good
condition but needed some cleaning
up by sanding and refinishing the
exterior and polishing the freins and
tuning slides. A regulating screw was

added to the foot of each similar to
those used in the original Loesche
pipes which facilitated regulation.
Regulating screws are not present
on the pipes of most German orchestrions
but make regulation a very
simple task. The rank of replica flute
pipes included in the initial purchase
of the instrument had regulating
screws already installed by the pipe
manufacturer. The clarinet pipes will

be discussed later.

A fortunate event occurred that
helped to complete the missing
parts. Loesche Flute and Violin Solo
Piano, serial number 2744, became
available for purchase. This is nearly
a twin to the one being restored as
they are nearly identical internally
and the serial numbers are very
close. Although this instrument also
needed significant restoration work
and had been largely disassembled,
it contained nearly everything that
serial number 2753 lacked. So, the
decision was made to purchase the
other instrument as well and complete
both. This benefited both instruments
as, for example, 2753 had all original
valves whereas those in 2744 had been
replaced with American player piano
valves and pouches. The key cover
with the brass inlay was missing from
2744 but 2753 had the original cover
and inlay as shown in Figure 3.

The main advantage of having
2744 on hand was that it had the
original spool box shelf with all the
components except the air motor.
Fortunately, an original Loesche spool
box was located and purchased in Germany.
Although it had been installed
on a different style instrument, without
pipes, it could readily be modified.
However, it was missing the tracker
bar assembly so Ralph Schultz was
asked to fabricate a replica tracker bar
for it by copying the one from Loesche
2744. This was quite a challenge but
he was successful and also fabricated
several steel parts that were missing
by copying originals from the other
machine. The remaining missing components
were made by copying the
ones on Loesche 2744 and included
the damper and hammer rail pneumatics,
the manual rewind and stop
assemblies mounted on the left side
of the spool box, and the air motor
speed governor. Neither machine had
an original air motor as both had been
converted to operate using an electric
motor. An original Loesche air motor
from one of the other instruments
purchased from Galen was used as a
model and two replicas were made,
one for 2744 and one for 2753. Figures
7 and 8 were taken as the new air
motors were being built.

March/April 2019 MECHANICAL MUSIC 25

Figure 9: Exploded view of piano stack.

Now the stack assembly could be
completed by restoring the original
two-tier stack and adding the new
spoolbox shelf on top. Replacing the
pillow pouches, rebuilding the valves
and recovering the pneumatics was
relatively straightforward. Figure 9
shows most of the components of the
stack in an exploded view. Only one
of the two tiers is shown so perhaps
three quarters of the total number of
parts are shown in this photo. I had
never seen a photo of a piano stack
disassembled like this, but a typical
player piano has approximately the
same number of parts and complexity,
so I knew it would take a significant
amount of time and labor cost to
restore.

The next component tackled was
the pump assembly. The pump extends
the entire width of the case as shown
in Figure 1 with the top half being the
pressure portion and the lower half
vacuum. Loesche retained this early
type of horizontal pump design into
the 1920s whereas many other manufacturers
switched to a type of box

pump. As the damage from the fire
was primarily near the top of the case
and the pump is situated below the
keybed, it was relatively unharmed.
The top boards of the pressure feeders
were replaced as the heat from the fire
had ÒweldedÓ them to the connecting
boards and they were heavily damaged
when disassembled. The remaining
work was similar to a normal pump
rebuilding job. The vacuum control
box mounted above the pump was
also disassembled and rebuilt. This
contains the cutout during rewind and
provides three levels of vacuum to the
stack; low for soft playing, normal, and
high for loud passages. It can also shut
off the vacuum supplied to the treble
portion of the split stack for solo pipe
playing without the corresponding
piano notes being played. Thus, the
designation Òflute and violin ÔsoloÕ
piano.Ó The electric motor had been
severely damaged and was replaced
with a new one as was the leather belt.

The next component restored was
the upper valve chest. This supplies
vacuum to operate the pneumatics on

the pipe chest, contains the lock and
cancel assembly and provides vacuum
for some other features such as the
tremolo and instrument shutoff. As
with the piano stack, nearly all the
original parts were present but everything
needed a thorough overhaul.
Figure 10 shows the lock and cancel
assembly as received and Figure 11
the same after restoration.

As one would expect, no wiring or
tubing diagrams were available so
some creative thinking and ingenuity
were required to resolve both. The
original electric switch panel survived
and was cleaned up and reused. Two
tilt switches were installed to replace
the two open mercury switches for
the lights and the motor but the rest
of the switch panel was unaltered. A
push button start switch was installed
in the spool box and connected via
a removable plug to the start electromagnet.
The start coil was wired
in series with the lamps on the front
to reduce the voltage across it and
reduce the likelihood of burnout.

Nearly all the original lead tubing

26 MECHANICAL MUSIC March/April 2019

Figure 10: Lock and cancel assembly as received. Figure 11: Lock and cancel assembly after restoration.

had been removed and replaced by
rubber tubing which was, of course,
either gone or unusable. The original
tubing on Loesche 2744 had also been
removed so that did not offer much
help. The decision was made to reinstall
lead tubing per original using new
tubing on hand and repurposing some
old tubing that had been removed
from another machine. Art Reblitz
helped resolve the tubing connections
needed for the tremolo system as
several valves and pneumatics need
to work together. Everything else was
deduced from the 69-track ÒAngelusÓ
roll scale printed in the book ÒTreasures
of Mechanical MusicÓ by Reblitz
and Q. David Bowers and the way
control holes are used on the rolls.
The most complex control is the soft.
This one hole in the roll performs
three tasks. First, it reduces the vacuum
level in the piano stack. Second,
it moves the piano hammers closer to
the strings. Third, it closes the swell
shutters on top of the case.

The main vacuum and pressure lines
that connect components in Loesche
instruments consist of cardboard tubing,
sealed on the inside with shellac,
painted a gray color on the exterior
with leather strips glued on the ends
that are then ÒstuffedÓ into holes
bored into the wood. Replacements
were made using cardboard tubing
available at a local hobby store for use
as model rocket bodies. Cardboard
inserts used to connect these tubes
together were found to be valuable to
increase the thickness and reinforce
mitered corners. These tubes are
made to be air tight with a thin plastic
layer incorporated. The exterior was

Figure 12: Clarinet pipes near the beginning of restoration.

painted gray similar to the color used
by Loesche.

The last major challenge was to
restore the free-reed clarinet pipes.
Figure 12 shows the starting point
after all the remaining salvaged pieces
were given a home somewhere, often
by matching wood grain. The good
news was that all the reeds, shallots,
tuning wires and steel resonator caps
were present. The bad news was most
of the wood boxes or boots had fallen
apart and were heavily damaged,

some pipe feet were missing and most
of the cardboard resonator tubes had
burned up. Some pipes actually still
spoke under these conditions so there
was hope that they could be rescued.
After removing the top portion of each
pipe, the boots were placed in a tray
of hot water until the glue softened
and they could be taken apart. The
reeds, shallots and tuning wires were
carefully disassembled, cleaned and
reassembled. New cardboard resonators
were fabricated as were missing

March/April 2019 MECHANICAL MUSIC 27

pipe feet. Several boots required new
wood that was taken from some old
salvaged pipe organ pipes that closely
matched the color and grain, others
simply needed to be sanded down and
re-glued.

Figure 13 was taken during the
rebuilding process and shows parts
associated with various pipes. The
result of all this effort was satisfactory.
Most of the clarinet pipes are
now playing as desired whereas a
few needed additional expert voicing
to bring them to their full potential.
Figure 14 shows the restored pipes
installed in the back of the case.

The instrument was now complete
and restored to near perfection as
shown in Figure 15. The final step was
to check the operation of everything,
tune the piano once more and regulate
and tune the pipes. As one might
expect, all components were bench
tested (some more than once) until
they performed flawlessly before they
were installed.

Now with the entire instrument
assembled it was time to do some
final checking and debugging. Where
does one find a test roll for a Loesche?
Perhaps such an item exists but a
custom test roll was made using extra
leader paper from some recut rolls,
also included in the purchase from
Galen, and manually punching out and
labeling the holes. By using this test
roll, the function of everything could
be checked individually.

Four sets of bleeds are present,
the ones on the piano stack consist
of holes drilled into copper strips.
The ones on the upper valve chest
were made by drilling holes into
small round plastic disks that were
then inserted into holes recessed in
the wood with the perimeter sealed
with shellac. All are supplied with
unregulated vacuum supplied directly
from the pump. The set of bleeds on
the left end of the piano stack is used
for the control valves. The set in the
center of the stack is used for the bass
and tenor notes on the piano. The
third set is used for the treble notes
on the piano stack and also for the
pipe chest valves on the upper valve
chest. Thus each bleed in this third set
is connected to two valves in parallel,

Figure 13: Clarinets undergoing restoration.

Figure 14: Completed clarinets installed.

one for the piano and one for the pipe
chest. The fourth set is located on
the right-hand end of the upper valve
chest and is used for the lock and
cancel valves and the tremolo mechanism.
Testing everything for prompt
response and repetition sometimes
required an original bleed hole to be
reduced in size by covering it with a
small piece of tape and poking a hole
through it with a very small drill bit.

By playing several rolls and listening

to the results, all the pipes were regulated
and tuned a few times until they
sounded very good and in balance
with each other and the piano. The
instrument was now performing
much like it had when new and most
likely sounded very similar. With good
expression and three ranks of pipes it
is capable of playing serious overtures
as well as popular music of the day. A
Belgian roll containing the tunes ÒItÕs
a Long Way to TipperaryÓ and ÒOver

28 MECHANICAL MUSIC March/April 2019

Figure 15: Completed interior.

Figure 16: Kiven Lukes and Tom Kuehn after the move and
setup in its new home

ThereÓ is fun to listen to considering instrument in its new home. The great personal satisfaction to have
we recently passed the 100th anniver-present caretaker, Kiven Lukes, has completed the restoration of this
sary of the end of the Great War. It is given it the name ÒLazarus,Ó and that is seemingly hopeless case. With approunlikely
that these tunes would have entirely appropriate. Another moniker priate care this instrument should
ever been released by Loesche. could be ÒPhoenix.Ó continue to provide musical entertain-

Figure 16 shows the restored It has been very rewarding and of ment for many years to come.

WE WANT YOUR STORY!

Every mechanical musical instrument has a tale to tell. Share the history of people
who owned your instrument before you, or the story of its restoration, or just what
makes it an interesting piece. Send stories via email to editor@mbsi.org or
mail your story to Iron Dog Media, 130 Coral Court, Pismo Beach, CA 93449

March/April 2019 MECHANICAL MUSIC 29

A Limonaire 35-key Orchestrophone that plays from cardboard books.

Orgelmuseum Belgium

Take a trip to Township Westerlo and lose yourself in a bounty of mechanical music

By Robby Peeters

How it all began:

My father (born in 1939) was a
little in love with Decap organs from
a young age. In the early days of my
fatherÕs collecting, around the 1960s,
he obtained a small barrel organ. He
thought, back then, that he didnÕt have
enough money to buy a big organ,
but what he didnÕt know was that
(especially Decap) organs were cheap
at that time because jukeboxes were
more popular instead. He also was
handicapped by the fact that he did

not know anyone who could find large
organs at good prices. This didnÕt stop
him, however, as he kept buying small
music boxes and little organs, until
finally he bought his first big organ. He
paid too much for it, of course, as he
was still learning who was who in the
organ world and he was also learning
the prices of organs. As his collection
grew bigger and bigger, the township
of Westerlo came to ask, in the late
1990s, if he would open his doors to
the public. At first the organs were not
all working properly and my father
would simply sit and have a drink with
the people that came to visit while

talking with them about the organs. It
didnÕt take long for him to realize that
a great many people were interested,
so he organized and restored all the
instruments and the real museum
was born in 2000 with a guided tour,
a proper cafe and, of course, a wide
variety of music for the customers.

About me and the other family:

I was born in 1986 and immediately
fell in love the organs and the whole
package of mechanical music. My
interest grew beyond organs to
include Weber, Hupfeld and other
types of wonderful machines. When

30 MECHANICAL MUSIC March/April 2019

A Steck Pianola is framed by two phonographs with their lids closed.

A Decap A. Herentals accordeon playable via midi and a 36-key Verbeeck organ built in 1990 just down the road in Sint Job InÕt
Goor Belgium.

I turned 16, I began to buy my own
music boxes. Later I added barrel
organs and bigger organs to my collection.
My two sisters are not interested
in the hobby, but my nephew Stef,
born in 1996, is also in love with the
mechanical music, like me and my
father. My mother has learned to
accept our passion for the machines
and supports us in our efforts to share
them via the museum.

Today at the museum:

My father and I have assembled a
collection of 100+ items, including
accordeons, miniatures, barrel
organs, a harmonium, a pianola, an
electric piano, several orchestrions,
dance organs, cafe organs, street
organs, ornaments, dolls, clowns, disc
and cylinder music boxes, paintings,
a station music box, a hand made

March/April 2019 MECHANICAL MUSIC 31

Laurel and Hardy figurines enjoy the music from a Decap Jazz Organ while a Raffin organ stands in the foreground.

carousel miniature, gramophons,
a honky tonk, a cardboard folding
machine, cardboard cutting machine,
cardboard press, cardboard glue
machine, cardboard computerized
punching machine, organ fronts, jukeboxes,
antiques and decorations.

About our collection:

We have two J. Verbeeck pipe organs
with books: a barrel organ 36-key
from 1990 and a street organ 43-key
from 1980. Verbeeck is a builder from
Sint Job InÕt Goor Belgium that is still
existing. He has a beautiful career
from building street organs, barrel
organs, fairground organs, dance
organs, cafe organs, etc., etc. We also
have very wonderful restorations of
older Decap organs, Mortier organs,
Limonaire organs and several from

A table full of disc and cylinder music boxes is only a small bit of the collection.

32 MECHANICAL MUSIC March/April 2019

An Albert Decap 52-key organ on display.

An unusual music box in a metal con

tainer that looks like it may once have A 79-key Decap Stereofono with a mix of drums, saxophone, pipes and accordion
been a bread box. in the museum.

March/April 2019 MECHANICAL MUSIC 33

other makers.
We have eight Decap organs:

¥ 105-key Decap Herentals semi
electronic with Farfisa organ on
midi cassettes and books from
1980s recently sold but at the
moment still standing in our
museum
¥ 105-key Decap Herentals semi
electronic with Hammond organ
on midi from 1969
¥ Two 105-key Decap Antwerp semi
electronic with Hammond organ
on books from 1973 (one is in
storage)
¥ 79-key Decap Herentals semi
electronic organ on books from
1950
¥ 72-key Decap Antwerp pipe organ
on books from 1954
¥ 92-key Decap Antwerp pipe organ
on books from 1935
¥ 52-key Albert Decap pipe organ
on books from 1981
We also can punch organ books for

An Arthur Burssens organ made in 1940.

An IDEAL Arthur Burssens dance organ made in 1938 dominates part of a wall in the museum.

34 MECHANICAL MUSIC March/April 2019

Small replicas of certain organs are available for purchase.

Lamps and antique accordions line a shelf in the museum.

others, we can deliver cardboard, also
we have Welte red and Frati rolls for
sale.

Visiting us

Our museum is open for individuals
and groups (groups above 15 people
must make an appointment) from the
Apr. 1 until Sept. 30. Hours are from
1 p.m. until 8 p.m. (We will stay open
a little later for those arriving near 8
p.m.). The museum is open every day
except Mondays and Wednesdays.

Price is 2.50 euro per person.

The address is Kloosterstraat 25
Westerlo 2260 Belgium.

Email orgelmuseum@telenet.be

Website at www.orgelmuseum.be
and on facebook.com/orgelmuseum.
be.

English and Dutch phone number:
+32 498 34 80 85 (Robby Peeters),
Dutch, French and German phone
number: +32 475 83 32 38 (Luc
Peeters).

Robby Peeters is the son of Orgelmuseum
curator Luc Peeters, Westerlo, Belgium.

Even roller cob organs are represented
in the collection.

An 18-key organ that looks like you might be able to cart it out
A Princes 32-key made in 1976 is on display. of the museum under your arm.

March/April 2019 MECHANICAL MUSIC 35

2019 AMICA Convention

By Carl Dodrill, Convention Chair

You are invited to attend the annual
convention of the Automatic Musical
Instrument CollectorsÕ Association
(AMICA) which will be held in Seattle,
WA, Jul. 2-7, 2019. Seattle is a very
interesting area for a visit in the
summer and this article gives all the
information you need to attend.

Registration

A copy of the Registration Form for
the convention can be found at www.
amica.org/events.htm by clicking on
registration information. You can
also get more information about the
convention by clicking on previous
AMICA Bulletin articles on the website
and by viewing an informative video
by clicking on the picture of the Space
Needle. One basic registration fee
($440 until May 1) covers everything
and there are no other fees unless you
add on the preconvention tour or the
extra museum tour at the end.

Hotel accommodations. After your
free ride from the airport to the hotel,
you wonÕt be renting a room at the
Doubletree Suites Hotel in South-
center, but rather a suite which will
accommodate up to four people for
the basic rental rate. The cost is only
$129 per night plus tax which is not
only good for the convention but also
three days before and after. Reserve
your suite soon by calling the Double-
tree Suites Hotel (206 575-8220), give
the Group Code (AMI) and indicate
the dates in which you wish to stay.

Convention schedule

To assist your planning, here is an
overall schedule of the convention:

Tuesday, Jul. 2 Ð AMICA Board
Meeting and pre-convention Seattle
city tour. Registration is open all day
and the hospitality suite will be open
beginning at 3 p.m. At 8 p.m., we will
hear Marc Sachnoff, who is a highly
skilled pianist with a long history of
mechanical music.

Wednesday, Jul. 3 Ð Following the
Welcome Breakfast at 8 a.m., we will
load buses for the nearby Museum of
Flight. This is the largest private air
and space museum in the world. It
hosts the largest K-12 educational program
in the world and you will have
several hours to see a huge number
of exhibits, take mini-tours and
learn a great deal.

Wednesday evening,
half of the convention
will hear Dennis
James who will
be playing theatre
organ accompaniment
to the 1919 silent
movie ÒTrue Heart SusieÓ
starring Lillian Gish. Dennis
will tell about his personal
contacts with Lillian as he
played for her performances
for several years later in her
life. This is a chance to rub
shoulders with a person who
had first hand connections with
a major star of a silent film and
this one a star 100 years ago!

The other half of the
convention will hear a piano
concert by Nathan Bello in
the hotel ballroom. A highly
accomplished artist, NathanÕs
training has been highly influenced
by mechanical music.
He has played for a series of
national conventions.

Thursday, Jul. 4 Ð This will
be an all-day tour of three
homes with automatic musical
instruments.

David Goodwin and Larry
Sanchez, Annie and Dale
Tyvand, and Carl and Halie
Dodrill have offered to
open their homes for
these tours. There are
a variety of automatic
instruments at each home
and each collection is substantially
different from
every other collection.

In the evening you will hear either
Dennis James or Nathan Bello.

Friday, Jul. 5 Ð In the morning, nine
workshops in three parallel sections
will present information on a variety
of topics of interest to persons with
an appreciation of mechanical music.
In the afternoon, an old time radio
event by the Radio Enthusiasts
of Puget Sound will include
a recreation of a Fibber
McGee and Molly program
in which Fibber
attempts to tune a
piano. This will be
followed by our Pumper
Contest headed up by Julian
Dyer from the United Kingdom.
At 7 p.m., Morten Gunnar
Larsen, a world famous ragtime
pianist brought from Norway

specifically for this event, will
favor us with a dazzling concert.
An ice cream social will follow.

Saturday, Jul. 6 Ð Our Mart
operates in the morning and in
the afternoon you can take local
tours including several free time
hours in downtown Seattle. In

the evening will be our banquet
following a cocktail hour and
our dance band for the evening

is the Cornucopia Concert
Band.

Sunday, Jul. 7 Ð Following
the Farewell Breakfast, there
will be open houses in several

homes with mechanical
instrument collections.

Come to Seattle for a truly
enjoyable convention and
meet new friends, many

of whom you will see at
the joint MBSI/AMICA
convention next year.
Address questions to Carl
Dodrill (206) 788-7761 or
carl@dodrill.net.

36 MECHANICAL MUSIC March/April 2019

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Lake Michigan Chapter

Sanfilippo And Krughoff Holiday Extravaganza

Chair: Aaron Muller
Reporter: Marty Persky
Photographers: Bob and Ingrid Lindberg
and Glenn Thomas

Dec. 15-16, 2018 Ð Barrington Hills, IL

On Dec. 15-16 the Sanfilippo Foundation
and Krughoff Family hosted
a two-day Holiday Extravaganza for
the benefit of MBSI as well as Automatic
Musical Instrument CollectorsÕ
Association (AMICA), Carousel Organ
Association of America (COAA) and
American Theatre Organ Society
(ATOS). The weekend was organized
by Marty Persky with James Huffer of
MBSIÕs Lake Michigan Chapter.

Sanfilippo Foundation director Greg
Leifel and his staff supported SaturdayÕs
event for more than 280 people.
Sunday was the first opportunity for
most to visit the Krughoff collection
since the passing of Jim Krughoff 10
months earlier. Sherrie Krughoff and
family provided all food and drinks
on Sunday for the 105 attendees and a
dozen helpers.

Upon arrival at the Sanfilippo home,
all noticed a new 8,000 square foot
addition off the theater which will
open in May. This dramatic wing will
include a Parisian streetscape, an
authentic American drugstore, and
an exquisite Art Deco room and will
house the Jeffrey Sanfilippo collection
of antique perfume bottles and
related paraphernalia. Once receiving
their badges all visitors were free to
explore the collections as docents
played instruments and took requests.

Coins were available in the Penny
Arcade to enjoy the many amusement
machines. Steam engines in the lower
level of the theater were in operation
as well.

At 5 p.m., everyone came together
in the theatre. Jeffrey Sanfilippo, Greg
Leifel and Marty Persky all addressed

Marian and Jasper Sanfilippo greeting the guests.

Cory and Shauna Oakwood with Evan Zivin and Irina Doncheva by the Violano.

Registrar James Huffer finding Marian SanfilippoÕs Badge.

Members dance to the 110-key GavioliphoneÕs Can Can.

the group prior to a concert by Zach
Frame on the 5/80 rank Wurlitzer theatre
organ. Zach artfully accompanied
a silent movie with Charlie Chase
titled ÒTheir AinÕt No Santa Claus.Ó
This wonderful, young musician gave
a superb performance.

After the organ concert, everyone
moved to the 27,000-square-foot

Carousel Pavilion, home to the 1890
Eden Palais salon carousel and 24
fairground, dance and street organs. A
social hour with wine, soft drinks, and
music put everyone in an even more
festive mood.

After a delicious buffet dinner, the
large organs were featured including
the 110-key Gavioliphone fairground

Zach Frame on the 5/80 Wurlitzer.

Jeffrey Sanfilippo addressing the group
in the theatre.

One of Three Cakes for the Four
Organizations

and Wurlitzer 180 band organs. Four
of the organs had an upgrade to their
MIDI system only the day before,
allowing Marty Persky to selectively
play each organ, alternating holiday
music and other great pieces. Moving
between the organs, utilizing the
MIDI-equipped tablet, he announced
each program.

March/April 2019 MECHANICAL MUSIC 39

Just after 9 p.m. Jasper Sanfilippo
started the Eden Palais salon carousel
for all to ride. Additional selections on
the fairground organs throughout the
pavilion continued as people started
to leave. It was a wonderful conclusion
to the first day of the Holiday
Extravaganza.

On Sunday, Sherrie Krughoff and
her family opened their home and
nearby music building to members,
guests and helpers for an afternoon of
great music and a celebration of Jim
KrughoffÕs life. Dan Krughoff, Jerry
Biasella and Marty Persky demonstrated
instruments throughout the
collection.

Music played throughout the house
for the first few hours as all enjoyed
the holiday lunch buffet provided
by the Krughoff family. Among the
instruments in the house are a Hupfeld
Pan Orchestra I, Helios II/25,
Phonoliszt Violina A and Sinfonie Jazz
Model 19, Popper Felix, Welte Style 4
Concert Orchestrion, Weber Maesto
and Unika, Hepplewhite Mason &
Hamlin Ampico B, Double Violina,
Philipps/Wurlitzer PianOrchestra 33,
Wurlitzer 4/33 theatre organ and several
large-scale musical automata and
music boxes.

After lunch the music building
across the road was opened where the
38er Ruth & Sohn concert fair organ,
Philipps Model 12 ÒMonstreÓ Paganini,
Welte Brusgovia C Luxus, Arburo
dance organ, Steenput Concert Fair
Organ and 105 Decap Robot band
were all played in turn to end a perfect
weekend..

Marty Persky on the Niemuth Bacigalupo is dwarfed by the Monstre Paganini.

Listening to the Wurlitzer PianOrchestra 33 in the bar.

Krughoff familyÕs Holiday extravaganza in the theater. Sherrie Krughoff with the holiday lunch spread.

40 MECHANICAL MUSIC March/April 2019

National Capital Chapter

Chair: Matt Jaro
Reporters: Donna and Gene Borrelli
Photographers: Gene Borrelli and
Paul Senger

Dec. 9, 2018 Ð Annapolis, MD

The National Capital Chapter held
its holiday meeting on Sunday, Dec. 9,
at the house of Cheryl and Dick Hack,
which is on the western shore of the
Chesapeake Bay in Annapolis, MD.
There were 56 people in attendance
including 10 guests, some coming from
as far away as the United Kingdom,
Oregon, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
We were treated to a catered luncheon
followed by a business meeting.

The business meeting centered
around plans for the 2019 MBSI
Annual Meeting which will be hosted
by the National Capital Chapter and
held Aug. 27ÐSept. 1. Everything is
falling into place: hotel, collection
tours, transportation, entertainment,
table favor, workshops, door prizes,
etc. The theme of the convention is
ÒIt All Began with Ragtime: American
Popular Music, American Mechanical
Music.Ó More information on the
convention may be found elsewhere
in this edition of Mechanical Musical.
The registration package will be
included in a future edition.

Following the business meeting,
Dick and Cheryl demonstrated their
collection to members. The Hacks
have an extensive collection of
mechanical music. It includes a variety
of nickelodeons, organs, orchestrions,
pianos, music boxes, phonographs,
jukeboxes, and movie jukeboxes.
Some of the larger pieces are a Weber
Unika, Hupfeld Phonoliszt Violina, See-
burg G Orchestrion, Welte Orchestrion,
Wurlitzer CX Orchestrion with added
bells, Wurlitzer 153 Band Organ, Davrainville
Clockwork Barrel Organ, Regina
Hexaphone Phonograph, Decap 92 key
Dance Organ, Mortier Organ, Mills
Violano with Drum box, Mills Panoram

Chapter members listen intently to the presentations at the business meeting.

New member Jon Ford, Rory Lehman, and Tom Larsen watch the Hupfeld Phonoliszt
Violina.

New member Chele Kelly enjoys the Wurlitzer CX Orchestrion with Cheryl and Dick
Hack.

Rory Lehman and David Burgess take video of RoryÕs Christmas roll playing on the
Wurlitzer 153.

movie jukebox, Polyphon 151/2-inch
musical tall clock, Wurlitzer Model B
Harp reproduction built by Dick, a Link
2E Nickelodeon and a Banjo-Orchestra
manufactured by the D.C. Ramey Piano

Company of Chicago.

Russell Wattam from the United
Kingdom was on hand. He has been
helping Dick restore a Ruth model 36
German fairground organ that plays

Cheryl Hack and Ginny Little take a
break after lunch.

Russell Wattam, from the United
Kingdom, and Bob Goldsmith with the
Bursens CafŽ Organ.

Members contributed wonderful deserts
for the party that were enjoyed by all.

book music. While the restoration is
not quite complete, it is playing well,
and looks gorgeous.

We thank Cheryl and Dick for again
hosting our Holiday Party.

42 MECHANICAL MUSIC March/April 2019

Members enjoy the Mortier organ which is the centerpiece of John Wells, Durward Center, and Donna Borrelli catch up on
the music room. old times. Jan Bender is in the background.

Ken Gordon and Doug Wiggins discuss the dayÕs activities

while waiting for lunch. Terry Bender, Nancy Goldsmith, and Jan Bender take a
moment for some friendly conversation.

David Burke, Bob Goldsmith, Helen Stiska, Jack and Mildred
Hardman and John and Patricia Ball enjoy lunch.

Knowles Little checks out a music box and cylinder
phonograph.

March/April 2019 MECHANICAL MUSIC 43

Northwest International Chapter

Chair: Rick Swaney
Reporter: Dale Tyvand
Photographer: Dale Tyvand

Dec. 8, 2019 Ð Sammamish, WA

The annual cookie exchange for
the Northwest International Chapter
(NWIC) was held on Dec. 8, 2018 at the
home of chapter chair Rick Swaney in
Sammamish, WA.

In keeping with tradition, Rick
tested his culinary skills by providing
lunch for the group. Duplicating an
old family favorite, members were
served a wonderful Beef Louise
complemented with homemade soda
bread and a pear and avocado-green
salad.

Adding to the festive atmosphere,
Rick provided cork drink coasters
laser-etched with the well-known
dog-and-gramophone trademark of
RCA Victor along with a dated MBSI
NWIC annotation. Rick provided
enough extras to allow members to
take them for keepsakes.

For the show-and-tell portion of the
meeting, Rick displayed a recently
constructed pendulum-based clock
powered by rubber bands built with
wooden gears from a kit. He also
provided an update on his on-going
project to complete his chess playing
Turk automata. Kathy Baer followed
Rick by playing a recently acquired
manivelle which delivered a clear and
lively tune.

Following up on a request, Rick
completed the show-and-tell segment
by performing a couple of his
always-entertaining magic tricks.
Despite careful attention from his
audience, he dazzled them with his
ability to have cards change before
their very eyes. He also somehow
managed to have a limp rope turn
rigid without the use of even a magic
wand.

In a follow-on tour of his collection,
Rick played some songs on his

Rick and Kathy Baer study Rick SwaneyÕs clock.

Barb and Jim Sinclair listen to the cylinder box with drum and bells.

AMPICO player piano with recently cookie exchange, allowing all the
restored ivory keys. He also played members to share their favorite Òcalotunes
on other music boxes in his rie-freeÓ desserts for the holidays.
collection including a large cylinder The next meeting of the NWIC will
box with bells and a drum. be hosted by Ernie Lopez on the Kit-

The meeting concluded with the sap Peninsula in April 2019.

Ernie Lopez scrutinizes Rick SwaneyÕs sleeves for the card trick.

Rick and Kathy Baer examine the re-ivoried
keys on the AMPICO piano.

Jim Sinclair, Ernie Lopez, and Rick Swaney enjoy lunch.

Laser-etched RCA Victor coasters were
provided for NWIC members.

Kathy Baer cranks out the manivelle tune for Barb and Jim Sinclair.

March/April 2019 MECHANICAL MUSIC 45

Snowbelt Chapter

Chair: Tracy Tolzmann
Reporters/Photographers: Merrie and
Tracy Tolzmann

Dec. 2, 2018 Ð Mahtomedi, MN

The Snowbelt Chapter gathered on
Sunday, Dec. 2, 2018, at the home of
MBSI Vice President Tom and Hongyan
Kuehn in Mahtomedi, MN. The
previous eveningÕs heavy snowfall in
some areas of our Òtheater of seasonsÓ
unfortunately prevented several
members from attending. Those
present were treated to wonderful
conversation and hors dÕoeuvres
while they enjoyed the KuehnsÕs
varied collection, which includes a
single Mills Violano Virtuoso, Mason
& Hamlin RBB Ampico reproducing
piano, 68-key Bursens Street Organ,
52-key Gasparini Fair Organ, Seeburg
B piano, Popper Konzertist, Lšsche
Flute and Violin Solo pianos and other
pneumatic orchestrions.

The business portion of our afternoon
began with a screening of the
promotional video for the upcoming
MBSI Annual Meeting to be hosted by
the National Capital Chapter in Rockville,
MD, next summer. The clever,
informative, and entertaining promo
had several members seriously contemplating
attending the event. After
the video, meeting host Tom delivered
a power point presentation on his
Lšsche piano restoration project. This
was the same program he gave as a
workshop during the MBSI Annual
Meeting in Minneapolis in 2016, and
many local members had not seen
the informative and educational slide
show. We had a delightful bonus not
experienced by attendees of the 2016
workshop: hearing the finished pianos
during the afternoon!

The chapter business meeting followed
with treasurer Gary Goldsmith
reporting a healthy bank balance and
reminding members that $10 dues are
due for 2019. The election of a new

Left to right, Dale Lukes, Tom Kuehn, and Alex Stolitza enjoy the Mason & Hamlin
Ampico reproducer.

The ladies catch up on news of family and friends.

slate of officers was the main order of
business, and the clichŽ ÒwhatÕs old is
newÓ applies as the current roster of
Snowbelt leadership will continue in
their respective capacities for another
two years. Gary will hold the purse
strings while Bill Nunn continues as
vice chair. Merrie Tolzmann remains
as secretary and co-editor of the chapterÕs
newsletter, The Resonator, with
husband, Tracy, who enters his third

term as chapter chair. An invitation
was extended to members to consider
hosting a chapter meeting in 2019
or to suggest an activity that would
be of interest to our club. Member-
ship-building was discussed, and we
are exploring ways to introduce the
wonders of automatic musical instruments
to new audiences with hopes
that they may join our organization.

At the conclusion of business, a

Snowbelters enjoyed the Annual Meeting promo video and TomÕs program.

The gentlemen listen to coin pianos on the lower level before the business meet-
ing. The loud Gasparini organ is in the background, and an all-original, unrestored
46-key North Tonawanda Musical Instrument Works band organ is just behind the
screen.

delicious dinner was served with
everyone having plenty to eat, making
note to save room for the numerous
tasty dessert options. Before everyone
departed, Tom held a drawing for
door prizes with every household in
attendance receiving a hobby-related
gift. Prize items included books on
mechanical music, ÒspareÓ annual
meeting table favors, and CD

Our Christmas party hosts, Hongyan
and Tom Kuehn in front of their Lšsche
pianos.

recordings of instruments. As we
bundled-up to head out into the crisp
Minnesota air, we all bade one another
ÒHappy HolidaysÓ and ÒMerry ChristmasÓ
knowing we would be enjoying
further entertainment in the form
of a holiday light show on the many
decorated homes throughout the local
neighborhoods as we made our way
back to our own homes!

Each One
Reach One
New Member
March/April 2019 MECHANICAL MUSIC 47

Southeast Chapter

By Jack Hostetler

The Southeast Chapter held its
sixth annual Special Exhibit event
Dec. 15-16 at The Villages, FL, and it
was a great success. An estimated
700 people visited our exhibit, and we
had several visitors request an MBSI
membership application.

We exhibited at a newer recreation
center this year. The Villages has
expanded its borders nine miles
further south in the last two years,
and the Rohan Recreational Center is
about four miles south of the Eisenhower
Recreation center that we had
used for our exhibit the previous four
years. The change in venue meant we
were able to get many new residents
to come see and hear our machines.
We also saw a lot of our regular fans
who visit with us every year.

Mary Ellen Myers chats with two visitors in front of an 1852 Ducommun Girod cyl-
inder box.

Jim Kracht (right) discusses a music machine during the event. Clay Witt discusses his disc player with a visitor.

Cotton and Julie Morlock with their display of cylinder and
disc boxes.

Denis Henn (center) shows his collection to interested
attendees.

Southeast Chapter

Chair: Jack Hostetler
Reporter: Margery Sanford
Photographer: Howard Sanford

Jan18-20, 2019 Ð Tampa, FL

The Southeast Chapter met on a
cool (cold for us) weekend in January
2019. Ninety people were registered,
a number of Òsnow birds,Ó guests,
and newer members were warmly
welcomed.

Festivities began on Friday night
with an open house hosted by Howard
Wyman. His beautiful home is filled
with band organs he built and/or
restored himself, an original Calliope
as well as American nickelodeons and
a disc box.

Saturday morning saw a show business
meeting during which time the
gavel was passed from Judy Miller to
new chairman Jack Hostetler.

Plans were begun for the 2021
national convention to be happily,
jointly sponsored by MBSI and COAA.
It will probably not be held on the
usual Labor Day weekend because
of the September heat and likelihood
of hurricanes. The exact location is
still to be determined but will be on
FloridaÕs Gulf (west) coast.

After a small mart, the group visited
two homes in the area. One was Marilou
and Martin Van ZantenÕs where
members enjoyed a 151/2-inch Mira
disc box, cylinder boxes, bird box and
cage, boat models and a small street
car Martin is building.

The second home visit was nearby
at John Martin and Norman BauerÕs.
There we enjoyed a huge number
of varied instruments all in pristine
condition including a Seeburg nickelodeon,
calliope, Raffin street organ,
Ampico reproducing piano plus many
disc and cylinder boxes. In addition,
their stained glass, art nouveau lamps,
and abundant chocolate pots were
much marveled at. A great deal of
the stained glass was crafted by John

Howard Wyman and hand made monkey organ.

Norman Bauer with a Raffin organ.

Vernon Gant and Martin Van Zanten with hand crafted vintage
John Martin with an unusual calliope. trolley

The Welte orchestrion in the Yaffe collection being enjoyed by
Howard Wyman, Craig Darlak and Howard Sanford. Mary Lou Van Zanten with reproducing piano (electronic).

Three reproducing pianos with art cases in the center of the
music room at the Yaffee home. Mark Yaffe and restorer Ron Cappel with an orchestrion.

50 MECHANICAL MUSIC March/April 2019

Open house hosts Cristel and Mark Yaffe with one of their carved figures.

The YaffeÕs Mortier organ from 1939.

Martin himself.

Saturday night, the group enjoyed
a beautiful buffet dinner at Mark and
Christel YaffeÕs where all were in positive
awe at the immensity and quality
of their collection. Members were
astounded by the number of European
orchestrions, overture boxes, art -case
pianos, American nickelodeons and
fabulous automata including a life size
flute player. Restorer Ron Cappel from
California demonstrated a number of
instruments and Mark Yaffe demonstrated
the automata.

And the dinner was delicious
too, especially the desserts. Sunday
morning saw a half-frozen group
(temperature in the 50s) at the John
Eberson designed historic Tampa
ornate theater. It opened in 1926 and
still hosts more than 600 events each
year, including films, recitals, special
events, and educational programs. An
entertaining concert of popular music
was given on their original 1,400 pipe
theater organ by Robert Perkins,

So, concluded a most memorable
musical weekend. Please do join us
in Naples, FL, during the weekend of
Apr. 5-7, 2019 for the next Southeast
Chapter meeting.

The life-size Flute Player automaton at
the YaffeÕs home.

A docent provides a tour in the historic Tampa theater. Robert Perkins plays the theater organ in the Tampa theater.

March/April 2019 MECHANICAL MUSIC 51

Sunbelt Chapter

Chair: Ray Dickey
Reporter: Diane Caudill
Photographer: Diane Caudill

Dec. 20, 2018 Ð Houston, TX

The evening of Dec. 20, 2018, marked
a special event as the Sunbelt Chapter
Christmas party was held at the home
of Alan Bies and Steve Boehck. About
40 members attended and had a
wonderful time listening to Christmas
music and enjoying an Italian buffet,
complete with scrumptious desserts.

Chicken alfredo, meatballs, marinara
sauce, crab balls, boiled shrimp,
cheese puffs, and salad were on the
menu, followed by SteveÕs rum cake,
brownies, and other assorted sweets.

Every music box in the house got
playing time as the evening progressed,
and those who braved the
unusually strong winds made the trek
to the carriage house to hear Wayne
HoltonÕs beautiful arrangements on
the band organ.

By the end of the evening, several
members were even singing the carols
as the tunes played Ð although they
may have had a few of the words
wrong. It was definitely a night to
remember.

Shelly Mathews and Alan Bies enjoy
some friendly conversation.

Timothy Pitts, Katherine Winkler and daughters listen to the Welte.

Andy and Frances Ware enjoy the chips and Mexican queso with Ray and Nancy
Dickey in front of the Lochmann.

Jennifer Lehman admires the Christmas tree in the front parlor

with host Alan Bies. Strung with hundreds of lights, the tree is
Sunbelt President Ray Dickey shows his grandson Danny the adorned with beautiful antique ornaments from Christmases
Hupfeld Phonoliszt Violina. past

Charles Foulkes and Jack Kane pose in Alan and SteveÕs historic Victorian house, also known as the Milroy House, is a
front of the Welte and the Seeberg H. standout in the Houston Heights, named for being the highest point in Houston, TX.

March/April 2019 MECHANICAL MUSIC 53

Golden Gate Chapter

Chair: Jonathan Hoyt
Reporter: Jenny Hoyt and

David Corkrum
Photographer: Jonathan Hoyt

Nov. 11, 2018 Ð Woodside, CA

Members of the Golden Gate Chapter were welcomed
back to the home of Marc and Marguerite Kaufman for our
Fall meeting held on Nov. 11, 2018. The KaufmanÕs home,
which is located in Woodside, CA, is one of our favorite
gathering places.

Their collection of cylinder boxes is extensive, and
everything has been restored and beautifully maintained.
Notable pieces include boxes from B.A. Bremond, Mermod
Freres, Nicole, Regina, Polyphon, and Symphonion. Disk
boxes include a 133/8-inch Imperial Symphonion with edge
drive, a 151/2-inch Regina in an ornate oak case and a 271/2inch
Symphonion with 12 bells in an Art Nouveau case.
Two grand pianos plus lots of smaller-scale treasures and
unique mechanical finds round out the collection.

The home features a large deck which overlooks the garden
with free-roaming geese and a koi pond. Guests had
plenty of time to mingle with friends before being invited
inside to eat a full ÒpreÓ Thanksgiving meal. It was a lovely
and relaxing way to spend a sunny Fall afternoon! The
group then settled in for a business meeting which centered
around venues for chapter gatherings in the coming year.
Next, Marc led a show-and-tell. Some of the special items
shown were an automata of a woman spinning yarn (circa
1920), a cylinder box which plays Scottish tunes, a quarter
repeater watch on chain, Swiss-made snuff boxes (circa
1820), and a four-tune Nicole Freres Forte Piano overture
box. Each item was absolutely beautiful!

The Golden Gate Chapter would like to sincerely thank
the KaufmanÕs for their hospitality. They have created a
home and collection that is truly worth admiring.

Meeting hosts Marc and Marguerite Kaufman with the newest
piece in their collection, an Eroica Clock.

Show-and-tell showcased items included these Swiss-made
snuff boxes, circa 1820.

A dual-comb cylinder box with wonderfully-illustrated tune
sheet is played for the attendees.

Marc Kaufman shares the history of a beautifully-restored cylinder box in the

collection. The KaufmanÕs home is chock full of
beautiful music boxes like this overture
cylinder box with inlaid case.

Marguerite Kaufman is a master weaver.
Here, she shows off a few of the kitchen
towels she made for a recent swap with
a group of fellow artisans.

Marc Kaufman demonstrates a roller cob music box for an eager audience.

A happy and well-fed group gathers quickly for a photo before stepping back inside to enjoy more music!

March/April 2019 MECHANICAL MUSIC 55

In Memoriam In Memoriam
Compiled from various reports

Henk Strengers

Hendrik (Henk) Strengers, a well-
known mechanical music collector
and expert, passed away Oct. 1, 2018,
in the Netherlands. Henk also had a
vast collection of mechanical music
documentation. He contributed articles
to MBSI and the online resource
Mechanical Music Digest. In 1987
Henk was awarded the Q. David Bowers
Literary Award. He was granted
the MBSI PresidentÕs Award in 1998.

Henk often assisted staff in the
Speelklock Museum, sharing his
knowledge and stories of calliopes
and many other types of music boxes.
Much of HenkÕs mechanical music
documentation collection is now

stored in the museum.

Henk also worked to help the Dutch
Pianola Association and other groups
interested in sharing information
about and preserving mechanical
music.

Ann Boyd

Ann Boyd, of Metairie, LA, passed
away Sept. 17, 2018 after battling
cancer for the past year. Ann and her
late husband Louis Boyd were longtime
members of Creole Chapter #43
of the National Association of Watch
and Clock Collectors as well as a
members of the Southeast Chapter of
MBSI. She was an avid crafter and also
spent many days on the water with
her husband, fishing and enjoying the
quiet and peacefulness of the river and

bayous. She was a very special person
and was loved by many.

Jerry Christner

MBSI has also learned that member
Jerry Christner of Port Charlotte, FL,
passed away May 10, 2018.

Weldon Clegg

Weldon, 85, of Redlands , CA passed
away peacefully at home. He was born
on Feb. 6, 1933, in Henryetta, OK . He
was the middle child of seven children.
In 1956 he met and married Mary Ellen
Graves. Enlisted in the United States
Air Force, Weldon proudly served our
country faithfully and honorably for
24 years. Through his assignments he
traveled to Japan, Greece, Germany,
and Labrador. With a three-year

The Amazing Musical Oddity

After nearly 45 years of collecting, many of the admired
mechanical music machines and other unique collectibles
enjoyed by Ralph and Gloria are now available.

To the members of MBSI, including The Southern California Chapter and friends
across the country and around the world, thank you for bringing so
many years of enjoyment to our parents. Collecting was their
passion, though enjoying your friendships was always cherished.

Sincerely, Howie
& Linda

www.theamazingmusicaloddity.com

Large Machines ¥
Cylinder Music Boxes ¥
Disk Music Boxes ¥
Bird Boxes ¥
Rolls ¥
Art
Phone: 817 994 4321 Email: MusicalHowie@gmail.com

56 MECHANICAL MUSIC March/April 2019

In Memoriam In Memoriam
Weldon Clegg

assignment to Hawaii, the family was
able to join him. Upon retirement,
with interest in antiques he opened
his own shop in San Bernardino, CA
for 17 years.

WeldonÕs other interests include
gardening, golfing, early morning yard
sales, and attending auctions. He was
a member of the Music Box Society
of Southern California, having an
extensive collection dating from the
1800-1900s.

Weldon is preceded in death by his
wife, Mary of 62 years and their son
Daniel W. Clegg. A service was held at
Emmerson Bartlett Mortuary on Dec.
21, 2018. He will be laid to rest at the
Riverside National Cemetery.

Hayes McClaran

Hayes ÒMacÓ McClaran passed away
Dec. 7, 2018. Mac and his wife, Lois,
moved to Batesville, IN, from Fresno,
CA, to be near his daughter.

Mac was instrumental in restoring
the Popper Felix owned by Rick
Crandall, who describes him as Òa
perfectionist who had a great love for
these instruments.Ó The restoration
story and photos are at www.rickcrandall.
net/popper-orchestrion/

Condolences

MBSI offers its most sincere condolences
to the families of the following
members who have passed away:

¥ Michael Conway in January 2018
¥ Erich Traber in June 2018
¥ Dennis Reilly in August 2018
The Musical Box Society of Great Britain announces the publication of two new books
Published in September 2018
100pp Hard Back ISO A4 format [8.27Ó . 11.70Ó; Profusely illustrated in

Supplement to

colour throughout with Additional Illustrations of Models, 89 Additional Lid
The Disc Musical Box Pictures Additions to Lists of Models, Patents, Tune Lists & Serial Numbers;
Combined Index of Images in the original book and its Supplement.

Compiled and Edited by
Kevin McElhone

Originally published in 2012 and still available The Disc Musical Box

ISBN 978-0-9557869-6-9

is a compendium of information about Disc Musical Boxes, their Makers and
their Music; profusely illustrated in colour throughout with Illustrations of
each Disk Musical Box Model, and with Catalogue Scans, Lists of Models,
Patents & Tune Lists.

Supplement to
The Organette Book
Compiled and Edited by
Kevin McElhone
ISBN 978-0-9557869-5-2
100pp Hard Back ISO A4 format [8.27Ó . 11.70Ó; Profusely illustrated in
colour throughout;Additional Illustrations of Models; Additions to Lists of
Patents, Tune Lists & Tuning Scales; A New Section on Trade Cards;
Combined Index of Images in the original book and its Supplement.
The Organette Book is a compendium of information about Organettes,
their Makers and their Music. Originally published in 2000 but now out of
print although second-hand copies are occasionally available in online
auctions.
************************************************************************************************************************
For all MBSGB Publications, please refer to the Musical Box Society of Great Britain website for further details including latest
availability, discounted prices and information on how to order. -www.mbsgb.org.uk

March/April 2019 MECHANICAL MUSIC 57

70th Annual Meeting
WEÕRE CELEBRATING !
ü
÷
Xîä
þAnnual Meeting
WEÕRE CELEBRATING !
ü
÷
Xîä
þ
Musical Box Society IntÕl

ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND
August 27 – 31, 2019

Four Collections
Mart
Workshops
Live Music
Mechanical Music
Two Dinners
Keynote Speaker
Awards Luncheon
MBSI Anniversary Speaker
Banquet
Internationally Known Pianist
Learn about ragtime
Visit with friends
See Washington, D.C.

Please look for registration forms in the May/June Journal.

National Capital Chapter

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devices of all description.
Player pianos
Reproduing pianos
Dance organs
Fairground organs
Nickelodeon pianos
Original historically
Correct techniques
And materials used
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Rebuilding process.
Benjamin R Gottfried
464 Dugan Road, Richfield Springs NY 13439
Bensplayerservice.com 315-858-2164
SAMPLE Restorations, LLC.
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cottoneauctions.com
COTTONE AUCTIONS
March/April 2019 MECHANICAL MUSIC 59

AUCTIONEERS & REALTORS STANTONÕS StantonÕs Auctioneers,
Appraisers, & Realtors
144 S. Main, P.O. Box 146
Vermontville, MI 49096
Phone: (517) 726-0181
Fax: (517) 726-0060
E-mail: stantonsauctions@sbcglobal.net
Website: www.stantons-auctions.com
Steven E. Stanton
(517) 331-8150 cellular
(517) 852-0627 evening
E-mail Ð stevenEstanton@gmail.com
Michael C. Bleisch
(517) 231-0868 cellular
E-mail Ð mcbleisch@gmail.com
Accepting quality collectionsand specialized items for ourSpring Event. Music Boxes,
Band organs, Phonographs, roll-
er organs, records and other fine
examples of automatic musicmachines. Already included are
3 excellent Band organs includ-
ing a North Tonawanda Model
182, Wurlitzer Model 146A, and
a smaller Wurlitzer unit, pho-
nographs including Edison Op-
eras, Eldridge R. Johnson handcranked toy phonograph with
original disc recording, “For theChildren”, Excellent music box-
es, fine Herzog and Salter re-
cord cabinets and lots more.
Stanton’s Upcoming Music Machine Auction
To be held on the Barry County Fairgrounds, at 1350 M-37 Highway, Hastings, Michigan on:
Thursday, Friday & Saturday, April 25, 26 & 27, 2019
AUCTIONEERS & REALTORSSTANTONÕSStantonÕs Auctioneers,
Appraisers, & Realtors
144 S. Main, P.O. Box 146
Vermontville, MI 49096
Phone: (517) 726-0181
Fax: (517) 726-0060
E-mail: stantonsauctions@sbcglobal.net
Website: www.stantons-auctions.com
Steven E. Stanton
(517) 331-8150 cellular
(517) 852-0627 evening
E-mail Ð stevenEstanton@gmail.com
Michael C. Bleisch
(517) 231-0868 cellular
E-mail Ð mcbleisch@gmail.com
Accepting quality collectionsand specialized items for ourSpring Event. Music Boxes,
Band organs, Phonographs, roll-
er organs, records and other fine
examples of automatic musicmachines. Already included are
3 excellent Band organs includ-
ing a North Tonawanda Model
182, Wurlitzer Model 146A, and
a smaller Wurlitzer unit, pho-
nographs including Edison Op-
eras, Eldridge R. Johnson handcranked toy phonograph with
original disc recording, “For theChildren”, Excellent music box-
es, fine Herzog and Salter re-
cord cabinets and lots more.
Stanton’s Upcoming Music Machine Auction
To be held on the Barry County Fairgrounds, at 1350 M-37 Highway, Hastings, Michigan on:
Thursday, Friday & Saturday, April 25, 26 & 27, 2019

Proudly serving the Music Box
Community since 1968!
COLLECTION DISPERSAL – I can find appreciative
homes for your collection, large or small. Call for a
confidential consultation.
RESTORATION SUPPLIES Ð Check out my growing
online catalog for disc and cylinder box restoration
supplies, including jewels, governor gears, tools, damper
and tip wire, mylar dampers, paper goods and more!
CYLINDER AND DISC BOXES Ð See my Webpage
for a list of some pieces in stock. Or let me know what
youÕre looking for! Some boxes are restored, many are
unrestored. Many ÔsmallÕ pieces, including musical beer
steins, Reuge pieces, 4.5Ó Thorens and more!
DISCS Ð Over 8,500 original discs for many brands and
sizes. Reproduction discs available. What do you need? I
can e-mail you listings of what I have.
BOOKS Ð over 200 titles of new and used books in stock.
E-mail for listing.
REPRODUCTION TUNE CARDS Ð Over 80
reproduction tune cards, single and multi color. Email for
catalog, sent in pdf format.
Nancy Fratti
Specialist in
Cylinder & Disc
Music Box
Sales and
Restorations
Restoration
Supplies
——
Collection
Dispersal
Nancy Fratti Music Boxes (315) 684-9977
P.O. BOX 400 ¥ CANASTOTA, NEW YORK 13032-0400 U.S.A.
Email: musicbox@frontiernet.net www.nan cyfrattimusicboxes.com

THE MART THE MART
FOR SALE
RESTORED MUSICAL BOXES Offering a
variety of antique musical boxes, discs,
orphan cylinders, reproducing piano rolls &
out of print books about mechanical music.
BILL WINEBURGH 973-927-0484 Web:
antiquemusicbox.us

THE GOLDEN AGE of AUTOMATIC MUSICAL
INSTRUMENTS By ART REBLITZ.
Award-winning classic that brings historical,
musical, and technical information to life
with hundreds of large, vivid color photos.
We guarantee youÕll find it to be one of the
most interesting, inspiring, informative books
you have in your libraryÐor your money back.
Everyone has been delighted, and some
readers have ordered several copies. Get
your copy today for $99 plus S/H. MECHANICAL
MUSIC PRESS-M, 70 Wild Ammonoosuc
Rd., Woodsville, NH 03785. (603) 747-2636.

http://www.mechanicalmusicpress.com

1928 WEBER 6Õ4Ó Duo Art Walnut Art Case
Louis XVI 80118 with original matching
bench. Finish in good condition, original ivory

keys, player restored 20 years ago but still
plays well. $8,500 Donald Huene, 7429 North
Valentine, Fresno CA 93711 (559) 431-1639,
yosemf@aol.com Contact: DONALD HUENE,
(559) 431-1639, yosemf@aol.com 7429 N
Valentine Ave Fresno, 93711-0643 United
States

AEOLIAN ORCHESTRELLE. Beautiful
restored walnut case with bench. 6 rolls.
Nelson Wiggins coin-op nickelodeon. Mills
Single Violano. Baciagalupo Barrel Operated
Monkey Organ. Several smaller music boxes.
Contact: BECKY SODERSTROM, (209) 6698709,
bannsode@gmail.com

VIOLANO VIRTUOSO Serial #260 44 key
piano, REGINA CORONA Style 34 27Ó
Automatic Changer, ENCORE AUTOMATIC
BANJO (reproduction), HOWARD BALDWIN

– WELTE MIGNON REPRODUCING PIANO
with bench. Please call or e-mail for more
information. Buyer responsible for shipping.
Contact: CHRISTINA IRONS, (626) 7959020,
info@vintagemusicboxes.com, http://
www.vintagemusicboxes.com. Pasadena, CA
91103 United States

CLASSIFIED ADS

¥ 47¢ per word
¥ ALL CAPS, italicized and bold
words: 60¢ each.
¥ Minimum Charge: $11 per ad.
¥ Limit: One ad in each category
¥ Format: See ads for style
¥ Restrictions: Ads are strictly
limited to mechanical musical
instruments and related items and
services
¥ MBSI memberÕs name must
appear in ad
¥ Non-members may advertise at the
rates listed plus a 10% surcharge
PLEASE NOTE:

The first two words (or more
at your choice) and the memberÕs
name will be printed in all caps/bold
and charged at 60¢ per word.

Mechanical Music

Mechanical Music is mailed to all
members at the beginning of every
odd month Ñ January, March, May,
July, September and November.

MBSI Advertising Statement

It is to be hereby understood
that the placing of advertisements
by members of the Society in this
publication does not constitute nor
shall be deemed to constitute any
endorsement or approval of the business
practices of advertisers. The
Musical Box Society International
accepts no liability in connection
with any business dealings between
members and such advertisers.

It is to be further understood that
members are to rely on their own
investigation and opinion regarding
the reputation and integrity of
advertisers in conducting such business
dealings with said advertisers.

Display Advertising Dimensions and Costs
Dimensions 1 issue 3 issues* 6 issues*
Back Cover 8.75Ó x 11.25Ó $600 $540 $510
Inside Covers 8.75Ó x 11.25Ó $450 $405 $383
Full Page 7.25Ó x 9.75Ó $290 $261 $246
Half Page 7.25Ó x 4.5Ó $160 $144 $136
Quarter Page 3.5Ó x 4.5Ó $90 $81 $77
Eighth Page 3.5Ó x 2.125Ó $50 $45 $43
Add a 10% surcharge to the prices shown above if you are not a member of MBSI.
*Display Discounts shown above are calculated as follows:
3 consecutive ads 10% Discount
6 consecutive ads 15% Discount

SUBMIT ADS TO:

MBSI Ads
130 Coral Court
Pismo Beach, CA 93449
(253) 228-1634
Email: editor@mbsi.org

Add a photo to your ad!

Photos are only $30 extra per issue.

Email editor@mbsi.org or

call (253) 228-1634 for more details.

ALL ADS MUST BE PREPAID

We accept VISA/MC and Paypal.

ADVERTISING DEADLINES:

The 1st day of each even month:
Feb., Apr., Jun, Aug., Oct. and Dec.

Display ads may be submitted
camera-ready, as PDF files, or with
text and instructions. File submission
guidelines available on request.

Errors attributable to Mechanical
Music, and of a significant nature, will
be corrected in the following issue
without charge, upon notification.

62 MECHANICAL MUSIC March/April 2019

O-ROLL ORCHESTION collection of 75 rolls.
Excellent condition. $2500. Contact: ROBERT
WERTH, 208-920-3453, werth2b@yahoo.
com Sandpoint, ID 83864

CHICKERING REPRODUCING AMPICO A,

1920s parlor grand 69-inches. Original ivory
keys. Restored 25 years ago. Plays but needs
servicing. Photos on request. SWISS STREET
BARREL ORGAN, hand crank, wood pipes, 10
songs. Plays but needs servicing. 25 inches x
24 inches x 13 inches. DON WRIGHT (918)
630-9029, clwright37@gmail.com

MARVELS OF MECHANICAL MUSIC – MBSI
Video. Fascinating and beautifully-made
film which explains the origins of automatic
musical instruments, how they are collected
and preserved today, and their historic
importance, MBSI members and collections
are featured. $20 USD. Free shipping in the
continental U.S. Additional postage charges
apply for other locations.

WANTED
REGINA 20-3/4 inch Changer in mahogany.
Prefer dragon front case in good operating
condition. Also looking for a Wurlitzer CX or

LX. Contact: DON KROENLEIN, (217) 6208650,
fbac@one-eleven.net
EMPTY 27Ó REGINA case (upright, single
play, not a changer). Also looking for bell
Òshut-offÓ levers for 22Ó Polyphon (barbell)
and needing 22Ó Polyphon discs. Contact:
JACK KANE, 713-726-6927, Luvstocook@
gmail.com Dallas, Texas 75224 United States

LOOKING TO BUY Grand Roller Organ
32-note cobs. Contact: DAVID COSMO, 845224-
6355, dave@cprdave.com

SERVICES
REPRODUCTION POLYPHON discs; Catalogs
available for 19 5/8Ó, 22 1/8Ó, and 24 1/2Ó.
DAVID CORKRUM 5826 Roberts Ave, Oakland,
CA 94605-1156, 510-569-3110,
www.polyphonmusic.com

SAVE $Õs on REUGE & THORENS MUSIC
BOX REPAIR & RESTORATION Ð MBSI
MEMBERS RECEIVE WHOLESALE PRICING.

40 + Years experience servicing all makes
& models of cylinder and disc music boxes,
bird boxes, bird cages, musical watches, Anri
musical figurines, et al. All work guaranteed.
WeÕre the only REUGE FACTORY AUTHORIZED
Parts & Repair Service Center for all of North
America. Contact: DON CAINE -The Music
Box Repair Center Unlimited, 24703 Pennsylvania
Ave., Lomita, CA 90717-1516. Phone:

(310) 534-1557 Email: MBRCU@AOL.COM.
On the Web: www.musicboxrepaircenter.com
Advertise in The Mart

Have some spare parts or extra rolls taking up the space where you should be
installing your next acquisition? Ready to trade up, but need to sell one of your
current pieces first? Get the word out to other collectors by advertising in The
Mart, an effective advertising tool at an inexpensive price.

Fill out the form below and mail to MBSI at 130 Coral Court, Pismo Beach, CA
93449. Call (253) 228-1634 with questions.

Name Phone

Email

Text of ad

Display Advertisers

2 Renaissance Antiques
56 Schack Collection
57 Musical Box Society of Great
Britain (MBSGB)
58 National Capital Chapter
59 BenÕs Player Piano Service
59 Chet Ramsay Antiques
59 Cottone Auctions
59 Bob Caletti Music Box
Restorations
60 StantonÕs Auctions
61 Nancy Fratti Music Boxes
66 Marty Persky
67 Morphy Auctions
68 Auction Team Breker

Each One
Reach One
New Member
March/April 2019 MECHANICAL MUSIC 63

OFFICERS, TRUSTEES & COMMITTEES of the
MUSICAL BOX SOCIETY INTERNATIONAL¨

OFFICERS
President

Clay Witt
820 Del Rio Way Unit 303
Merritt Island, FL 32953
floridaclay@floridaclay.net

Vice President

Tom Kuehn
4 Williams Woods
Mahtomedi, MN 55115
kuehn001@umn.edu

Recording Secretary

David Corkrum
5826 Roberts Avenue
Oakland, CA 94605
musikwerke@att.net

Treasurer

Edward Kozak
3615 North Campbell Avenue
Chicago, IL 60618
kozak@seldenfox.com

TRUSTEES

Judy Caletti
Ed Cooley
Sally Craig
Wayne Finger
Tom Kuehn
Mary Ellen Myers
Mary Pollock
Clay Witt

BOARD ADVISER

Junichi Natori,
International Adviser

MBSI FUNDS

COMMITTEES
Audit

Edward Cooley, Chair, Trustee
Mary Pollock, Trustee

G.Wayne Finger, Trustee
Endowment Committee

Edward Kozak, Treasurer, Chair
Mary Pollock, Trustee
B Bronson

Executive Committee

Clay Witt, Chair, President
Tom Kuehn, Vice President
Mary Pollock, Trustee
Judy Caletti, Immediate Past Pres.
John Bryant, Trustee

Finance Committee

Edward Kozak, Chair, Treasurer
Wayne Wolf, Vice Chair
Tom Kuehn, Vice President
Judy Caletti, Trustee
Peter Both
B Bronson

Marketing Committee

Rob Pollock, Chair
John Bryant, Trustee

G.Wayne Finger, Trustee
Bob Smith
Meetings Committee

Tom Kuehn, Chair, Vice President
Mary Pollock, Trustee
Don Henry
Matt Jaro
Cotton Morlock
Rich Poppe

Membership Committee

Rob Pollock, Chair
Judy Caletti, Trustee, Immediate
Past President
Linda Birkitt, Southern California

Membership Committee
(cont.)

Tom Chase, Snowbelt
Glen Crater, East Coast
Mary Grace, Sunbelt
Florie Hirsch, National Capital
Julie Hughes, Golden Gate
Julie Morlock, Southeast
Dale Stewart, Mid-America
Dan Wilson, Piedmont
Gerald Yorioka, Northwest IntÕl
TBD, Great Lakes
TBD, Japanese IntÕl

Museum Committee

Sally Craig, Chair, Trustee
John Bryant, Trustee
Ken Envall, Southern California
Julian Grace, Sunbelt
Wayne Myers, Southeast

Museum Sub-Committees

Ohio Operations
Emery Prior

Nominating Committee

Dan Wilson, Chairman
John Bryant, Trustee
Judy Caletti, Trustee
Mary Pollock, Trustee
Johnathan Hoyt
Judy Miller
Dale Tyvand
Bill Wineburgh

Publications Committee

Bob Caletti, Chair
Tom Kuehn, Vice President
Steve Boehck
Dave Corkrum
Christian Eric
Kathleen Eric
Terry Smythe

Publications
Sub-Committee

Website Committee
Rick Swaney, Chair
Julian Grace
B Bronson
Don Henry
Knowles Little, Web Secretary

Special Exhibits Committee

Wayne Myers, Chair

John Bryant, Trustee

David Corkrum, Golden Gate

Robert Ebert, Mid-America

Jack Hostetler, Southeast

Judy Miller, Piedmont

Mary Ellen Myers, Southeast

Rick Swaney, Northwest IntÕl

SPECIAL ACTIVITIES
Publications Back Issues:

Jacque Beeman

Regina Certificates:

Bob Yates

MBSI Pins and Seals:

Jacque Beeman

Librarian:

Jerry Maler

Historian:

Bob Yates

MBSI Editorial Office:

Iron Dog Media
130 Coral Court
Pismo Beach, CA 93449
editor@mbsi.org

Members can donate to these funds at any time.
Send donations to: General Fund (unrestricted)
MBSI Administrator, Endowment Fund (promotes the purposes of MBSI, restricted)
PO Box 10196, Ralph Heintz Publications Fund (special literary projects)
Springfield, MO 65808-0196. Museum Fund (supports museum operations)

All manuscripts will be subject to editorial review. Committee and the Editorial Staff. are considered to be the authorÕs personal opinion.
Articles submitted for publication may be edited The article will not be published with significant The author may be asked to substantiate his/her
or rejected at the discretion of the Publications changes without the authorÕs approval. All articles statements.

64 MECHANICAL MUSIC March/April 2019

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Date Event Location Sponsor
Mar. 16, 2019 Snowbelt Chapter Meeting Skyrock Farm, Medina, MN Bill and Stacy Nunn
Apr. 5 -7, 2019 Southeast Chapter meeting Joint with COAA,
(Plus MBSI Trustees Mtg.)
Naples, FL Bob Yates
May 19, 2019 Golden Gate Chapter Meeting Menlo Park, CA Bob and Judy Caletti
Aug. 18, 2019 Golden Gate Chapter Meeting Belmont, CA Richard and Julie Hughes
Aug 27-31, 2019 2019 MBSI Annual Meeting Rockville, MD National Capital Chapter

Please send dates for the Calendar of Events to Russell Kasselman (editor@mbsi.org)

CONTACTS

Administrator Jacque Beeman handles back issues (if available) $6;
damaged or issues not received, address changes, MBSI Directory
listing changes, credit card charge questions, book orders, status of your
membership, membership renewal, membership application, and MBSI
Membership Brochures.
P.O. Box 10196
Springfield, MO 65808-0196
Phone/Fax (417) 886-8839
jbeeman.mbsi@att.net

CHAPTERS

East Coast

Chair: Elise Low
(203) 457-9888
Dues $10 to Geoffrey Wilson
804 Appleton Way
Whippany, NJ 07981

Golden Gate

Chair: Jonathan Hoyt
(408) 214-9313
Dues $5 to Dave Corkrum
5826 Roberts Ave.
Oakland, CA 94605

Japanese International

Chair: Tomiju Endo x
+81-42-339-9099
Dues Japanese yen 4,000 to
Sadahiko Sakauchi
5-2-41 Nigawa-cho
Nishinomiya-shi
662-0811 Japan

Lake Michigan

Chair: Aaron Muller
(847) 962-2330
Dues $5 to James Huffer
7930 N. Kildare
Skokie, Illinois 60076

Mid-America

Chair: Rob Pollock
(937) 508-4984
Dues $10 to Harold Wade
4616 Boneta Road
Medina, OH 44256

National Capital

Chair: Matthew Jaro
(301) 482-2008
Dues $5 to Florie Hirsch
8917 Wooden Bridge Road
Potomac, MD 20854

Northwest International

Chair: Rick Swaney
(425) 836-3586
Dues $7.50/person to Kathy Baer
8210 Comox Road
Blaine, WA 98230

Piedmont

Chair: Vernon Gantt
(919) 264-2222
vgjr123@yahoo.com
Dues $10 to Vernon Gantt
PO Box 20238
Raleigh, NC 27619

Traveling MBSI Display
Bill Endlein
21547 NW 154th Pl.
High Springs, FL 32643-4519
Phone (386) 454-8359
sembsi@yahoo.com

Regina Certificates: Cost $5.
B Bronson
Box 154
Dundee, MI 48131
Phone (734) 529-2087
art@d-pcomm.net

Advertising for Mechanical Music
Russell Kasselman
Iron Dog Media
130 Coral Court
Pismo Beach, CA 93449
Phone (253) 228-1634
editor@mbsi.org

CHAPTERS

Snowbelt

Chair: Tracy Tolzmann
(651) 674-5149
Dues $10 to Gary Goldsmith
17160 – 245th Avenue
Big Lake, MN 55309

Southeast

Chair: Jack Hostetler
(352) 633-1942
Dues $5 to Clay Witt
820 Del Rio Way Unit 203
Merritt Island, FL 32953

Museum Donations
Sally Craig,
2720 Old Orchard Road
Lancaster, PA 17601
Phone (717) 295-9188
rosebud441@juno.com

MBSI website
Rick Swaney,
4302 209th Avenue NE
Sammamish, WA 98074
Phone (425) 836-3586
r_swaney@msn.com

Web Secretary
Knowles Little
9109 Scott Dr.
Rockville, MD 20850
Phone (301) 762-6253
kglittle@verizon.net

Southern California

Chair: Robin Biggins
(310) 377-1472
Dues $10 to Bob Lloyd
1201 Edgeview Drive
Cowan Hgts, CA 92705

Sunbelt

Chair: Ray Dickey
(713) 467-0349
Dues $10 to Mary Grace
13431 Grand Masterpiece
Houston, TX 77041

Copyright 2018 the Musical Box Society International, all rights reserved. Permission to reproduce by any means, in whole or in part, must be obtained in writing
from the MBSI Executive Committee and the Editor. Mechanical Music is published in the even months. ISSN 1045-795X

March/April 2019 MECHANICAL MUSIC 65

MARTY PERSKY

Instrument Brokering & Locating / Appraisals / Inspections / Free Consultation

Spectacular Ruth 38

Popper Felix Mortier 84 key CafŽ Hupfeld Helios II/25 Welte 4 Concert

Wurlitzer 850A Wurlitzer BX with Wonderlight Bow Front Violano Niemuth 45-Key Bacigalupo
Visit www.Mechmusic.com for information on these and other fine instruments.

T:847-675-6144 Email: Marty@Mechmusic.com

4520 Arville St.#1 | Las Vegas, NV 89103 | MorphyAuctions.com | 877-968-8880
NOW ACCEPTING CONSIGNMENTS FOR 2019 NOW ACCEPTING CONSIGNMENTS FOR 2019
4520 Arville St.#1 | Las Vegas, NV 89103 | MorphyAuctions.com | 877-968-8880

For more highlights and videos, visit www.Breker.com/New Highlights
or youtube.com/auctionteambreker
Fully-illustrated bilingual (Engl.-German) COLOUR Catalogue available against prepayment only:
Euro 28.Ð (Europe) or elsewhere Euro 37.Ð (approx. US$ 44.Ð / Overseas)
(Bank draft, cash or by Credit Card with CVV and expiry date: MasterCard/Visa/AmEx)
. Consignments for Future Auctions Always Welcome! .
Ð The Specialists in ÈTechnical AntiquesÇ Ð
P. O. Box 50 11 19, 50971 Koeln/Germany á Tel.: +49 / 2236 / 38 43 40 á Fax: +49 / 2236 / 38 43 430
Otto-Hahn-Str. 10, 50997 Koeln (Godorf)/Germany
e-mail: Auction@Breker.com á www.breker.com á Business Hours: Tue Ð Fri 9 am Ð 5 pm
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT OUR INTERNATIONAL REPRESENTATIVES:
U.S.A.: Andrew Truman, Tel. (207) 485 8343 * AndrewAuctionTeamBreker@gmail.com
Australia & New Zealand: P. Bardenheier, (NZ), Tel./Fax (+64) (0)9 817 72 68 * dbarden@orcon.net.nz
Japan: Murakami Taizou, Tel./Fax (06) 68 45 86 28 * murakami@ops.dti.ne.jp á China: Jiang Feng, Tel. 138 620 620 75 * jiangfengde@gmail.com
Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore: Alex Shih-Chieh Lin, (HK), Tel. (+852) 94 90 41 13 * alexsclin@gmail.com
England: Tel. (0)777 963 7317 * AuctionTeamBrekerUK@outlook.de á France: Pierre J. Bickart, Tel. (01) 43 33 86 71 * AuctionTeamKoln@aol.com
Russia: Maksim Suravegin, Tel. +7 903 558 02 50 * Maksim-ATB.ru@gmx.net
Éand many more!
Contemporary Musical
Automaton Portrait
ÒPutin EcrivainÓ
by Christian Bailly
Estimate: 20.000 Ð 25.000  /
$ 23,000 Ð 28,000
Singing Bird Box by
A. Leschot, c. 1870
Estimate: 5.000 Ð 6.000  /
$ 5,700 Ð 6,850
Automaton Chef by Gustave Vichy,
c. 1890
Estimate: 7.000 Ð 9.000  /
$ 8,000 Ð 10,250
Automaton Banjo
Player by Vichy,
c. 1900
Estimate:
5.000 Ð 8.000  /
$ 5,700 Ð 9,100
Symphonion Musical
Hall Clock, c. 1899
Estimate: 5.000 Ð 7.000  /
$ 5,700 Ð 8,000
Regina Style 33 Automatic Disc-
Changing Musical Box, c. 1900
Estimate: 22.000 Ð 25.000  /
$ 25,000 Ð 28,500
Lifesized Leopard
Automaton by J.A.F.,
circa 1930
Estimate: 2.500 Ð 3.000  /
$ 2,850 Ð 3,400
Station-type Musical Theatre, c. 1890
Estimate: 12.000 Ð 18.000  /
$ 13,700 Ð 20,500
Orchestral Cylinder Musical Box, c. 1890
Estimate: 8.000 Ð 12.000  / $ 9,100 Ð 13,700
Rock Ola Tempo I Jukebox, 1959
Estimate: 7.000 Ð 9.000  /
$ 8,000 Ð 10,250
150th Specialty Auction
ÈMechanical Music &
Technical AntiquesÇ
18 May 2019
Girl on the TelephoneÕ Musical
Automaton by Renou, c. 1900
Estimate: 6.000 Ð 8.000  /
$ 6,800 Ð 9,100