Mechanical Music
Journal of the Musical Box Society International
Devoted to All Automatic Musical Instruments
Volume 67, No. 1 January/February 2021
PuRchAse • sAles • consignment
of Quality Cylinder & Disc Music Boxes, Musical Clocks & Automata
For over forty years we’ve placed fine antiques in collections around the world.
Our reputation has been built upon appreciative buyers and satisfied sellers.
Pictured are a few of the musical antiques in our current and recent inventories.
496 First Street, California 93463 • Ron & Julie Palladino
Open Seven Days a Week 10-6 • 805-452-5700
www.renantiques.com
Visit the charming Danish Village of Solvang, half an hour above Santa Barbara in the beautiful Central Coast Wine Country
RENAISSANCE ANTIQUE S
Renaissance Antiques of solvang
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 The article will not be published with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 author’s
approval. All articles are considered to be the
author’s personal opinion. The author may be
asked to substantiate his/her statements.
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 2021. 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:
MBSI, PO Box 10196,
Springfield, MO 65808-0196
Or, make corrections on the website at www.mbsi.org.
POSTMASTER: SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO
MBSI, PO Box 10196,
Springfield, MO 65808-0196
Mechanical Music
Journal of the Musical Box Society International
Devoted to All Automatic Musical Instruments
Volume 67, No. 1 January/February 2021
MBSI NEWS
5 President’s Message
7 Editor’s Notes
48 In Memoriam
Chapter Reports
46 National Capital
Features
8 Nickel Notes
by Matt Jaro
16 Sacred music on cylinders
– Part 6
22 Portable phonographs
31 The Hunt
34 Farny Wurlitzer address
the ATOS
41 The Hooghuys, an organ
family legacy
MBSI has replanted 124 trees so far as
part of the Print ReLeaf program.
On the Cover
Rick Swaney introduces his collec-
tion of portable phonographs. Not
small enough for your pocket, of
course, but certainly more porta-
ble than an Edison Standard.
Page 22.
The Hunt
James Kracht recalls his trip to
New York to purchase one of his
most treasured cylinder music
boxes. Page 31.
January/February 2021 MECHANICAL MUSIC 3
MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
M
M
echanical music is a fascinating hobby! It
appeals to the artist, historian, craftsman, and
musician all at the same time. Play an automatic
musical instrument in a room full of people and all else
will stop as the machine enraptures the audience with the
sparkling melodies of yesteryear!
Mechanical music instruments are any sort of auto
matically-played machine that produces melodic sound
including discs and cylinder music boxes that pluck a steel
comb; orchestrions and organs that engage many instru
ments at once using vacuum and air pressure; player and
reproducing pianos that use variable vacuum to strike piano
wires; phonographs; and self-playing stringed, wind, and
percussion instruments of any kind.
The Musical Box Society International, chartered by the
New York State Board of Regents, is a nonprofit society
dedicated to the enjoyment, study, and preservation of
automatic musical instruments. Founded in 1949, it now
has members around the world, and supports various
educational projects.
Regional chapters and an Annual Meeting held each year
in different cities within the United States enable members
to visit collections, exchange ideas, and attend educational
workshops. Members receive six issues of the journal,
Mechanical Music, which also contains advertising space
for members who wish to buy, sell, and restore mechanical
musical instruments and related items. Members also
receive the biennial MBSI Directory of Members, Museums,
and Dealers.
The only requirements for membership are an interest in
automatic music machines and the desire to share information
about them. And you’ll take pride in knowing you
are contributing to the preservation of these marvelous
examples of bygone craftsmanship.
More Information online at www.MBSI.org, or
Call: (417) 886-8839, or
Email: jbeeman.mbsi@att.net
Copy this page, and give it to a potential new member. Spread the word about MBSI.
Last name First Name Initial
Last Name First Name Initial
Address
City State / Zip Postal Code / Country
Phone Fax E-mail
Sponsor (optional)
Membership Dues
US members (per household)……………………………………….$60
Student Membership $20
(online journal access only)
Canada…………………………………………………………………………$70
Other International………………………………………………………$75
(Add $20 for International air mail.)
Join online: www.mbsi.org/join-mbsi
Check or Money Order Payable to: MBSI Treasurer (US Funds Only)
Mail to: New Member Registration – MBSI
PO Box 10196
Springfield, MO 65808-0196
Visa/MasterCard
Exp. Date CCV
Signature
4 MECHANICAL MUSIC January/February 2021
By Tom Kuehn
MBSI President
As we begin a new year, it is appropriate
to look back at some of the
changes and accomplishments made
in 2020 despite the tumultuous events
that have affected our daily lives.
The most significant event was, of
course, the emergence of the coronavirus
pandemic. That forced us to
change the mid-year trustees meeting
from an in-person session set for March
in Santa Ana, CA, to a hastily arranged
teleconference. Unfortunately for the
trustees as well as for the members of
the Southern California Chapter, the
planned collection tours and get-together
that would have been part of
that weekend’s meeting were canceled
and unable to be rescheduled.
We have now added multilingual
web pages and basic society documents
to MBSI.org to assist those who
are not native English speakers.
The musical instrument loan agreement
with the Musical Instrument
Museum in Phoenix, AZ, was extended
for another five years. This museum
hosts thousands of visitors each year
where the MBSI display helps to
inform and educate the public about
the wide range of mechanical musical
instruments crafted over the years.
The board held a special meeting
in May where it made the decision to
cancel the society’s annual meeting
that was planned for early September
2020. The board also made the
decision to use a mail ballot
for the election of officers
and trustees rather than the
in-person election that is
normally held at an annual
meeting.
We welcomed the new
Japan Chapter to the list of
society chapters.
The board met again in
September via teleconference,
replacing the meeting
usually held in the conference
hotel just prior to each
annual meeting.
A contract was negotiated
and signed with the San
Mateo Marriott San Francisco
Airport Hotel to hold
our annual meeting there
Aug. 31-Sept. 5, 2022, which
is a two-year postponement
of the canceled 2020 meeting.
The 2022 MBSI Annual
Meeting will be a joint
meeting with the Automatic
Musical Instrument Collectors’
Association (AMICA).
It will be hosted on behalf
of MBSI by the Golden Gate
Chapter.
The contract with our publisher, Iron
Dog Media, was renewed for another
three years so we will continue to
receive the excellent Mechanical
Music publication we have come to
expect. Thanks to everyone who
submitted articles for the rest of us to
enjoy.
I wish to thank all the members who
have volunteered their time and effort
to accomplish the tasks listed above
and many more who keep our society
vibrant in these exceedingly difficult
times. I wish all of you the best as we
embark on another year with its own
set of challenges and opportunities.
Welcome new members!
Fred Martin October 2020
Thousand Oaks, CA
Kirstin Canner Terry Dieterich & Nancy Carrao
Harleysville, PA Beaver Dam, WI
Sponsor: Sally Craig
Rex Schell November 2020
Gresham, OR
Jack & Kim Thornburg Sponsor: William Wineburgh
Fredericksburg, VA Peter Beda
Brent Johnson Whiting, IN
Hagerstown, MD
Grace He
Plymouth, MN
Sponsor: Thomas Kuehn
Angie & Chris Hougen
Bell Canyon, CA
Tom & Louise Tolworthy
Granville, NY
William & Cynthia Chapman
West Point, NY
★
★
★★
®
(INTERNATIONAL)
ORGANIZED IN 1949
DEVOTED TO ALL MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
★
★
★★
®
(INTERNATIONAL)
ORGANIZED IN 1949
DEVOTED TO ALL MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
Musical Box Society International
P.O. Box 10196
Springeld, MO 65808-0196
Phone/Fax: (417) 886-8839
Musical Box Society International
P.O. Box 10196
Springeld, MO 65808-0196
Phone/Fax: (417) 886-8839
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 “sponsor” 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.
Dues Voucher –$15
New U.S. members may join MBSI for one year at $45 (instead
of $60); Canadians $55 (instead of $70; and, other International
members at $60 (instead of $75). This certicate must accom-
pany payment and a copy of the completed membership
application from page 4 of this issue of Mechanical Music.
New Member Name(s):
Authorized by MBSI Administrator
NEW MEMBER
GIFT CERTIFICATE
New members are those who have never been members of MBSI
or those who have not been members for three years prior to
submission of this voucher.
New members are those who have never
been members of MBSI or those who have
not been members for three years prior to
submission of this certicate.
Gift Membership Name
Sponsor
Address, City, State, ZIP
Phone Email
Please mail this form together with your check made payable to “MBSI” 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.
SPECIAL OFFER: Purchase one or more rst-year MBSI gift
memberships at $45 each U.S., $55 Canadian, or $60 other Interna-
tional and you will receive $5 off your next year’s MBSI membership
renewal for each “New Member” gift.
★
★
★★
®
(INTERNATIONAL)
ORGANIZED IN 1949
DEVOTED TO ALL MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
★
★
★★
®
(INTERNATIONAL)
ORGANIZED IN 1949
DEVOTED TO ALL MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
Musical Box Society International
P.O. Box 10196
Springeld, MO 65808-0196
Phone/Fax: (417) 886-8839
Musical Box Society International
P.O. Box 10196
Springeld, MO 65808-0196
Phone/Fax: (417) 886-8839
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 “sponsor” 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.
Dues Voucher –$15
New U.S. members may join MBSI for one year at $45 (instead
of $60); Canadians $55 (instead of $70; and, other International
members at $60 (instead of $75). This certicate must accom-
pany payment and a copy of the completed membership
application from page 4 of this issue of Mechanical Music.
New Member Name(s):
Authorized by MBSI Administrator
NEW MEMBER
GIFT CERTIFICATE
New members are those who have never been members of MBSI
or those who have not been members for three years prior to
submission of this voucher.
New members are those who have never
been members of MBSI or those who have
not been members for three years prior to
submission of this certicate.
Gift Membership Name
Sponsor
Address, City, State, ZIP
Phone Email
Please mail this form together with your check made payable to “MBSI” 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.
SPECIAL OFFER: Purchase one or more rst-year MBSI gift
memberships at $45 each U.S., $55 Canadian, or $60 other Interna-
tional and you will receive $5 off your next year’s MBSI membership
renewal for each “New Member” gift.
Editor’s Notes
By Russell Kasselman
MBSI Editor/Publisher
The personal interplanetary rocket
ship I ordered back in 1985 still has
not been delivered and I cannot seem
to calibrate my time machine correctly
in order to go back and prevent myself
from making that overly large deposit
now that I’m confident the manufacturer
will never actually build the
thing. This is 2021, right? Where is all
my cool stuff?
I often wonder what the folks living
at the time when music boxes were
the height of technology might think
of all the advancements in today’s
world that I find myself too frequently
taking for granted. I guess that’s what
makes it so great to be part of a society
where I can get a regular reminder
that human imagination has really
never known a boundary that could
not be breached (eventually).
Once again, many members have
contributed to making this an issue
full of engaging content for you to
enjoy while either stuck at home
waiting for a coronavirus vaccine or
simply just hoping the ice will melt so
you can get to the grocery store.
Matt Jaro takes us to California to
the home of Sandy Swirsky and Lyle
Merithew for a tour of their fabulous
collection. Then David Worrall wraps
up his series of articles on sacred
music pinned to cylinder boxes,
providing new information not yet
published elsewhere. Rick Swaney
introduces his collection of portable
phonographs with some wonderful
photos and descriptions that might get
you surfing eBay almost immediately.
James Kracht takes us down
memory lane for our recurring feature
called The Hunt. He recalls his trip
MAILING ADDRESS
MBSI Editorial / Advertising
130 Coral Court
Pismo Beach, CA 93449
EMAIL ADDRESS
editor@mbsi.org
PHONE
(253) 228-1634
to New York City to purchase an
outstanding Mermod Frêres cylinder
box and built a long-term friendship in
the process.
A sincere thank you goes to the
American Theatre Organ Society for
granting us permission to reprint
a speech by Farny Wurlitzer that
contains many details of the history
of the company behind the organs we
are all so familiar with. Part 1 is in this
issue with Part 2 set for next issue.
Dr. Robert Penna then rounds us out
with solidly-researched history of the
Hooghuys family of organ builders I’m
sure you will enjoy.
Still stuck inside? Try writing an
article and send it in! We’d love to read
it.
Are people having trouble finding you?
Make sure your information is up
to date in the MBSI online directory.
Go to mbsi.org/update-membership-information/
or scan the QR code below to update your address
phone, website and other information.
NEW ADDRESSES TO NOTE:
Steve Greatrex
Foxlea Cottage, The Street
Lea, Malmesbury, Wiltshire
SN16 9PG United Kingdom
Tim Trager’s correct email address is:
gavioli110@gmail.com
MECHANICAL MUSICJournal of the Musical Box Society InternationalDevoted to All Automatic Musical Instruments
Volume 66, No. 6 November/December 2020Correction
The image on the cover of the
November/December 2020 edition
of Mechanical Music was iden-
tified incorrectly. The image on
the cover shows a Regina Style 67
music box from the collection of
Harold Wade.
January/February 2021 MECHANICAL MUSIC 7
Nickel Notes
By Matthew Jaro & Lyle Merithew
For this edition of Nickel Notes we
have a first: a profile of a West Coast
member. In the past I would select
people that lived within a reasonable
drive from my house in Maryland, but
this time, the topic of the article is
Sandy Swirsky and Lyle Merithew in
San Jose, CA. Lyle and Sandy are, of
course, the membership secretaries
for the Automatic Musical Instrument
Collectors’ Association (AMICA).
They are also very active in MBSI,
being the co-chairs of the 2022 joint
MBSI-AMICA annual meeting to be
held in the San Francisco, CA, area.
They give a great deal of their time to
both organizations and it’s only fitting
that we learn more about them and
their wonderful collection. Because
of the distance involved, I offered to
interview Lyle over the phone, but
he graciously volunteered to write a
document about his life and collection.
In the interests of space and flow,
I have edited the text, but the words
are mostly Lyle’s.
Early Life
I believe my first encounter with an
automated musical instrument was at
the house of the woman who “baby
sat” me for the first several years of my
life. She had a cylinder music box with
bells and, though I don’t remember
hearing it until much later, I assume
she played it for me as soon as I was
able to listen to it.
When I was probably 5 or 6 years
old I got a wind-up phonograph that
I listened to a lot until my nephew
(a year younger than I) over-wound
it and broke the spring. I remember
making a cardboard model of a phonograph
after the real one was broken
(nerdiness starts early) and a few
years later got a radio-phonograph
combination.
Like most of the collectors I talked
with who grew up in the Los Angeles,
CA, area, Disneyland and Knott’s Berry
Farm loom large in understanding my
interest in mechanical music. Disneyland
opened when I was 9 years old.
Living in Long Beach, CA, about half
an hour from Disneyland, we went to
the amusement park occasionally. I’m
not exactly sure when the player piano
shop opened on Disney’s Main Street
but it instantly became a hit with me.
The room I’m writing this in is
decorated with four album covers,
Disneyland’s Life of the Party volumes
one and two, Jack Shaindlan’s Silent
Movie Music and Knuckles’ O’Toole
Goes to Paris all of which I bought
as a child. Then there was possibly
the biggest musical automaton in the
world, the Enchanted Tiki Room,
which has always been my favorite
attraction at Disneyland.
Even though we visited Knott’s
Berry Farm a lot from an early age, I
don’t remember paying much attention
to the coin operated pianos until I
was in high school – particularly after
I got my driver’s license in my junior
year and was able to go there myself.
I do remember that some time
during my high school years a friend
of my parents bought an old pumper
and rebuilt it by replacing the tubing.
We went over and saw it and I wanted
one but my parents weren’t interested.
My main introduction to the wider
world of music was at the home of
a woman who lived alone in a small
Sandy Swirsky and Lyle Merithew with their Seeburg G, which was originally part of
Dave Ramey Sr.’s collection
8 MECHANICAL MUSIC January/February 2021
A Marshall and Wendell Ampico in Sandy and Lyle’s home. Note the Regina style 35 changer in the background.
house down the block from us. Her
son worked for RCA in the record division
and sent her pretty much every
78-rpm album that they put out. She
had shelves of albums and, from an
early age, I would spend an afternoon
listing while she played them. I believe
that my first foray into classical music
was an album titled “Peer Gynt and
the Trolls,” narrated by Milton Cross.
It told a story with music from the
suites in the background.
College and Early Career
By the time I went off to college I
was hooked on mechanical music in
various forms. I attended Cal Tech
(California Institute of Technology
in Pasadena, CA) for two years and
then transferred to Pomona College in
Claremont, CA. After some graduate
work I applied to IBM and got a job
starting in March, 1968, as a customer
engineer repairing computers in Los
Angeles.
Improvements in hardware diagnostic
software meant that fewer
hardware customer engineers were
needed. The IBM labs were generating
a lot of software and needed programmers.
Most of the programmers were
told they had to transfer to the labs
to keep their jobs (back when IBM
didn’t lay people off) and many of the
hardware customer engineers were
“promoted” to fixing the software.
I transferred to San Jose, CA, and
became a software tester. I later
switched to development.
In 1976 I had two boys and was
divorced with joint custody. I had
purchased the house Sandy and I are
living in now, a 1,400 square foot home
near where my ex-wife and I had been
living, so my boys would be able to
keep their neighborhood friends.
Meanwhile, Sandy, who is two years
younger than I, had also grown up in
the Los Angeles area, gone to junior
college and the University of Southern
California. She spent several years in
Atlanta getting two master’s degrees
and teaching. She moved back to California
in 1976 to teach and found a job
in San Jose. We met at a singles group
Halloween party. Sandy and I immediately
hit it off. She didn’t have an
interest in mechanical music but she
had managed to pick up an interest in
carousels somewhere.
After a few years my ex-wife got
married again and Sandy moved in
with me, I believe the same weekend.
In summer of 1981 we were completing
the first addition to our house and
decided that we should get married
January/February 2021 MECHANICAL MUSIC 9
The roll-storage room, an 8-foot-wide-by-23-foot-long room added on to the house.
and have a child. Sandy had been a
good step-mother to the two boys but
we wanted a child of our own. In April
of 1982 our daughter, Rachel, was
born.
The Collection Begins
Somewhere along the line Sandy
had started to refinish an old upright
piano that we had purchased for our
oldest son to practice on. It needed
some ivories and ebonies replaced
and Sandy started calling around
to piano technicians trying to find
someone who would sell her ivories
and ebonies. Most had none, but Jack
Gustafson, who lived a couple of
miles from us, said he had ivories he
had replaced with plastic and some
ebonies. Sandy went over to his house
to pick them up and he showed her
the theater organ he had in his music
room. She had no idea there were
people who would put a theater organ
in their house. He also was selling a
player piano he had rebuilt.
Soon after our daughter was born,
we purchased the pumper (which is
now in our music room) and it arrived
in July with about 12 rolls. I was really
interested in the piano, not the music.
At the time, rolls seemed expensive so
Sandy and our daughter would have to
sit in the music store while I listened
to many rolls deciding which to buy. At
this point the pumper was mostly my
toy. Later our house would be full of
rolls as my interest in the music grew.
Sandy liked the piano, but she wanted
a carousel horse. It was considered
bad form to encourage the breaking
up of carousels to sell the horses
individually. We contemplated buying
a new horse but never found one we
both liked and felt we could afford.
We joined AMICA but didn’t really
participate in the local chapter at first.
About five years later we purchased
a Marshall & Wendell baby grand
AMPICO A from Jack which he had
partially rebuilt. It had spent its entire
life in San Jose and is now in our living
room. I attended AMICA’s 25th anniversary
convention in San Francisco
(1988) by commuting from home. I
remember several things about the
convention. There was a presentation
of Conlin Nancarro’s music, a Mills
Violano for sale at what would seem a
few years later a very reasonable price
and, on Sunday, a house tour that both
Sandy and I went to. The host had a
relatively small living room full of
three grand pianos and a couch. That
seemed like a lot of pianos for one
house. Little did we know…
Expansion
Now with two pianos, we were
having some trouble figuring out
where to keep the rolls. In 1991 we
added a “roll closet” onto the house.
It is 8 feet wide by 23 feet long. We
haven’t managed to fill it with rolls
(but we have filled it with other stuff).
We have managed to fill shelves 17
feet long by 8 feet high with rolls. This
doesn’t count the organ rolls which
are in the family room with the organ
and the Phonoliszt rolls which are in
the music room.
Over the next couple of years we
picked up a Western Electric Mascot
from Alan Erb. It was a simple coin
piano with just a piano and mandolin.
One of the things that appealed to
us was that instead of doors on the
bottom, it had a glass panel so you
could see the pump and motor. Alan
said that he had heard that it had been
in the Wells Fargo collection. We also
bought from Alan, at Sandy’s insistence,
a Stella disk box in a simple oak
case that played 151/5-inch disks. We
took it home and put it on an oak table
and were unimpressed. I made a pine
table that fit over the oak table (since
we had no place to store the oak table)
10 MECHANICAL MUSIC January/February 2021
and that greatly improved the sound.
It is still on the same pine table in our
living room. John MottoRos sold us
a 1946 RockOla jukebox which is in
our family room. Later, John sold us
a Seeburg Audiophone jukebox that
was made in 1929.
AMICA
In 2000 we volunteered to help organize
and put on the AMICA convention
in Sacramento, CA. This was my
second convention and Sandy’s first.
We attended the 2003 convention
in Portland, OR, as well. The next
convention we attended, 2006 in
Chicago, IL, had a very big effect on
our collecting.
One of the tours at the Chicago
convention was to the house of Jim
and Sherrie Krughoff. While I was
drooling over the orchestrions, Sandy
found a Regina style 35 changer in a
room near the kitchen. After asking
one of the docents to play it several
times, she found me and had me come
and see it. One of the following tours
was to the house/workshop of Al
Choffnes. He had a Regina style 35
changer with clock and stained glass
for sale. As soon as we got home from
the convention, we purchased it and
put it in our living room.
One of the open houses scheduled
for the convention was the home of
Dave and Lavina Ramey. Dave had
passed away on the prior Friday and
we arrived to a combination convention
open house and an open house
where people were paying respects
to Lavina and their children. While we
were there we saw several instruments
including a Banjo-Orchestra that Dave
had built and a Seeburg G that Dave
had built up from a cabinet. He had
purchased it with only the piano in it.
The Celestina
In early 2007 we made possibly
the strangest purchase we have ever
made. We received an email saying
that a local collector was going to die
soon and that he was trying to sell
some of his collection. We went to
his house and found out that he had
terminal cancer and was planning to
discontinue his medications in about
a week. He and his wife had owned
A 1946 RockOla Jukebox sold to Sandy and Lyle by John MottoRos.
January/February 2021 MECHANICAL MUSIC 11
an antique store in New Orleans, LA,
and had moved to California (before
Hurricane Katrina) with a great deal
of their stuff. We purchased a 20-note
Mechanical Orguinette Co. Celestina
and a vase from him. I don’t remember
how much we paid for them but I
do remember that we didn’t feel like
haggling over the price.
The Raffin Organ
In 2007, the AMICA “convention”
was a tour of mechanical music-related
places in Holland and Germany.
We visited three workshops in
Germany that made small organs suitable
for taking to organ rallies. The
one we found most interesting was the
Raffin organ workshop in Überlingen.
We decided we wanted to buy one. By
the time we got home, the exchange
rate had shifted so that it was not in
our favor so we put the purchase off.
About a year later the exchange rate
was improving to our benefit so we
contacted the Raffin representative
in the U.S. He sent us a CD of case
styles and some CDs of rolls available
from the company. Sandy wanted an
inlaid case but Raffin didn’t have any
in stock and they would have had to
buy a dozen of the panels from their
supplier so the inlaid case was out.
Sandy, our daughter, our son-in-law
and I each looked at the case selection
and selected the same case. We
ordered it and paid for it on the day
before the presidential election in
2008. Because the woman that painted
this particular case was ill, it wasn’t
sent to the U.S. until March. It arrived
at the San Francisco airport in the
middle of a series of rain storms. I
found what appeared to be a break in
the rain a few days later and a friend
from work and I went up to the airport
and picked it up. When we got to our
house Sandy was still at school so we
set it up and my work friend and I tried
it out. It had survived shipping and a
little rain on the way home. We have
taken it to one or two rallies a year
and I have even arranged a couple of
rolls to play.
Additional Acquisitions
In 2009 when Lavina Ramey put
several items up for sale, we purchased
The Raffin Organ that survived a trip from Europe and a rain storm in San Francisco
to become a treasured part of Sandy and Lyle’s collection.
the Seeburg G we had seen nine years
earlier. David (Jr.) had moved to Ohio
and the Seeburg G was at his shop.
David wanted to do some work on it
before sending it to us. That summer
we were visiting our oldest son, who
lives in Dayton, OH, (about an hour
and a half from David’s) so we went
over to talk to him about the machine
we were buying. As we were leaving,
he gave us three CDs of recordings of
the Banjo-Orchestra.
In the spring of 2011 Sandy’s mother
passed away in Southern California.
While driving down to meet her brother
and sisters to close up the house and
get it ready for sale, we were listening
to the Banjo-Orchestra CDs that David
Ramey had given us more than a year
earlier. Sandy suggested we could use
the inheritance from her mother to
purchase one. We contacted David
and found out that Richard Reutlinger
had also decided to purchase one.
David agreed to bring them out here
without charging for shipping if he
could display one of them at the MBSI
convention in San Francisco in 2012.
He and Richard decided to display his
so David delivered and set up ours a
couple of days before the convention.
While he was at our house he also did
some work on the Seeburg G. Both our
Seeburg G and the Banjo-Orchestra
12 MECHANICAL MUSIC January/February 2021
The Hupfeld Phonoliszt-Violina that spent a few years without the top crest in order to make it fit in Sandy and Lyle’s living room
which only had 8-foot-high ceilings.
were on display at the San Francisco
AMICA convention in 2013.
In fall of 2013 Sandy finally got her
carousel horse. It is a Charles Carmel
carved between 1905 and 1920.
The Hupfeld Phonoliszt-Violina
At various open houses and on the
trip to Germany we had seen an assortment
of Hupfeld Phonoliszt-Violinas.
We were both, needless to say, very
impressed with them. The National
Carousel Association convention
in 2012 went to see the carousel at
Jasper and Marian SanFilippo’s house
in Illinois. While we were wandering
around in the American instrument
section of the main house (which we
hadn’t gotten to spend much time in
on a previous visit), we encountered
Jerry Biasella. Somehow the conversation
got to Phonoliszt-Violinas
and Jerry said that Tim Trager had
a couple for sale. After considering
it for a while we decided that we
might be able to manage to purchase
one. We would need to again add on
to the house because we didn’t have
any place to put another instrument.
Also, the Phonoliszt is a bit taller than
8 feet high and our 1970s tract house
didn’t have any room tall enough for
it. We contacted Tim and decided that
a reproduction was within our budget
(or less out of our budget than an original).
We bought the Phonoliszt and
January/February 2021 MECHANICAL MUSIC 13
Sandy and Lyle’s Seeburg G sits just inside their front door.
the subscription
to 200 recuts that
the current owner
had committed to.
We had started the
process of adding
on to the house
when we agreed
to purchase the
Phonoliszt, but
the construction
permitting process
had gotten much
more difficult in
the years since our
last addition. The
Phonoliszt arrived
before the work
had really started
and so it was placed
in our living room,
and the couch it
displaced was set in
front of the sliding
glass door that was
scheduled to be
removed to allow
access to the music
room. The living
room has an 8-foot
ceiling and the Phonoliszt just fit (with
a quarter of an inch to spare) but we
had to remove the top piece with the
Hupfeld name on it.
When the music room was finally
finished and the time came to move
the Phonoliszt to its new location we
realized the opening between the two
rooms is only 6-feet-8-inches tall. After
some discussion, and even though
they lived more than two hours away,
we decided to hire the movers that had
helped us transport our Banjo-Orchestra
and Seeburg G to the 2013 AMICA
convention. We had seen how careful
they were with our machines and
were confident they could do the job
well. We told them that they needed
four movers for the job. When they
arrived to move the Phonoliszt, they
commented that four people seemed
to be more than was necessary. After
removing the violin from the top of the
piano (without being able to tilt it at
all in the living room), they agreed that
four was the correct number.
Many Happy Returns
All of the pianos in our home are
placed where we can hear them from
our bedroom and we often listen to
them as we are getting ready for bed. I
still can’t bring myself to listen to the
Phonoliszt when I can’t watch it, since
I really enjoy seeing the violins move
and the bow change speed.
We do have hobbies other than
mechanical music and carousels.
Sandy is active in the Woman’s Club of
San Jose and the local Quilting Guild.
We both square dance an average of
four nights a week.
Sandy and Lyle can be reached at
sswirsky@sbcglobal.net
Email Matt Jaro at mjaro@verizon.net if you would like any information about
style “A”, “G”, “4X”, “H” or “O” rolls. Also, comments and suggestions for this column
will be appreciated.
Reprinted with permission of the author and The Automatic Musical Instrument
Collectors’ Association (AMICA). Originally printed in the May-June 2015 issue of
The AMICA Bulletin.
14 MECHANICAL MUSIC January/February 2021
The new music room (note the raised ceiling)
with the Hupfeld Phonoliszt-Violina, Ramey Banjo-
Orchestra and upright pumper piano taking up one full wall.
January/February 2021 MECHANICAL MUSIC 15
Sacred Music On
Cylinder Musical Boxes
Part 6: Corrigenda, Addenda and Final Thoughts.
By David Worrall
In Part 3 of this series of articles
on Sacred Music, titled “Hymns,” I
referred to Bremond serial No. 19710
which posed something of an enigma
at the time of writing. Research has
since resolved this and we now know
that the words on the tune sheet are
biblical texts, not those from hymns.
Also, the hymn numbers on the tune
sheet relate to a Society for the
Promotion of Christian Knowledge
(SPCK) publication called “Church
Hymns. Published under the direction
of the Tract Committee.” A words-only
edition is all that is available.
Some editions of hymn books
include a biblical text either as the
source that inspired the hymn writer
in the first instance or to reflect the
sentiments expressed in the verses.
Placed as these were, in the centre
and immediately above the words
or musical score of the hymn, those
unfamiliar with this practice could
easily take them as a hymn title,
which they most definitely were not.
The appearance of these texts on this
particular tune sheet is like that.
Subsequent restoration and recording
of the musical programme has
enabled five of the six tunes to be
identified. They are all as familiar
today as they were in 1881-1882, the
time serial No. 19710 was made. The
sixth tune remains to be identified. As
for the words of the hymns to which
the numbers on the tune sheet refer,
only three are in use today. So, what
appeared at first to be a music box
with an unusual and perhaps unique
musical programme has turned out
to be just another standard sacred air
music box playing a programme of
familiar hymn tunes hidden behind a
screen of biblical texts! None of this
should be allowed to detract in any
Fig. 11: Bremond serial No. 19710 tune sheet with the “unusual” tune titles
referred to in the text.
Thoughts and
Background Notes
This series of articles was first
published in 2017-2018 in The
Music Box, the Journal of The Musical
Box Society of Great Britain. It
arose from research prompted by
the extracts from Mechanical Music
Digest (www.mmdigest.com). Originally,
it was intended to be short and
so was published in a single edition
of The Music Box. As the research
progressed, however, the scope
gradually increased to the extent
that necessitated publication in five
parts, each part being explained in
the text of the article itself.
These articles are now being
republished in Mechanical Music
with all changes necessitated by this
new material as of November 2020.
Throughout this article, the term
“sacred” is used entirely with reference
to the Christian faith and then
in relation to the music identified
and referred to herein.
Parts 1 to 4 gave the background
to the article, defined sacred music,
gave overall statistical details of its
extent on cylinder musical boxes and
discussed results from the analysis
of classical sacred music, hymns,
evangelical and gospel songs. Part 5
discussed some hybrid, interchangeable
and unusual programmes.
Whilst this series has been
running, new information has come
to light that either corrects or extends
what has gone before in Parts 1-5.
It is thought appropriate, therefore
to add Part 6 to the series to cover
such material.
16 MECHANICAL MUSIC January/February 2021
way from the quality of serial No. 19710 and the attractive Table 16 below.
arrangements it plays. As restored, it is an excellent exam2.
The hymn numbers are in the same hand and ink
ple of its type and one for which the soubriquet “Hymn as the texts. This is unusual as, when present, this
Box,” so beloved by some in our interest for anything with feature is usually in a different ink and hand, the
sacred airs, can be truly applied. hymn numbers having been added sometime after
The Tune Sheet for Bremond serial No. 19710 is now at purchase by an owner. For Bremond serial No.
Fig 11. Table 16 summarises the information discussed 19710, however, being in the same hand and ink
above. There are two further points of interest to note surely means that the source was in the author’s
about the tune sheet: hand when the tune sheet was drafted for the script
1. The words on this copy bring to light a number of writer or when the script itself was written.
errors in Part 3 of my series. The corrections are in
Air
Tune Sheet Detail –
With Corrections
Highlighted.
Biblical Source – Authorised
Version
First Line of
Hymn in SPCK
“Church Hymns”
Hymn Tune Pinned on
Cylinder; & the hymn
with which it is more
usually associated.
Times, Seasons &
Festivals associated
with the Tune
1
One of the two who
heard John speak.
Hymn 158.
John 1:40:
One of the two which heard
John speak, and followed him,
was Andrew, Simon Peter’s
brother.
158. “O Jesu, our
redeeming Lord”
Winchester Old.
“While shepherds
watched.”
Christmas
2 The Lord is risen
indeed. Hymn 136.
Luke 24:34:
saying, The Lord is risen in-
deed, and hath appeared to
Simon Peter.
136. “Jesus Christ
is risen today,
Alleluia”
Easter Morn or Easter
Hymn.
“Jesus Christ is risen
today, Alleluia”; also,
“Christ The Lord is risen
today, Alleluia.”
Easter
3
Christ our Passover is
sacrificed for us. Hymn
128.
1 Corinthians 5:7:
Purge out therefore the old
leaven that ye may be a new
lump, as ye are unleavened.
For even Christ our Passover
is sacrificed for us.
128. “At the
Lamb’s high feast
we sing”
St Georges, Windsor.
“Come ye thankful
people come.”
Harvest
4
Come for all things and
are now ready.
Hymn 212.
Luke 14:17:
and sent his servant at supper
time to say to them that were
bidden, Come; for all things
are now ready.
212. “My God,
and is Thy table
spread”
Rockingham.
“When I survey the
wondrous Cross.”
Holy Week
5
Although the fields shall
yield no meat. Hymn
267.
Habakkuk 3:17:
Although the fig tree shall not
blossom, neither shall fruit be
in the vines; the labour of the
olive shall fail, and the fields
shall yield no meat; the flock
shall be cut off from the fold,
and there shall be no herd in
the stalls.
267. “What our
Father does is
well”
Arrangement of Spanish
Chant or Spanish Hymn
Sometimes set to the
Charles Wesley’s hymn
“Christ whose Glory fills
the skies.”
Morning
6
He that is least in the
Kingdom of God. Hymn
178.
Luke 7:28:
For I say unto you, among
those that are born of women
there is not a greater prophet
than John the Baptist: but he
that is least in the kingdom of
God is greater than he.
178. “When Christ
the Lord would
come on earth”
Yet to be Identified.
Possibly a hymn tune
associated with an
evening hymn to
complete the above
series?
Table 16: Bremond serial No. 19710. Details of Text Corrections (highlighted in yellow), biblical text sources and hymntunes
identified.
January/February 2021 MECHANICAL MUSIC 17
Addenda: Tune Sheets in Foreign
Languages
The vast majority of music boxes
with sacred airs identified during
research for this series of articles have
tune sheets with the sacred air titles
written in English, with or without
sundry spelling mistakes and some
wild, indeed very wild interpretations
of some indecipherable and faded
script. Very occasionally, however,
one comes to light with its tune sheet
in a foreign language and some examples
of these follow.
Fig. 12 shows the tune sheet of
a music box produced by Mermod
Frêres in the early 1900s clearly for
the German-speaking market, either
sold in Germany itself or to the
German speaking area of Switzerland.
I am not a linguist, but I have listed the
hymns in Table 18 and in the second
column of the table I present a literal
translation obtained from the internet.
I have not been able to translate any
of these titles further into the English
idiom (British or American) to see if
they relate to any of the hymns that
have been otherwise identified in my
research so far. Perhaps a reader may
be able to help in this matter by taking
the translation further.
A second example of a tune sheet
in a foreign language is at Fig. 13.
It is from serial No. 8049 made by
Karrer in the mid 1880s, again for the
German-speaking market but in this
case some of the hymns are more
recognisable.
As the image quality is rather poor,
I have set out the musical programme
in Table 19.
The Karrer business, located in
Teufental, Switzerland, to the southeast
of Berne was not amongst the
front runners for producing music
boxes with any form of sacred music
included in their programmes. Perhaps
this was because they were less
well-known as makers in the United
Kingdom where most of the sacred-air
music boxes seem to have been sold.
At the time I released my first article
on this subject for publication, only
four Karrer music boxes had come
to light with a total between them
of just 15 sacred airs. Some of them
were repeats and one, the six-air box,
Fig. 12: Mermod Frêres serial No. 117368 with eight sacred airs, the titles in German.
Hymn Title – in German Literal Translation into English
1. Alleluia, lof zig den heer 1. Alleluia, tens of armies
2. En hoogen God Alleen zig ser 2. ???
3. Mein hertzen Jesu meine Lust 3. My love for Jesus
4. Goed heid Gods! Nosit regt ge-
prezen!
4. Goodness of God! Nosit is rightly
praised!
5. Jesu, meines Lebens Leben 5. Jesus, life of my life
6. Sollt ich meinem Gott nicht singen. 6. Shouldn’t I sing to my God
7. Öd, enkel licht. 7. Desolate, grandson light
8. Nun ruhen alle Walder. 8. Now all forests are resting.
Table 18: The hymn titles in German from the tune sheet of Mermod Frêres serial
No. 117368
shown in Fig. 13, had an all-in German
list of tunes that was indecipherable
for the most part because of the image
quality.
As I was writing these notes, a
second box by Karrer came to light.
This one, serial No. 15528, was made in
the 1890s with titles on the tune sheet
in English but with a rather unusual
mix in its musical programme, as may
be seen in Table 20. It has a single,
secular air at tune No. 1 with sacred
airs for the remainder of the six-air
programme. Usually, music boxes are
produced the other way around with
just one sacred air in an otherwise
secular programme.
The musical programme for this
music box is set out in Table 20.
Mixed Languages Tune Sheets
Occasionally, a tune sheet has come
to light with a glorious admixture of
languages. Such a one is at Fig. 15 with
at least three languages recognisable:
Italian, Latin and French.
A second, rather extreme example
of this has just been sent to me. It is
the brass tune plaque shown in Fig.
16. The brass plaque is on the case of
what was said at the time of referral
to be an otherwise ordinary run-of-the
mill 12-air box by Ducommun-Girod,
serial No. 39429, Gamme 2930, made
circa 1861-1862. Again, in view of
the rather poor image, the musical
programme is set out in text format in
the representation in Table 21.
Caveat Emptor! I also discovered
18 MECHANICAL MUSIC January/February 2021
Fig. 13: Tune Sheet for Karrer serial No. 8049. Apologies for
the poor quality of the image; none better was available.
Hymn Title – in German Literal Translation into English
1. Das ?? Blut. ????? 1.
2 Wacht auf! Ruft uns die
Stimme 2.
3. Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott 3. Luther’s Hymn “A Safe
Stronghold is our God”
4. O Gott, o Gott o Licht des
lebens 4.
5. Ho finds die Seele die Heimath
die Ruh? 5.
6 Harre mein Seele 6. Hark My Soul
Table 19: The hymn titles in German of Karrer serial No. 8049
Fig. 14: Karrer serial No. 15528. One secular air in an otherwise
sacred air programme.
Tune No. Title Notes
1 Boccaccio Waltz – von
Suppe. The single Secular Air!
2
Ring the Bells of Heaven.
William Orcutt Cushing/Root.
650.
Circa 1865
Noted on 13 boxes by
other makers.
3 Once For All. Percy Bliss
Author & Composer. 143.
About 1872. This is
pinned on one other
Karrer Box.
4
Far Away Where Angels
Dwell!! by Jacob Blumenthal.
Circa 1879.
See also the further
comments below.
5
Beautiful Star in Heaven so
Bright [Star of the Evening]
by J.M. Sayles.
Circa 1860. The first instance
for this particular
hymn.
6 Jesus of Nazareth [Passeth
By]. Campbell/Perkins. 77.
Circa 1865.
This is pinned on one
other Karrer Box.
Table 20: The hymn titles on the tune sheet of Karrer serial
No. 8049. Research on Tune 4 above revealed two possibilities
and, after some consideration and with help from the restorer
of this box, it was confirmed as the version by Blumenthal, as
indicated on the tune sheet. The alternative was a tune set to
different words but with the same title, by George W. Persley,
of 1873. I have not encountered either tune before and, having
read the verses of both versions, I think both are well out on
the fringes of being considered a sacred air in any of the categories
identified in this series of articles.
Fig. 15: Tune sheet of unattributed music box with an unrecognisable
serial number, but with a mixture of languages.
Fig. 16: Brass tune plaque referred to in the text. The titles are
in text format at Table 21 on Page 20.
January/February 2021 MECHANICAL MUSIC 19
that the music box with this intriguing
brass tune plaque recently appeared
for auction in the U.S. Close examination
by members of several musical
box societies identified features that
clearly showed it was not what it
was supposed to be, which is a 12-air
sacred music box by Ducommun-Girod.
The chief clue that led to this
assessment is the manner in which
the very ordinary looking 12-air
Ducommun-Girod movement is fitted
into the case which, considering its
proportions and quality, is better
suited to either a 12-air two-per-turn
or an overture movement. Also, the
serial number (No. 39429) is stamped
on the underside of the base in a style
suggestive of another well-known
maker, but not Ducommun-Girod. In
my opinion, this was a forced marriage
where the movement and case have
little in common with one another.
In further support of my theory that
this box is a forced marriage of case
and movement, I have compared the
brass plaque seen in Fig. 16 with the
elaborate design work seen on the
silvered or brass plaques of contemporary
boxes by makers such as Nicole
Frêres. I can say confidently that it
is very doubtful any such maker of
quality music boxes would have had a
plaque, with several spelling mistakes
and changes in style, made and fitted
to one of their products prior to sale.
Indeed, the plaque recognises neither
the maker nor the serial number on the
underside of the base, just squeezing
what is now thought to be the Gamme
Number in along the top.
The Arthur D Cunliffe Register of
Cylinder Musical Boxes also bears no
evidence as yet concerning a serial
No. 39429 by any maker. So, without
any witness holes giving evidence of
the brass plaque having replaced an
earlier tune sheet, it is thought to be
part of the original casework for an
erstwhile serial No. 39429 the movement
for which, for the present at
least, can be considered mislaid, lost
or destroyed.
To my eye, this seems to be an
example of an attempt by a vendor
or first owner to enhance the value/
appearance of the music box by
having a brass plaque fitted rather
12 TUNES – 2930
1. Cantique XXII Grosser Gotte wir loben. Haydn
2. Come ye disconsolate.
3. Oh How Happy the are A Sacred Song.
4. Hymn XLII M. Luther’s.
5. O praise the lord. Handel
6. The old Hundredth.
7. Choral de Luther. Seingeur, ramparte
8. Pslam XXXIII. Lett all the juste.
9. He Comete. he Comet Hymn
10. Llandaff, adapted Choral. Bach
11. Grand Choeur de la Creation. Haydn
12. Cantique XXXVII. Handel
Table 21: Sacred Air Titles from the Brass Plaque at Fig. 16. Mistakes are not
corrected.
than an ordinary tune sheet. It still
leaves, however, a tune plaque of
interest to consider within the bounds
of this series of articles, to say nothing
of its strange mix of English sprinkled
with French and German.
It will take some research to identify
exactly what most of these titles are
or to what sacred airs they might refer.
Indeed, some will be unidentifiable
unless the related original movement
can be heard.
The Opera “Nabucco,” or
Nebuchadnezzar
In Part 1 of this series, I remarked
that composers and their librettists
often turned to the Bible as a source
for stories for a libretto, whether
for an oratorio or, indeed an opera.
An extreme example of the latter
is the opera “Nabucco,” short for
Nabucodonosor, or in English, Nebuchadnezzar.
This was written by Verdi
and first performed in 1842.
The opera, with its plot of romance
and politics, uses historical events
taken from the Bible as a background,
and in doing so follows the plight of the
Jews as their homeland is conquered
by the Babylonian king, Nabucco, with
the Temple in Jerusalem sacked and
the Jews themselves taken into exile
and slavery in Babylon. Whilst there,
their thoughts and dreams return to
their homeland, musically portrayed
by Verdi in the best-known number
from the opera, the “Chorus of the
Hebrew Slaves,” “Va, pensiero, sull’ali
dorate” or “Fly, thought, on golden
wings.”
This biblical background apart,
the story of the opera is entirely
secular and so, although Verdi’s arias
and choruses from “Nabucco” have
been identified on 40 music boxes
registered to date, none form part of
musical programmes of sacred airs.
For these reasons, it was excluded
from Part 2 of the series but is added
here by way of a footnote to the series
explaining its earlier exclusion.
Final Thoughts
Music boxes with sacred airs forming
all or just part of their musical
programme continue to come to
light. At the end of September 2020 a
total of 12,828 surviving music boxes
had been identified, 12,776 having
been registered and the remaining 52
coming from other sources. Of these,
5,590 have no details of their musical
programme. Of the remaining 7,238, a
total of 6,423 play only secular items,
leaving just 815 (or 11.26 percent)
with musical programmes, including
at least a single sacred air.
The revised breakdown of musical
programme formats within that total
is in Table 22. This shows that whilst
the subtotals and ratios, as set out in
Table 2 in Part 1 of the series may have
altered, they have not done so by any
20 MECHANICAL MUSIC January/February 2021
significant margin since first published
in 2019.
New Sacred Airs
New titles not seen before in this
research continue to come to light.
Apart from those already referred to
above, other examples are listed in
Table 23.
All have just a single occurrence,
reinforcing the view that many sacred
air titles were arranged and pinned to
meet particular requests from customers.
This thought raises again questions
about music box production in the 19th
century, such as how were such orders
made? How was music, both new and
strange to a Swiss arranger, arranged
and what was needed to accomplish
this? Who made the arrangements and
at what cost? In what timescales were
the makers and their arrangers able
to meet such requests? Perhaps, and
rather sadly, we shall never know as
so many records have been destroyed
or lost over the intervening years.
Acknowledgments
I end these final thoughts with a
note of acknowledgment and thanks
to those members of MBSI who have
helped in this research by sending
details of music boxes with sacred airs
and by their helpful and constructive
comments made when doing so. In the
past I have chosen not to name them
and I continue with that tradition now,
but they each know who they are and
I wish them to know that they all are
very much appreciated.
Research such as this by its nature
can never be complete and would
not be possible at all without the aid
of The Arthur D Cunliffe Register of
Cylinder Musical Boxes. It is gratifying
to know that surviving boxes are
still coming “out of hiding” and being
drawn to the attention of both Arthur
Cunliffe and myself. All such finds add
to our knowledge of this form of home
entertainment of former years.
Musical Programme End Sep 2020 February 2019
Format No. of MB’s Percentage No. of MB’s Percentage
Complete Programme of
Sacred Music 414 50.80% 389 51.80%
Partial Programme of Sacred
Music – Two or More Airs 89 10.92% 88 11.72%
Single Item of Sacred Music 249 30.55% 213 28.36%
Subtotals 752 92.27% 690 91.88%
Registered as “Hymn Box”
but without supporting
details – Unidentifiable
63 7.73% 61 8.12%
Overall Totals 815 100.00% 751 100.00%
Table 22: Programme extent of musical boxes pinned with sacred music as at end
September 2020. Sacred air popularity remains much the same with “The Messiah”
(309 occurrences), “Creation” (300 occurrences) and “Elijah” (222 occurrences) topping
the list in that order as the most popular oratorios. Still, rather surprisingly to
me, the chorus “The Heavens are Telling” from “Creation” remains the most popular
single classical sacred air with no less than 128 occurrences compared to the next
most popular, “O Rest in the Lord,” from “Elijah” with 109 occurrences. Furthermore,
“The Heavens are Telling,” the grand chorus from “Creation” remains the most popular
single sacred air overall.
Hymns show little change in their order of popularity. “Old Hundredth” (119 occurrences)
remains the most popular by a significant margin followed by “Evening
Hymn” (93 occurrences) and “Morning Hymn” (78 occurrences). Of note in this section,
though, is that the Christmas carol “Silent Night” occurred no less than seven
times in the musical programmes of the additional boxes recently identified. This is
a significant increase.
Amongst Evangelical and Gospel Songs, “Safe in the Arms of Jesus” (69 occurrences)
and “Hold the Fort” (65 occurrences) remain at the top by comfortable
margins.
Tune Notes
Jesus Shall Reign (where ere the sun) A surprising first occurrence for this
well-known hymn.
Jesus Loves Me; This I know A hymn written with children in mind.
I Hear Thy Welcome Voice
Angel hovering round
Once I was dead in sin
I hear the Saviour say
Beautiful Star in Heaven so Bright J.M. Sayles, 1858
Kingdom coming
Guide us Saviour T.C.O’ Kane
Battling for The Lord T.E. Perkins
Spirit Voices S.J. Vail
Home of The Soul H. Phillips
It is Well with my Soul
Washed in the Blood of The Lamb
Table 23: Additional sacred air titles found during recent research.
January/February 2021 MECHANICAL MUSIC 21
Music To Go
An introduction to portable phonographs
by Rick Swaney
Phonographs make up a significant portion
of my mechanical music collection. In
fact, my collecting began with an Edison
cylinder phonograph I encountered
at a local antique store. Some of my
favorite machines to demonstrate are
portable phonographs. I don’t mean
phonographs that are inherently portable
due to their small size, but rather
phonographs that are designed to be
disassembled and/or compressed for
transporting. They are great examples
of the ingenuity of mechanical design
prior to the age of electronics.
I have four portable phonographs.
Each one demonstrates a different
approach to shrinking for transport. I’ve found
from hosting chapter meetings and open
houses that more than a few collectors are not
familiar with this type of phonograph. Let this
article serve as an introduction to this interesting
phonograph sub-genre.
Mikiphone
The smallest of the portables, and the most
popular for collectors, is the Mikiphone.
Contrary to what I thought, it has nothing to do
with the famous Disney mouse. It is named after
its inventor, Hungarian designer Miklós Vadász.
The Mikiphone was manufactured by the Swiss
company Maison Paillard. They produced
between 150,000 and 200,000 of them in the mid
1920s.
The phonograph is shaped like a large pocket
watch and was
The Mikiphone unpacked from its compact case and ready to be assembled in order to play a record.
The Mikiphone is now ready to receive and play a record. Note the pushpin plug in the center that would anchor a record to the
device and prevent it from tipping over due to the weight of the reproducer.
advertised as a pocket phonograph.
Given its weight of more than two
pounds and diameter of 4.5 inches,
it’s unlikely that many owners carried
one in their pocket. Designed to be as
small as possible, there is no wasted
space inside. The pieces must be
positioned precisely to fit, as indicated
by the layout drawing conveniently
included in the lid.
The Mikiphone replaces the traditional
horn with a Bakelite resonator
box. This box splits into two shallow
cups which nest together for packing.
One cup has a hole near the bottom
for accepting the reproducer and a
series of small holes at the top for the
sound to come through. The reproducer
is standard except for a clip on
the back to fasten it to the resonator
and a section of support arm attached
to its side.
The turntable is a 4-inch diameter
steel disk. It has a hole in the center
for sliding onto the motor spindle.
Four other holes are present for parts
to stick through when it is packed. A
10-inch record on this turntable would
tip from the weight of the needle, so
a pushpin-shaped plug is included
24 MECHANICAL MUSIC January/February 2021
which inserts into the top of the spindle
to hold down the record.
The reproducer’s support arm
consists of two halves joined with a
swivel hinge. The back half is attached
to the phonograph body in a way
that allows it to swing outward for
playing. The act of swinging the arm
out releases the brake, activating on
the motor. Swinging out the arm also
controls the speed. The further the
swing, the faster it plays. The front
half of the arm pivots on the back half
allowing the reproducer to track the
record groove.
The spring motor is wound by twisting
the watch’s winding key. It takes a
bit of force to turn the key and takes
up to 50 turns to fully wind the motor.
A fold-up crank was invented which
attaches to the key to make winding
easier. I don’t know if that was available
as an option from Paillard or
was sold as an accessory by another
company.
One item I don’t have – I am told
that it is quite rare – is a rectangular
needle tin that fits within the case. It is
pictured in the layout drawing in the
lid.
Excelda
The Excelda is a portable phonograph
that bears a resemblance to
a popular camera model, a folding
bellows style. That’s the kind with
an accordion-like, adjustable black
tunnel between the lens and the
film. Thorens, the Swiss music box
company, manufactured the Excelda
in the early 1930s.
The case is a long, thin metal box (5
inches by 11 inches by 2 inches) with a
brown crackle finish giving the appearance
of alligator skin. The entire top
is removable once a retaining knob is
unscrewed. The knob screws onto the
end of the motor spindle. When playing
a record, the knob serves a second
purpose, holding the record down on
the small (2.5-inch) turntable.
The spring motor occupies about
one-third of the case. Another third
is devoted to an internal horn. The
rest of the space is taken up by the
reproducer, tone arm, and crank.
Being a later-model phonograph, the
reproducer has an aluminum rather
No space is wasted in the Mikiphone case design.
The Excelda is carried in a metal case with a removable top.
January/February 2021 MECHANICAL MUSIC 25
The winding crank, reproducer and reproducer arm all fit neatly into the Excelda’s case. Assembly is relatively quick and easy.
The Excelda as fully assembled and ready to play a record. The reproducer is made of aluminum and resembles a more modern
speaker that might be seen on a telephone.
26 MECHANICAL MUSIC January/February 2021
than mica diaphragm. The disk is
embossed with a set of concentric,
circular mounds much like modern
speakers have. The tonearm has a
rotating sleeve on one end that fits
into a vertical opening in the horn. The
other end attaches to the reproducer
with a typical bayonet mount.
An internal lever acts as both the
brake and speed adjustment. The
further the level is pushed, the faster
the motor runs. A pointer on the edge
of the lever sticks out of a slot in the
side of the case. As the lever moves,
the pointer slides up and down a
metal gauge marked, “Stop — Slow
——— Fast.”
Kameraphone
The Kameraphone, made in the
1920s, is another portable that resembles
a popular camera model, the
classic Brownie box camera. It has
a small, leatherette-covered wooden
case with a leather carrying strap on
the top. The front has knobs for the
brake and speed adjustment and a
hole for inserting the winding crank.
The lid of the case is hinged to give
access to the phonograph parts.
The bulk of the interior is devoted
to the spring motor. It is hidden
under a wooden platform which
has indentations for the reproducer,
horn, support arm and turntable. The
reproducer is of a standard design.
The horn consists of three conical
aluminum segments which nest
together in the case. In use, they lock
together end-to-end to form a 4.5-inchlong
trumpet. The turntable is a small
metal disk with three attached arms.
One arm is fixed in position. The other
two arms swing outward 120 degrees
to form a balanced support for a standard
10-inch record. The reproducer
support arm is an L-shaped metal rod
that sits in a bracket built into the
hinged lid. The fit is loose, allowing
the arm to swivel as a record is played.
I’ve found many variations in the
design of this type of phonograph, all
referred to as Kameraphones. Kameraphone
is a registered trademark, but I
haven’t been able to discover anything
about the company behind it. I suspect
that not all these variations, including
mine, are official Kameraphones. Mine
The Kameraphone is so named because of its resemblance to the Brownie box
camera that is carried in a similar-looking case.
January/February 2021 MECHANICAL MUSIC 27
The components that make up the Kameraphone shown unpacked.
The Kameraphone has three arms that swing out at 120-degree angles to support
a record. The horn is made up of three separate conical aluminum pieces that fit
snuggly together.
has no identifying marking inside or
out nor any indication of a missing
plaque.
Polly Portable
My favorite portable is the Polly
Portable Phonograph. It was
manufactured by the Polly Portable
Phonograph Company of New York,
NY, around 1925. It is large for a portable,
but I think it’s the most practical.
The other phonographs are smaller,
but when you realize that you also
must bring records, the Polly makes
sense. Its case is large enough to carry
a stack of five records.
The Polly has a full-size turntable
and the spindle is extra-long to hold
the stack of records in place. The
spring motor is no more than an inch
tall, allowing it to fit under the turntable
despite the slim (2.5-inch) case.
The vertical winding crank goes into
a hole in the front right corner. The
brake lever and speed adjustment
knob are in the front left corner.
What sets the Polly apart from other
phonographs is the reproducer/horn
design. To begin with, there really isn’t
a reproducer. The needle is connected
directly to the horn. And the horn is
nothing more than a piece of paper!
The horn is a 16-inch diameter piece
of stiff paper with an approximately
45-degree wedge cut out of it. To turn
it into a horn, one brings the edges of
the wedge together and fits a rivet on
one edge into a notch on the other.
The result looks something like a
small satellite dish. When not in use,
the horn folds into thirds and is held
under a clip inside the lid.
When in use, the center of the horn
is attached to the needle by trapping
it between two 1-inch aluminum
dishes. The lower dish is permanently
attached to the needle. The upper
dish is removable and screws down
into the lower one with the horn in
between.
I think the tone of the Polly is the
best of the portables. The small metal
horns can sound tinny. The larger,
softer horn produces a more pleasant
tone with plenty of volume.
One more nicety of the Polly is that
it has two built-in needle bins. They
28 MECHANICAL MUSIC January/February 2021
The Polly Portable Phonograph uses a stiff piece of paper as a horn. When assembled, it looks a bit like a satellite dish.
The Polly Portable Phonograph’s needle is connected directly to the horn.
January/February 2021 MECHANICAL MUSIC 29
are automatically revealed when the
horn’s support arm is swung out for
use and are closed when the arm is
put away.
The operating instructions are
printed on a large cardboard disk that
fits on the turntable. The front is in
English. On the back (in tiny print)
are the same instructions in French,
German, Italian, and Spanish.
Finally
This concludes my short introduction
into the world of portable
phonographs. I hope you find them
as interesting as I do. There are many
other models out there, some of
which I hope to own someday. The
good news is they are not too hard
to find. As I write this there are three
Mikiphones, four Kameraphones, and
six Exceldas on eBay.
If you have any questions, or even
better, if you have any additional information
about these or other portables
you can contact me at: r_swaney@
msn.com.
The Polly Portable Phonograph case can carry up to five records along with the
player itself. Note the foldable paper horn neatly clipped into the case.
30 MECHANICAL MUSIC January/February 2021
The Hunt
Story and Photo By James Kracht
Buying a very special music box
I now own 45 music boxes. Each
one of them has its own history and
special role in my collection. Reliving
and remembering how each of them
came into my possession is part of the
joy and uplifting mood that I get when
I admire and listen to them.
A day that will long be remembered
in my music box collecting journey is
Oct. 20, 2018. The night before I had
flown into the Westchester County
Airport, near White Plains, NY, to meet
a long-time friend from whom I had
wangled an invitation to stay in his
Connecticut home and visit with him
and his family. It was wonderful to see
everyone again, and to get to know
the kids who were still younger than 6
years old but growing fast. I sincerely
enjoyed being in their magnificent
home.
On the morning of Oct. 20, my
friend Sharad, his wife Katherine and I
boarded a train to take us from Darien,
CT, into New York City. I had forgotten
how big the city’s train stations are and
was so glad that I had Katherine and
Sharad with me. We hailed a cab for the
Manhattan apartment of Charles and
Beatrice Blaisdell, the owners of the
music box I hoped I was destined to
purchase. The doorman directed us to
a different apartment number than the
one I had been given, but with nerves
on edge and trepidation we headed up
to the Blaisdells’ apartment. To say
101-year-old Charles Blaisdell and his
wife were charming is an understatement.
They could not have been more
welcoming and delightful. They were
Column Graphic by Mary Clegg
The author’s mahogany-encased Mermod Frêres Interchangeable Ideal Sublime
Harmonie Piccolo music box.
A closeup of the silver “highest award” plaque from the 1893 Columbian Exposition.
January/February 2021 MECHANICAL MUSIC 31
A view of the cylinder and combs with the glass cover raised shows the immaculate condition of this music box.
so gracious, witty and kind.
After introductions, we approached
the music box sitting in the dining
portion of their apartment and I was
immediately impressed to see the
beautiful carved front of this mahogany
encased music box.
The music box in question was
a Mermod Frêres interchangeable
tabletop music box, an Ideal Sublime
Harmonie Piccolo, serial No. 65948
with four nickel-plated 18.75-inch,
6-air cylinders. Of note, this music box
bears a plaque inside the lid denoting
that it was a top prize winner in the
Columbian Exposition of the 1893
World’s Fair in Chicago, IL.
Turning it on, I was immediately
spellbound and in love. At the time,
my collection consisted of 22 music
boxes, but I owned nothing that
compared to this. It was outstanding
and truly superb. You have to hear
and feel a Mermod Frêres to know the
solid character and quality that make
these music boxes so impressive. I
believe the first song it played that
morning was “The wedding March.” It
was truly beautiful.
Even before I had left for Manhattan,
I knew I badly wanted this music
box. It was unique with the top-prize
plaque and it was beautiful inside and
out. It had been meticulously cared
for. I also learned that it had been
purchased from the Anheuser-Busch
Estate 25 or 30 years earlier.
The Blaisdells and I were $1,000
dollars apart in price when I arrived
at their apartment, and we quickly
agreed to split the difference, and then
the music box was mine. I was so very
excited. Today, the fact that I had the
chance to meet the very special people
that I bought the music box from just
adds to the delight of listening to the
music box play. I think they were the
most delightful people you would ever
want to meet.
I chuckle, however, imagining what
must they have thought of me at the
time. I stood there in their Manhattan
apartment peeling off hundred dollar
bill after hundred dollar bill to pay
them for their prized music box. I
brought cash because I figured they
didn’t know me and they might be
wary of taking a check from a stranger.
Plus, I certainly didn’t want someone
else to come along and buy this music
box out from under me with a cash
offer before my check could clear.
All four cylinders that came with
this music box are incredible, and I
love them. The box that plays them
inspires me with its beauty and sound.
32 MECHANICAL MUSIC January/February 2021
When I read the article recently in
Mechanical Music written by Southeast
Chapter member Jamie Brewer
who told his story of recently acquiring
two very special cylinders for the same
model Mermod Frêres I contacted him
for more information. Jamie sent me
a copy of the program of one of the
cylinders, playing Beethoven’s Ninth
Symphony. The program is so unique
and so special. It makes me love my
Mermod Frêres even more. I was so
excited by it that I sent a copy of the
music to Beatrice Blaisdell and she
called me back to tell me how much
she truly loved it.
Though lacking the original tune
card and the matching table that it is
pictured with on Page 51 of Q. David
Bowers’ Encyclopedia of Automatic
Musical Instruments, I do now have
a hand-written copy of all of the
tunes on my four and Jamie’s two
cylinders. I am now in the process of
having a correctly designed tune card
produced.
I will have the tune card put into
a leather folder, because the plaque
showing the Columbian Exposition
World’s Fair top prize status occupies
the inside of the music box lid.
Suffice it to say, I am both honored
and blessed to have this music box as
a premiere music box in my collection.
A closeup of the crank motor, gears and play speed regulator. Note the patent label
listing the date and location of manufacture that is attached to the bedplate.
What is even nicer though, is that
Charles Blaisdell understood and
appreciated my admiration and love of
his music box before he passed away
at 102. As much as I love it though, I
am even more fortunate to have met
the Blaisdells and brought them into
my life. Charles’ memory will live on
forever, and I cherish my wonderful
ongoing friendship with his beautiful
wife Beatrice.
Thank you Charles and Beatrice for
making it possible to have both you
and your music box in my life. Thank
you also to Reg Smith, my Georgia
restorer, who introduced me to the
Blaisdells and made this all possible.
Seeking your stories for ….
Did you once spend time finding the perfect musical
antique to round out your collection? What was it? How
did you find it? Was it in ruins, or in perfect condition?
Was there a time you randomly ran across a unique
instrument then found a way to acquire it and restore it
so that you might display it and tell the story to all who
visit your home?
Answer these questions and you will have the perfect
story for “The Hunt” column in Mechanical Music.
Every mechanical music instrument has a story
behind it and the readers of Mechanical Music love to
read them all.
Editing help is available if you have a story, but
you are not sure how to organize it or present it. The
important thing is to get it down and pass it on for the
enjoyment of others.
We look forward to hearing from you.
The Hunt
Email your story to editor Russell Kasselman at
editor@mbsi.org or mail a copy to:
MBSI Editorial Offices
130 Coral Court
Pismo Beach, CA 93449
January/February 2021 MECHANICAL MUSIC 33
Farny Wurlitzer Speaks to the
American Theatre Organ Society
(Editor’s Note: The following article is reprinted by permission
of The American Theatre Organ Society (ATOS). It was
originally printed in two parts, in the March/April 2012 and
May/June 2012 issues of Theatre Organ, the journal of ATOS.
We will also print it in two parts. Part 1 begins below.
This article came to the attention of MBSI through
the efforts of Gary Rasmussen and Bill Griess who
received rough copies of the speech from various
sources in their respective orbits. Gary and
Bill offered these rough copies to MBSI and
other organizations which led to the collab
oration with ATOS via their president,
Dave Calendine, and journal editor, Mike
Bryant. Enjoy!)
BY Don Feely
The year was 1964 and the ATOE
(American Theatre Organ Enthusiasts; forerunner
to the ATOS) was holding the national
convention in Buffalo, New York. A record
256 members registered for the convention and
on July 6 attendees were treated to a trip to the
Wurlitzer factory in North Tonawanda as guests
of Mr. Farny R. Wurlitzer. Following a concert by
Marvin Korinke on the new Wurlitzer 4000 organ,
Mr. Wurlitzer gave a speech to the crowd, sharing his
recollections of the formative years of the Unit Orchestra.
His remarks included personal stories about Robert
Hope-Jones, memories of significant installations, and
other company anecdotes. Invitations had been sent
to all members of the ATOE, as well as other
prominent guests. Following the formal
presentation, a buffet luncheon
was served to all the attendees,
compliments of the Wurlitzer
Company.
The North Tonawanda
plant was a fitting site for
Mr. Wurlitzer’s recollections
— it was his leadership
there that guided Wurlitzer
through the manufacture
of band organs, to photo
players, to theatre organs,
to jukeboxes, and finally
electronic organs. While
we may wish to believe
that it was his undying
34 MECHANICAL MUSIC January/February 2021
passion for the Unit Orchestra that
lead to its tremendous success in
theatres, in reality it was his manufacturing
and business savvy that allowed
the Wurlitzer company to excel in
many different ventures.
Repeatedly, the business would
pick up the pieces of some defunct
company, make some modifications
on the idea, and then market it with
a great deal of panache. In 1908
Wurlitzer bought the DeKleist Musical
Instrument Manufacturing Company
(and factory) in North Tonawanda,
continuing their production of automatic
musical instruments: player
pianos, band organs, and pianorchestras.
Farny, the youngest of Rudolph
Wurlitzer’s three sons, was sent in
1909 to take over operations at the
plant. He then oversaw the hiring of
Robert Hope-Jones in 1910 to direct
the organ department, in addition to
purchasing the assets of the bankrupt
Hope-Jones Organ Company.
By 1933, the advent of talking
pictures coupled with the Great
Depression had almost put the
Wurlitzer Company out of business.
In 1928 Wurlitzer’s shares sold at
$119 a share. In 1933 the price was
$10 a share and the company was
almost $5 million in debt. At great
risk, Farny gambled and bought the
Simplex Manufacturing Company
from Homer Capehart, the developer
of a record changing system called the
Multi-Selector. Under Farny’s leadership,
Capehart became Wurlitzer’s
general manager while gifted designer
Paul Fuller created the iconic styles
that made Wurlitzer the best-selling
jukebox manufacturer in the world.
Farny served as president of the
company from 1932 until 1941, and
continued on the Board of Directors
until his death in 1972. He had been a
friend of the ATOE since its inception
and was named an Honorary Member
at the 1960 annual meeting. In 1964 he
was, at 82 years old, the only surviving
son of Rudolph Wurlitzer and still
Chairman of the Board. His speech to
Farney Wurlitzer (sic) was named an Honorary Member of ATOE at the second
annual convention in 1960
Mr. Wurlitzer accepts a plaque of appreciation from W. “Tiny”
James, ATOE President
Mr. Wurlitzer signs an autograph for a young well-wisher
following the program
January/February 2021 MECHANICAL MUSIC 35
the convention attendees contained
many vibrant memories from the Unit
Orchestra era of manufacturing.
(ATOS Editor’s note: The Journal
is grateful to Don Thompson for
providing this rare recording for
transcription. It was given to him
many years ago by W. “Tiny” James,
former ATOE president.)
The Speech
ATOE President-elect, Carl Norvell:
I would like to express the sincere
thanks of all the members of ATOE for
this wonderful concert made possible
by the generosity of the Wurlitzer
company. It is now my pleasure and
honor to introduce a gentleman who
is not only the most gracious host,
but who is primarily responsible
for the development of the musical
instrument to which this organization
is dedicated—the theatre organ. It
is my pleasure to present Mr. Farny
Wurlitzer, Chairman of the Board of
Directors of the Wurlitzer Company,
who will describe some of his early
experiences and association of the
bygone years.
Niagara-Frontier Chapter President,
Grant Whitcomb: Mr. Wurlitzer, to mark
this most special occasion, the Niagara
Frontier Chapter and the ATOE have
prepared this plaque to honor you and
the theatre organ which we would like
to present to you at this time, and I’m
going to ask Tiny James to read the
inscription.
ATOE President, Tiny James: This
reads: “With sincere admiration and
respect, the American Association of
Theatre Organ Enthusiasts take great
pleasure in presenting this plaque to
our host, Mr. Farny R. Wurlitzer, on
the occasion of a luncheon attended
by him at a meeting of the National
Convention, North Tonawanda, July
6th 1964. Farny Wurlitzer, in creating
that glorious instrument which we all
know and love, and which we choose
to call the theatre organ, has already
assured both he and his company a
permanent place in the musical history
of America. It is impossible to vision
the countless hours of enjoyment, the
flights into fantasy, the innumerable
day dreams, as well as plain ordinary
every-day enthusiasm, that has been
engendered in the minds of the
millions who have ever listened to his
mighty Wurlitzer. It is therefore, with
great pleasure that we present Mr.
Farny Wurlitzer with this small token
as a measure of the esteem in which
he is held by all members of this organization.
Signed by myself and Grant
Whitcomb, representing the Niagara
Frontier Chapter.”
Mr. Wurlitzer:
You’re all far too kind to me. I
Writer Ben Hall congratulates Mr. Wurlitzer following his remarks.
appreciate this very, very much and
you may be sure that it will have a
place in my office where I can see it
daily. I appreciate the kindness that all
of you have shown.
This is really a red letter day for me
because it brings back many happy
memories of the past. I go back to
January 1909 when we purchased the
business from the DeKleist Musical
Instrument Manufacturing Company,
and I was chosen to come up here to
take charge of the business. I was 26
at that time. I feel, however, you will
be interested in having a brief history
36 MECHANICAL MUSIC January/February 2021
After the program, from left: Roy Waltemade, Harold Schwartz, Farny Wurlitzer,
Richard Simonton, A. Donald Arsem, Louis Hollingsworth, Gaylord Carter
of what brought us into the theatre
organ business.
The family traces its history back
to the first Wurlitzer in 1596—Heinrich
Wurlitzer. And in 1659 the first
Wurlitzer was born that made a
musical instrument, and it is unusual
perhaps, but in every generation
that succeeded him there was either
a maker or a dealer in musical
instruments. My grandfather dealt
in musical instruments in the small
village of Schöneck, Saxony, where
my father was born in 1831, and the
musical instrument business at that
time was a home industry to a large
extent. And my grandfather bought
the musical instruments from the
peasants, who made them largely in
the winter season when they weren’t
busy in their fields, and then he resold
them to jobbers and to exporters, and
they eventually came to the United
States.
My father, of course, had experience
in this business and he hoped
to become a partner in his father’s
business. He was the eldest son but
his father decided that that was not
the arrangement he had in mind. He
wanted to keep the business for the
youngest son who was a child at that
time. So my father decided to come to
America. He came to the United States
in 1853. It is a coincidence that in that
same year my mother crossed the
ocean. She was French, my father was
German. My father imported the first
musical instruments from his father in
1856 and it is from that date on that
our business started.
When we were musical instrument
dealers in Cincinnati, Ohio, and Mr.
DeKleist, who had been brought over
here by the merry-go-round manufacturers—
there were three of them in
North Tonawanda at that time from
England—to build merry-go-round
organs for them because the duty
had been increased and they decided
it was necessary to manufacture the
instruments here. So Mr. DeKleist,
with one or two helpers, came over
from England. He made merry-goround
organs for the merry-go-round
manufacturers, but the business got
a little slack, and he decided to see
whether he couldn’t get some additional
business by making trumpets
for the U.S. Army. So he came down
to see my elder brother who was 12
years older than I am, and we did buy
trumpets from him. You see, merrygo-
round organs had brass trumpets
so this was just a short step to making
the instruments such as used in the
army. DeKleist said “Couldn’t you sell
some merry-go-round organs?” Well
I said “Well we might sell one or two
a year, but there’s very little demand
for them, but if you would make a
coin-operated piano for us we could
sell a lot of them.” At that time the
merry-go-round organs that DeKleist
made had wooden cylinders. It had
usually 10 tunes on it and by turning
a lever on the side you could choose
any one of the ten. So he made a
piano the same way. There was a long
wooden cylinder with 10 tunes on
it and when the model was finished
my brother came up to look at it and
after a number of changes, why, he
decided it was satisfactory and he
ordered 200 of them. Mr. DeKleist
didn’t have the funds at that time so
he went to the bank and borrowed
money on the strength of the order.
Well, that business developed and Mr.
DeKleist became prosperous and we
had the sole selling rights to all of the
instruments.
Paper music rolls followed very
shortly after that and the wooden
cylinders that were used in the tonophones
were discontinued. There
were many types of coin-operated
musical instruments, and there was an
era there where the skating rinks were
very popular and the band organs, as
we called them also, were useful, and
many of them were sold and we sold
them to skating rinks at that time.
The moving picture theatres had not
begun. There were nickelodeons, and
for those we had developed an instrument—
various models of them—with
piano, and the smaller ones with one
box on one side, the larger ones with
two, and they had two music rolls.
The one would be rewinding while
the other one was playing and that
way the music could accompany the
picture in the nickelodeon. Motion
pictures were a very short reel, and
you paid a nickel or a dime to go in
to see the show. So that business was
growing and we felt that there was
an opportunity to build instruments
for theatres. We weren’t thinking of
motion picture theatres because the
real motion picture theatre didn’t
exist and we thought of replacing the
orchestras.
And we heard of Robert Hope-
Jones, and he had some financial
difficulty and his company failed in
Elmira, New York. He had a distinguished
lot of stockholders in it.
Mark Twain, Mr. Vail—President of
January/February 2021 MECHANICAL MUSIC 37
the American Telephone Association,
and quite a few others. But Robert
Hope-Jones, whom we investigated
quite thoroughly before we entered
into business relations with him, had
been a continuous failure with everyone
that he had been associated with.
He first began remodeling an organ
in his own church at Birkenhead,
England. He electrified it, and that
was something very new. He brought
the console out of the church and put
it on the outside and then played the
organ on the inside of the church,
which created quite an impression on
the church world in England. He lost
his own money in building organs. He
lost that of his wife, who was a very
fine woman, and then he was backed
by various people, one of them I think,
to the extent of $250,000.
But Hope-Jones was an inventor.
He had a brilliant mind. He was very
persuasive—an unusual looking
man. He had a most unusual crop of
hair. It was pure white and I’ve never
seen one like it before nor since. His
hair stood up straight, and he really
enjoyed walking down Fifth Avenue
or Broadway, holding his hat in his
hand, and everybody turned to look
at him because he was so unusual!
But every time he finished an organ
it wasn’t good enough. He always had
in mind building a better one the next
time, and that was why he lost money,
because every time he built an organ
it was different. He didn’t duplicate
anything. He was with several large
firms in this country—Skinner, and
Austin—and then he formed his own
company in Elmira, which was a
failure.
We knew of all these failures, knew
that it had been continuous, and
perhaps we were conceited enough
to think that we knew how to make
money with Hope-Jones and be a
success. Hope-Jones came up to see
us and he gave us a demonstration
on the organ in St. Paul’s Episcopal
Cathedral in Buffalo, and tried to
interest us in taking over his company
which was in receivership. I recall
that demonstration very well. My
two brothers were there. I was there.
And I was very, very impressed. I’d
never heard an organ sound like that
Robert Hope-Jones in 1910.
before. It was beautiful. While he was
at Elmira he built the Ocean Grove
organ which really was an outstanding
instrument, and is still in use today. We
then went down to Ocean Grove and
heard that organ, which was marvelous.
We entered into a contract with
him in April 1910, and we closed the
deal with the receiver of the company
in May 1910.
Our thinking in the early days when
we took the business over was the
church field, which he had been working
with largely, hotels and theatres.
We didn’t realize that the large movie
theatres were coming, and he had a
contract with the Hotel Statler, which
is now the Hotel Buffalo, and of
course, with the company having gone
into receivership, it was necessary to
renew that contract, and I went down
to see Mr. Statler with Mr. Hope-Jones
and we did get the contract. It was a
most peculiar installation. Mr. Statler
had just built an addition to his hotel
and he had a large banquet room in
the new addition, that was on the
second floor. His grill room, really the
dining room that was used mostly by
him. The problem was that he wanted
the music to be heard both in the
banquet room on the second floor, and
to come through to the dining room
on the ground floor, which had a glass
domed roof over it. So we installed
the organ in two bedrooms that were
there, and a peculiar result occurred.
When we played full organ it was
softer than when we played individual
stops! We realized then that we were
just encountering what is well known
in physics. The sound waves were
melting together. Although this was a
narrow hall that we had the tone come
out into, the tone chambers were on
either side, we built a thin wall—I
don’t think it was over an inch and a
half thick—the full length of the hall.
From then on the results were fine,
because the sound waves couldn’t
mingle any more. Later on when Mr.
Statler built his new hotel, we sold
38 MECHANICAL MUSIC January/February 2021
The Statler Hotel Dining Room; the organ was installed in 1911.
The Statler Hotel in Buffalo New York, home to the second organ built by Hope-
Jones and Wurlitzer. No opus number was assigned to this instrument
him two organs. One for the main
dining room and one for the ballroom.
We tried many things to develop
the business. We were new at it. This
was a new field. No-one had ever
built organs for theatres before. We
got an order from the Court Theatre
in New York, and also from the Court
Theatre in Chicago, and installed
those replacing the orchestras. Just at
that particular time there had been a
years’ strike of the musicians in New
York, and that made it easier for us to
enter the theatre field. They made it
possible.
Well one of our early installations
was in a theatre that most of you
have never heard of—the Century
Theatre on Central Park West. It was
built by a group of very wealthy men
because they wanted to do something
outstanding for the theatre world and
they only had spectacular shows. The
one that was on, I remember quite
distinctly, when we installed our
organ without expense to the theatre,
was called The Daughter of the Gods.
Oscar Hammerstein had written the
music for it and he was there. So
we put this fairly large instrument
in there and it was demonstrated. It
wasn’t long after that that the Criterion
Theatre (the name was changed
to the Vitagraph Theatre) put on the
first long film show in the history of
moving pictures. It lasted an hour, and
I believe it was called America. Our
organ was the only music that was
used and that was a really historical
event in motion picture history.
I recall when we used the Diaphone
pipes which most of you know were
used to imitate thunder, and did, the
city authorities in New York forbade
the use of them because they were
afraid the plaster ceiling would come
down, which it might have! This,
of course, was not a movie house
built for the purpose. It was an old
theatre changed over, on Forty-third
and Broadway. That was the first and
earliest installation of an organ where
a long film was used.
But to go back a little bit, Hope-
Jones obtained some contracts for
organs for churches, and he’d come to
me and say “You know, this is really
an important installation, but if we
January/February 2021 MECHANICAL MUSIC 39
The Century Theatre auditorium.
The Century Theatre on Central Park West. Opus 4 was
installed in 1912.
could just add this stop and that stop to it, it would make
it perfect and it would mean so much to us in getting other
contracts.” Well we were willing to go along with things
like that and we did, but at the end of two years we had lost
$200,000 in the Hope-Jones Organ Department. Now he
was a very fine man in many, many respects. A real inventor
and a gifted man. He was very persuasive. He could
talk you into believing that black was white, and I think he
succeeded sometimes!
Well, at the end of this period of time we decided that the
only way we could make a success of the business, was to
have Hope-Jones stay out of the factory and have nothing
to do with the actual manufacturing operations. And we
talked to him and also wrote him a letter, and told him that
he no longer had permission to come into the plant, that we
would continue to pay him, just as the contract provided
for, and he had a percentage of any sales price on all the
organs that we sold. And we told him that as soon as the
business was profitable, that we would then establish an
experimental shop for him where he could do the experimental
work, but would not interfere with the current work
going through, because you just cannot manufacture and
make every instrument different than the last one that you
built. And that unfortunately, with his inventive mind, was
the only way that he could manage it. So that discouraged
Hope-Jones, that he could no longer come into the plant. It
discouraged him that he no longer was in the public eye as
much as he had been before, and as many of you know he
committed suicide on September 13th, 1914.
It was a great pity. Had he believed in us, he would have
been well compensated because a little later on the business
grew prosperous. His wife was, in my opinion, a very
wonderful woman. Very kind, and she did so much for all of
the employees that she had known for years. Most of these
people had come over from England with Hope-Jones. We
had many, many problems, many serious problems in those
early days because the loss that we had was a big one for
us. But throughout it all we never lost faith in what the
Hope-Jones organ was, and what he had done. We believed
The Vitagraph (formerly the Criterion) Theatre received Opus
33 in 1914. (Opus 33 was originally Opus 4, which had been
repossessed and enlarged by two ranks).
in his work, and we believed that we could be a success in
it, and we were.
(Editor’s note: This concludes Part 1, look for Part 2 in
the next issue.)
40 MECHANICAL MUSIC January/February 2021
The Hooghuys
A legacy of wonderful instruments
By Robert F. Penna, Ph.D.
The distinctive sound of a street,
fairground or dance hall organ,
whether activated by a barrel, paper
roll or cardboard book, is music to
my ears. Whether performing music
perfectly or even slightly out-of-tune,
there is something magical to me
about the sound. Of the many companies
that manufactured organs in
various parts of the world only a few
gained reputations for outstanding
performance and ended up making
music machines that became eagerly
sought by collectors. The Hooghuys
family can count themselves among
that short list.
Family Background
The Hooghuys family significantly
impacted the field of automatic music
for nearly a century and a half after
Louis Francois Hooghuys began the
manufacture of barrel organs in Grammont,
Belgium, in 1880.1 Prior to that,
the Hooghuys family exerted a much
smaller influence on the field of music
as their reputation was centered
around the manufacture of church
organs. The first documented entry
into the music business was in 1806
when Gerrit Simon Hooghuys placed
an advertisement in a paper in Bruges,
Belgium, having just moved from his
home in Middelburg, Netherlands.2
The ad read:
GERARDUS HOOGHUYS, Organ
builder, has the honor to inform the
public that he has come to live in this
1. Penna, Robert & Penna, Angela. “A
Chronological History of the Automatic Musical
Instrument – Part I,” Musical Box Society
International Journal, MBSI, Winter 1986.
2. Isebaert, Bjorn. “Part 1: The Start,”
Hooghuys Organ Pages, updated on Aug.
25, 2006 http://www.hooghuys.com/english/
history/history.htm
town Brugge in the Vlaemingstreet
near the Vlaemingbridge; he charges
himself with the building of new
Organs, and the repair of old ones, all
at moderate prices.
Designing and building church
organs is a very specialized field.
No one knows where Gerrit Simon
Hooghuys learned his trade. Likely,
it was from his father or other male
relative, as occupations and apprenticeships
were closely held by families
and passed down from fathers to sons.
This was the case for Simon Gerard
(1780-1853), the eldest son of Gerrit,
and also Louis Benoit (1822-1885),
Gerrit’s third son. Both followed their
father into the family business. The
church organs built by the Hooghuys
were held in high esteem, especially
those designed and built by Louis
Benoit.
According to Bjorn Isebaert,
who has assembled a history of the
Hooghuys, Louis Benoit Hooghuys
was “the greatest church organ
builder of this family. By 1854 his
reputation as an organ builder was
well established. His work shows both
great craftsmanship and knowledge
His organ building skills rested upon
the gradual simplification of the late
Baroque organ to an early Romantic
instrument. Examination on the
dispositions of his instruments indicates
that for Louis Benoit Hooghuys,
the merge of soft timbre registers was
more important than the contrast
between loud expressive ones.”3
Louis Benoit Hooghuys’ younger
brother, Francois Bernard (18301888),
became his assistant in this
family business. Later Francois
Bernard moved to Geraardsbergen,
3. Isebaert, Bjorn. “Part 1: The Start,”
Hooghuys Organ Pages, updated on Aug.
25, 2006 http://www.hooghuys.com/english/
history/history.htm
Louis Benoit Hooghuys.
Belgium, where he worked in the
church organ works of Charles
Anneessens et Fils with his son, Louis
Francois (1856-1924).4
Organs manufactured by the
Anneessen firm were highly regarded
and can be found in England,
Scotland, Ireland, Canada, the Netherlands,
Spain and Portugal. Two of
the most famous examples include
the organ at Bartholomew Church in
Geraardsbergen and the Mount Zion
Methodist Heritage Chapel in Halifax,
Nova Scotia, Canada.5 It is likely that
Louis Francios gained invaluable
experience while working there.
Hooghuys and Player Instruments
It was 1880 when Louis Francois
decided to switch from making
4.. Isebaert, Bjorn. “Part 2: From Church
to Barrel Organ,” Hooghuys Organ Pages,
updated on Aug. 25, 2006, http://www.
hooghuys.com/english/history/history.htm
5. “Organ Details: Mount Zion Anneessens
Organ,” Mount Zion Methodist Heritage
Chapel, Jan. 9, 2019, http://www.mountzionhalifax.
org.uk/Organ.php
January/February 2021 MECHANICAL MUSIC 41
1212
Photograph of the workers at the Hooghuys factory with several members of the
Hooghuys family. Family members are identified as: 1-Edouard Joseph; 2-Charles
Francois; 3-Edgard Georges; 4-Franciscus Louis.
The red arrow indicates the location of Manufacture d’Orgues Mecaniques on Place
de la Station, Grammont, Belgium.
church organs to mechanical barrel
organs. Even today, the organs that
came out of his workshop declare the
skill of their maker with their clear
refined sound and rather conservative
construction. Located in Geraardsbergen
(Grammont), the firm was called
Manufacture d’Orgues Mecaniques
Louis Hooghuys. It was first located
on Mill Street, but two years later it
was moved to larger quarters at the
Place de la Station.6
6. Coade, George. “Ghysels Collection
Display in Brussels, Belgium, – L’Alexandre
Fair Organ” Mechanical Music, MBSI, March/
April 2009
34
Most of the records of the company
were destroyed during World War I so
it cannot be ascertained just how many
barrel organs were built in the factory,
but it has been determined that, at
one time, as many as 15 workers were
employed there. Several of these
employees included members of the
Hooghuys family. At first, Hooghuys
exclusively built barrel organs, but
around 1900 the factory converted
a barrel organ to a book mechanism
while still retaining its ability to play
a barrel. From that time on, Hooghuys
built different types of organs from
small fair organs to large dance hall
organs. Not only did the factory make
new organs, but they also repaired any
number of competitor instruments.7
As there was no mass production,
each organ seemed to be made to the
exact specifications of the client who
ordered it. Parts were handmade and
few pieces were interchangeable.
Critics believe the quality of the
Hooghuys products started to deteriorate
after the end of the war (1918).
The company sold some gramophones
and records several years before the
war, but increased focus on that
market after 1918 to supplement their
income as organ sales declined. Eventually,
family infighting between Louis
Francois’ two eldest sons led to the
dissolution of the firm in 1924. Louis
Francois died the same year.8
After the death of Louis Francois,
his two sons went their separate ways.
Louis Francois’s younger son, Edmond
Francois (1882-1963), considered the
more talented of the two, continued
to restore and tune organs until his
death. The older son, Charles Francois
(1878-1951), bought half of the company’s
factory building and continued
to work on the organs begun by his
father. In the former factory, he placed
a café for the Zeeberg brewery in
which he installed a Hooghuys dance
organ (LH620) which was later sold
in 1931. Although he continued some
activities, it seems he mostly left the
profession around 1939. His son,
Romain Charles (1901-1989), developed
a fine reputation for creating
musical arrangements for organ books
and restored several organs (LH605 &
LH552). Romain Charles’s son, Marc
Herwig Hooghuys (1945-), remains in
the family trade and can be found still
restoring Hooghuys organs.
There are three categories of
Hooghuys organs – street organs,
fairground organs and dancehall
organs. Hooghuys barrel mechanisms
can be found on all size instruments.
7. Isebaert, Bjorn. “Part 2: From Church
to Barrel Organ,” Hooghuys Organ Pages,
updated on Aug. 25, 2006 http://www.
hooghuys.com/english/history/history.htm
8. Isebaert, Bjorn. “Part 3: Nothing Lasts
Forever,” Hooghuys Organ Pages, updated
on Jul. 13, 2012 http://www.hooghuys.com/
english/history/history3.htm
42 MECHANICAL MUSIC January/February 2021
An example of a Hooghuys 92-key
dance organ
The use of cardboard books and paper
rolls coming in after 1900. According
to Isebaert and Marc Hooghuys, the
Hooghuys instruments are unique
for two special reasons. Firstly, there
is no air pressure in the keyframe
itself due to their special pneumatic
systems developed by Louis Francois.
The system is a combination of the
French “keyed” system (as used
by Gavioli and Limonaire) and the
German keyless one where the air
is allowed to escape into the atmosphere
through the openings in the
cardboard books or paper rolls. This
special pneumatic system is why their
organs are able to repeat very rapidly.
Secondly, the Hooghuys organs have a
unique system that causes the keys of
the keyframe to set down at the end
of an organ book. The system is activated
by a separate hole in the book to
A cardboard book label for music produced by Louis Hooghuys
January/February 2021 MECHANICAL MUSIC 43
A small Hooghuys barrel organ.
A keyframe for reading books on a Hooghuys dance organ.
exhaust the excess pressure.9
In the early 1900s, Hooghuys experimented with dulcimer-
style stringed harps fitted into the upper facades of his
dance organs. However, renters soon found that problems
with tuning far outweighed the novelty-value of the register.
It was a fun idea and musically added to the instrument
a delightful contrast in tone-color to the pipe ranks. But
the device was largely impractical on a machine which
spent much time being hauled between events. Piano-orchestrions
playing in permanent installations had no such
problems.10
Isebaert and Hooghuys state the reason “Hooghuys
organs are technically and musically almost perfect can
be ascribed to the fact that Louis Hooghuys had a broad
musical formation and also a very long musical tradition…
Nevertheless, one shortcoming should be mentioned —
Hooghuys organs, in their original condition, usually only
had 8 basses (instead of the normal 12). Since Louis was a
very conservative man, he never wanted to change anything
about this. Remember the fact that the firm started with
cylinder organs, where 8 basses were normal.”11
A word on the facades found on Hooghuys organs. Illustrations
indicate that large instruments with façades that
were typical of the era. The style and shapes of the carvings
were similar to those of other manufacturers. Some
Hooghuys organs even carried life-sized figures adorning
their fronts. Colorful, ornate and sometimes mechanical,
they helped to entice and entertain the audience.
Details on individual organs and their present whereabouts
can be found on websites developed by Bjorn
Isebaert which are referred to in the footnotes of this article.
Much of the materials and photographs were supplied
with his gracious consent.
9. Isebaert, Bjorn and Hooghuys, Marc. “Hooghuys – The History
of the Family and of the Company,” Carousel Organ, Carousel Organ
Association of America, Issue 6, January 2001.
10. Seagrave, Shane. “Medal Winner Marenghi,” Mechanical Music,
MBSI, March/April 2011
11. Isebaert, Bjorn and Hooghuys, Marc. “Hooghuys – The History
of the Family and of the Company,” Carousel Organ, Carousel Organ
Association of America, Issue 6, January 2001.
Björn Isebaert, Bill Nunn, Ted Bowman, Marc Hooghuys and
Boz Oram gather together in front of a large Hooghuys organ
(LH553) in 2003. It was the organ’s dedication at Grammont,
Belgium. (Photo courtesy Carousel Organ Association of
America, originally printed in the Carousel Organ, Issue No.
32, July, 2007, Page 6)
44 MECHANICAL MUSIC January/February 2021
Writer’s guidelines for Mechanical Music
The MBSI Publications Committee
wants to maintain and improve the
quality of its magazines. The following
guidelines are designed to help you in
preparing your articles for publication.
Title – Please try to include words
which will allow your article to be
categorized and filed in an index of
articles. You may include a subtitle
which may further clarify the title.
Outline – Please organize your
article in a chronological, logical
format. Avoid lengthy paragraphs and
sentences.
Punctuation – In most instances,
quotation marks are typed after
periods and commas. “This example
has the proper format.” Be consistent
with capitalization, numerals, names,
etc. The Associated Press Stylebook
is used as a basic reference tool for
questions of consistency. Decimal
points should be preceded by a 0 if
they are only fractional. Example: 0.25
is correct. The editor and members
of the Publications Committee will
provide proof reading, which is
easier and more accurate if there is
consistency.
Footnotes and Bibliography –
Provide footnotes and a bibliography
where appropriate. Also provide
reference websites and a list of further
reading suggestions if available. When
quoting materials, note the numeric
footnote in the text.
Photographs – Provide digital
photos whenever possible. Try to
eliminate background clutter when
taking pictures. Be sure there is
enough light or a good flash. Take
care to avoid the flash reflection on
the instruments. Shut off the date and
time recorder on your camera. Set the
camera to take photos with the highest
resolution possible. Send in the
high-resolution photos. Do not reduce
the size for the purposes of email,
instead send several emails with a few
photos in each email. Printed photos
are acceptable but not recommended.
If photos correspond to the text to
illustrate a procedure or particular
piece of a music box, please note this
in the photograph’s file name. For
example, if you refer to Figure 1 in the
text please title the photo Figure1.jpg
to ensure the correct image appears in
the correct position on the page. If you
are not able to alter the photograph’s
title, please provide captions for
photos that clearly identify them and
where they should be positioned in
the article if that is important to the
presentation of the material.
Article Text – If possible, please
submit the article in either Microsoft
Word format as a .doc attachment
or include it as text in an email. As a
last resort, a typed document can be
accepted via mail. Do not type in all
caps.
Review Process – All articles
are reviewed by the editor and the
Publications Committee chair and can
be referred to one or more members
of the Publications Committee or a
recognized expert to be checked for
technical and historical accuracy.
Even though the article is assumed to
be the author’s opinion, and thoughtful
opinions are encouraged to stimulate
discussion and more research, the
author may be asked to substantiate
his/her statements.
If describing the restoration of
an antique instrument and using
materials not originally used in the
manufacture of that instrument, the
author should explain why he/she
chose to use alternative materials.
No article should be written in such
a way that it can be construed as
commercial advertising for one’s own
products, goods, or services or those
of any other individual or company.
The panel may make suggestions
which will be noted and the article
returned to the author for his/her
response. This is standard procedure
for any technical and professional
publication. The goal of the review
process is to help make every article
as good as it can possibly be and to
contain as few errors as possible. In
no manner should this process be
construed as censorship. The author
will receive a proof of the typeset and
formatted article. It should be read
carefully. After the second proof, no
changes can be made. It is understood
that the author can withdraw the
article at any time prior to publication.
Mechanical Music is published six
times per year. Materials intended
for publication should be submitted
approximately 60 days prior to the
publication date for any issue. For
example, materials to be published in
the March/April issue of Mechanical
Music (March 1 delivery date) should
be submitted on or about January 1.
The article publishing schedule is
dependent on the review process and
other obligations that are time sensitive.
Although every effort is made to
publish articles within a few months
of submission, the date of publication
is dependent on the number of articles
in process, their length, and the review
process. The editor will make every
effort to keep the author informed
about the probable publication date.
Authors may contact the editor at any
time for an update.
Thank you for your contribution(s)
to Mechanical Music. Your efforts
are of great value to this generation
and future generations of mechanical
music enthusiasts.
Please send articles to: MBSI Editor
Russell Kasselman
Iron Dog Media
130 Coral Court
Pismo Beach, CA 93449
Email: editor@mbsi.org
Phone: (253) 228-1634
Copy this page and keep it handy,
then look at your collection. There
certainly must be a musical piece that
you found after either searching for
it for many years or through unusual
circumstances. It could be a subject
for our popular, “The Hunt” series.
We look forward to receiving many
stories in the coming months.
January/February 2021 MECHANICAL MUSIC 45
National Capital Chapter
Chapter Chair: Matt Jaro
Reporters: Donna and Gene Borrelli
Photographer: Paul Senger
Nov. 15, 2020, via Zoom
The Coronavirus pandemic
prevented the National Capital
Chapter of MBSI from holding any
business meetings since the December
2019 holiday party, but our first
attempt to hold a virtual meeting was
a resounding success. Ken Gordon
hosted the meeting and there were 28
people in attendance including one
new member and one guest. Since we
hadn’t met in nearly a year, this was
an opportunity for many members to
catch up on events of the past year.
Chapter activities have obviously
been curtailed, but we will hopefully
be able to have our annual demonstration
at the C&O Canal at Great Falls
Park in Maryland next May. In addition,
we are planning a demonstration/
program in Bowie, MD, next Fall if
conditions permit.
Following the business meeting,
Paul Senger played many of the instruments
in his collection. This was not as
straightforward as it sounds. In order
to get good sound quality from each
instrument he had to use some new
features recently added to Zoom as
well as adjust the microphone volume
for each box individually. The following
instruments were demonstrated:
• Seeburg KT with violin pipes
from 1913 and Dancing Girls on
Stained Glass. One of approximately
12 remaining. Plays G
rolls. It was last restored in 1973
and plays very well. He played
several selections from an Art
Reblitz roll.
• John Smith Organ 20 Organ that
he built in 2003
• Mr. Christmas disc box
Paul Senger discusses the case construction on the Seeburg KT.
The Seeburg KT with doors closed.
• Ullman Cylinder Music Box circa
1870-90
• Regina style 11 15½-inch disk box
from 1897. This early box has a
winding crank inside the box
• Wall Box for Seeburg KT
• Edison Standard Cylinder Phonograph
circa 1903
• Roller Organ circa 1900. Has
removable wooden cobs. Works
and sounds like an accordion
• Serinette organ circa 1790. Has
nine piccolo pipes and was once
used to train canaries
• A Biscuit Box with hidden music
box circa 1890
• Russian Mechanical Bird
Overall sound and picture quality
were excellent. Chapter President Matt
Jaro thanked Ken Gordon for hosting
and Paul for the demonstration.
Russian mechanical bird from the Marve
Freund estate.
Paul changes the tune on the serinette. The serinette mechanism with pinned
barrel, bellows, and keys to read barrel.
Paul shows the pipes on the serinette.
Paul explains the Gem roller organ
mechanism, which is similar to a reed in
an accordion.
The Gem roller organ featuring removable
cobs to change the tune.
Paul loads a cylinder onto the circa 1903
Edison Standard Phonograph.
The Biscuit Box showing the front and
bottom with key to wind the mechanism.
January/February 2021 MECHANICAL MUSIC 47
In Memoriam In Memoriam
Mary Pollock – 1927–2020
By Paul Senger
I am sad to announce the passing
of member Mary Pollock at age 93 on
Oct. 17, 2020.
Mary was always at the forefront
of MBSI and the Carousel Organ
Association of America (COAA). She
volunteered for everything and was
bus captain for many MBSI tours
including Rockville, MD, in 2011.
Mary’s bus was always the most fun.
We were on a bus tour one year
and supposed to eat our lunch on the
bus. We were ahead of schedule and
passing a park, so Mary had the driver
pull in. There was a family setting up
for a party in the pavilion, but Mary
convinced them to let us eat lunch
there since their party wasn’t till later.
It was a much better lunch
I was always amazed when Mary
would show up single handed with
her Wurlitzer 125 organ at the COAA
rallies. She must have been in her
early eighties then. It was always fun
to be with Mary. She was one of a kind,
strong and adventurous. You can see
from her obituary (www.shivelyfuner-
alhomes.com/obituary/Mary-Pollock)
she was a world traveler and great
sales person both as a Realtor and
in achievements in our mechanical
music organizations.
Mary was a Trustee of MBSI, a
Chairman of Mid-Am chapter, a founding
member of COAA and a member
of the Automated Music Instrument
Collectors Association (AMICA).
Mary raised her family as an Air
Force spouse establishing temporary
homes in California, Texas, Virginia,
Maryland, Ohio and in Libya, Turkey,
France and Germany.
Our condolences to her family. We
will always remember her.
Mary Pollock at 86 at the 2013 MBSI convention in Chicago dancing to the Bluz
Brothers Band.
Dave Calendine, Mary Pollock, and Robert Pollock (her youngest son) at the 2018
MBSI Annual Meeting.
48 MECHANICAL MUSIC January/February 2021
In Memoriam In Memoriam
Faye Simpson – 1955–2020
By Paul Senger
I am sad to announce the passing
of National Capital Chapter member
Deborah Faye Simpson, wife of
Richard Simpson on Oct. 14, 2020,
at the age of 66, after a long illness.
Faye and Richard were married 28
years and lived in Cochranville, PA.
Faye is survived by Richard, and by
two sisters, numerous nieces, and her
beloved Border Collie Sarah.
Faye worked at Conifer Health
Solutions and the condolences from
her co-workers reflect that she was
a sweet person and much loved. She
was also a religious person.
Faye and Richard joined MBSI
and the National Capital Chapter in
January 2017. She attended multiple
meetings and enjoyed our holiday
gatherings the most. Faye was just
learning about mechanical music and
starting to enjoy the instruments and
visiting with our members. She worked
on the 2019 MBSI Annual Meeting on
the decorations committee, setting up
meeting venues and distributing door
prizes. She was a friendly and quiet
person but always willing to help. We
will miss her very much.
Our condolences to Richard and
the family. Her obituary is online at
www.wildefuneralhome.com/content/
deborah-faye-simpson
Faye at the National Capital Chapter C&O Canal Demonstration in 2018.
In order for anything
A Lasting Legacy
once alive to have
meaning, its effect
must remain alive in
eternity in some way
– Ernest Becker, Philosopher
The Musical Box Society International
Throughout its history, MBSI has fostered an interest in and preservation of is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
automatic musical instruments. Your gift to the Endowment Fund will All donations to the Endowment
support programs that will help future generations appreciate these Fund are tax deductible.
achievements of man’s creative genius. Visit www.mbsi.org to learn more. A gift of any size is welcome.
In Memoriam In Memoriam
John Field – 1935 – 2020
John Field with Richard Hughes and
John Haskey at a Golden Gate Chapter
Meeting in 2014.
By David Corkrum
Dr. John Austin Field was born on
May 6, 1935, to John (Jack) and Sally
Field in San Francisco, CA. John was
an active and founding member of the
Golden Gate Chapter of MBSI. His
family was academically oriented so
it wasn’t difficult to see that he would
continue in the academic tradition of
his family. At an early age, John was
interested in all things mechanical,
especially trains and radios. As a young
person, he often collected discarded
radios and phonographs from which
to study, sort out and restore. This
became a lifelong endeavor. He
attended Engineering School at UCLA
but switched his major to pre-med
in his final year after working in
the Radiology Dept at UCLA during
the summer. He completed medical
school at UCLA with an internship
and residency at Los Angeles County
General Hospital where he entered
orthopedic medicine.
After serving in the Army Medical
Corps in Korea for two years, he and
his wife, Wilma, settled in Santa Cruz,
John Field demonstrating his Steinway piano to Judy and Bob Caletti at a Golden
Gate Chapter meeting in 2008.
CA, and raised three children. Along
with family activities, John was a high-
ly-engaged antique collector, inventor
and machinist. In the early 1990s he
divorced Wilma and later married
Dianne. They had met through the Los
Angeles Microscope Society where
he was well known for his knowledge
of Leitz microscopes. For the next 21
years they shared their admiration for
classic steam trains, cars, pipe organs,
player pianos and essentially all things
mechanical.
I met John and Dianne at one of
Golden Gate Chapter meetings and
marveled at his depth of knowledge in
so many different fields. He was truly
a gifted collector. One time I was able
to see his microscope collection and I
told him, “You didn’t collect just one,
you had to have the whole set!” This
is the nature of a collector. We see it,
hear it, study it and try to learn more
about it. John was a definite asset to
the field of mechanical music, and I
will miss him.
50 MECHANICAL MUSIC January/February 2021
In Memoriam In Memoriam
Diane Yates 1939-2020
By Al and Mary Zamba
In the early 1980s, after purchasing
a couple of music boxes at an auction,
Al and I learned about MBSI. Al soon
discovered that the MBSI president
at that time was Bob Yates (president
from 1980-1981), and he lived in our
area. A friendship with Diane and
Bob soon blossomed and grew. We
attended MBSI annual meetings, chapter
events, Christmas parties, picnics,
old car tours and dinners together. We
will always cherish our times together
and the memories made. On Thanksgiving
night, 2020, however, our hearts
were broken as we learned of Diane’s
death.
Bob met Diane, the love of his life, in
Grove City, PA, backstage at a Grove
City College theater production.
Diane was on the stage crew while
Bob had a small part in the play. And
so began a college romance culminating
in marriage and a collaboration
that would span 60 years producing
three children, six grandchildren, a
multitude of friendships around the
world and grand collections.
Theater continued to be a passion
for Diane well beyond her college
years. Gilbert and Sullivan, Shakespeare,
George Bernard Shaw – you
name it – Diane reveled in playwrights
past and present. She loved New York
City productions, The Shaw Festival
in Niagara-on-the-Lake and the Ohio
Light Opera series with the Kinters.
She saw the Civic Light Opera and
public theater everywhere (from Pittsburgh,
PA, to Naples, FL, and even
London, England). Diane savored
many fine arts frequenting exhibits
on impressionism, subscribing to
the symphony, attending galleries
and exploring museums at home and
abroad.
An advocate of preservation, Diane
loved history, especially the Victorian
era. She and Bob researched, restored,
and decorated their Victorian home
with period pieces. In vintage dress,
she often opened their home for
Christmas house tours sponsored by
local civic and historical organizations
which she supported. She and
Bob hosted many events for car clubs
and theater organ associates. Friends
invited more friends and Diane
embraced it. A neighborhood Victorian
dinner was just one of many crazy
events Diane and Bob orchestrated.
She did all the planning and cooking
of authentic period foods while Al
and I, as butler and maid, served. It
was wild and wonderful, unique and
memorable.
Diane was always behind the
projector when Bob presented
workshops at MBSI annual meetings.
Months before, Diane could be found
editing Bob’s scripts and working to
match slides to narratives. Workshops
were only the beginning. MBSI annual
meeting banquet programs were
always extravaganza events with Bob
and Diane doing their first one in 1977
for the 28th anniversary entitled “16
Chickens, 11 Roast Beefs and 1 Lake
Erie Perch.” Don’t ask! It was a Yates
original with Diane manning the three
multimedia projectors. That was the
start of many more annual meeting
programs for MBSI anniversary years
-40th, 50th, 60th, 70th. Many members
were featured in the program, some
in unsavory situations resulting in
moans, groans, cheers, and laughs.
At a Chicago MBSI meet, Linda
Perry, Cheryl Hack, and Diane
ventured off downtown. But things
went awry when Diane parked the
car in a tow-away zone and left her
purse in the unlocked car. It got more
complicated when on the return trip,
the threesome disembarked at the
wrong station. They called the police
to straighten that out and eventually
found the car and its contents
untouched and safe. Just another day
in the life of Diane and friends.
Another time Diane and Bob, traveling
with Mike and Penny Kinter,
took a train from Munich, Germany, to
Prague, capital of the Czech Republic.
The overnight stay was almost derailed
when Diane’s envelope containing the
name and number of the hotel was left
on the train. They took a gamble and
boarded a tram that they suspected
would lead them close to the right
hotel, but without a name and in the
dark. Miraculously, they found it.
Lady Luck was with Diane.
Over the years, Diane helped Bob
plan Mid-America Chapter meetings,
opening their beautiful home to many
delighted members. She assisted Bob
on tours of Bayernof, a music box
museum near Pittsburgh. Band Organ/
Monkey Organ rallies found her showing
observers how the calliope worked
or nervously monitoring as Bob made
balloon art for the children while on
stilts. Sundays saw her singing in her
January/February 2021 MECHANICAL MUSIC 51
church’s choir for many years. Music was in her soul.
Diane and Bob traveled extensively and led six “Flying
Pig Tours” through England and Europe. We went on
several. What a blast! Bob would contact the collectors
while Diane, with the help of an agency, but mostly through
her own research, did the detail planning, finding unique
hotels, arranging meals, and uncovering little-known points
of interest. Before GPS, there was Diane. She mapped out
routes and huddled daily with the bus drivers. She had
more maps and better routes than they had. And along the
way, whether it was sheep crossing the road in England, a
man urinating by a tree in France, or the bus driver who
was almost arrested because he refused to move the bus
in Belgium, Diane would declare, “We paid extra for this!”
The Yates’ pursued antiques across the globe nabbing
unique treasures to enhance and expand their many collections.
Diane collected chatelaines, vinaigrettes, valentine
cards, 4-edge books, pop-up books, Victorian jewelry and
vintage clothing. She even collected theater programs
amassing a large collection which she donated to the
University of Pittsburgh’s drama department.
After raising the children, Diane went back to school
earning a Master’s of Library Science from the University
of Pittsburgh. An avid reader, she was able to share her
love for literature by becoming head librarian of the Shaler
North Hills Library. During her 22 years as director, she
oversaw two major library expansions.
Diane never had a bad word to say about anyone and
never complained about anything. She was always
cheerful and full of fun, quick-witted and engaged in the
moment. She lived life to the fullest—an inspiration to us
all. Her contributions to the health and welfare of MBSI are
far-reaching and enduring. In fact, I bet Diane is forming an
MBSI chapter in heaven right now. Listen closely! Can you
hear the music?
52 MECHANICAL MUSIC January/February 2021
2000 N. READING ROAD | DENVER, PA 17517 | 877-968-8880 | INFO@MORPHYAUCTIONS.COM
MORPHYAUCTIONS.COM
Inviting Consignments for
Our April 16 & 17, 2021
Auction
CCOOIINN–OOPP &&
AADDVVEERRTTIISSIINNGG
SOLD $83,000SOLD $61,500 SOLD $67,700
SOLD $80,000SOLD $80,000
2000 N. READING ROAD | DENVER, PA 17517 | 877-968-8880 | INFO@MORPHYAUCTIONS.COM
MORPHYAUCTIONS.COM
Inviting Consignments for
Our April 16 & 17, 2021
Auction
CCOOIINN–OOPP &&
AADDVVEERRTTIISSIINNGG
SOLD $83,000SOLD $61,500 SOLD $67,700
SOLD $80,000SOLD $80,000
54 MECHANICAL MUSIC January/February 2021 54 MECHANICAL MUSIC January/February 2021
(802) 728-9694 (802) 728-9694
Music Box Company, Inc.
We restore Swiss cylinder and disc music boxes.
• Cylinders are repinned if necessary and all worn
parts are rebuilt to original specifications or better.
• Combs are repaired and tuned. Nickel plated parts
are replated as needed.
Trust your prized music box to the finest quality
restoration available. We have been accused of over
restoring! Better over than under I say!
We will pick up your music box anywhere east of the
Mississippi River, and transport it to our shop in
Randolph, Vermont, where it will be stored in a
climate-controlled area until it’s finished and returned.
We have a complete machine shop where we build Porter
Music Boxes, more than 3,000 so far. We are unique in
the industry in that we are capable of manufacturing any
part needed to restore any music box.
See our website, www.PorterMusicBox.com, to read
letters of recommendation and browse a selection of the
finest disc boxes currently being manufactured anywhere
in the world. We have twin disc models, single disc
models with 121/4” or15 1/ “ discs, and table models with
beautiful cabinets created for us in Italy. Also we can
occasions.
P.O Box 424
Randolph, VT 05060
support.
Call (802) 728-9694 or
January/February 2021 MECHANICAL MUSIC 55
email maryP@portermusicbox.com
The Organette Book
ISBN 978-0-9557869-5-2
colour throughout;Additional Illustrations of Models; Additions to Lists of The Organette Book
ISBN 978-0-9557869-5-2
colour throughout;Additional Illustrations of Models; Additions to Lists of
The Musical Box Society of Great Britain announces the publication of two new books
Published in September 2018
100pp Hard Back ISO A4 format [8.27” × 11.70”; 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.
************************************************************************************************************************
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
Supplement to
Compiled and Edited by
Kevin McElhone
100pp Hard Back ISO A4 format [8.27” × 11.70”; Profusely illustrated in
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.
56 MECHANICAL MUSIC January/February 2021
Fine & Decorative Arts | January 23
Featured Musical & Coin-Op Items
Mermod Freres “Ideal Soprano”Wurlitzer Model
Cylinder Music Box1015 Jukebox
Victor No. 6 Regina
Mahogany Victrola “The Musical Savings Bank”
Criterion Mahogany
Music Box with Cabinet
Mermod Freres
Inlaid Cylinder
Music Box
Adler-Fortuna Mills Novelty Co.Encore Automatic Banjo Disc OrchestrionDouble Violano Virtuoso by Dave Ramey Sublime Harmony
Music Box
Capital Cuff Music Box
Link 2E Coin Piano with Britannia “Smoking Capital Cuff Box Edison Opera Oak Regina Automatic Changer
Mandolin and Marimba Cabinet” Music Box with 9 Records Cylinder Phonograph Music Box
www.FontainesAuction.com
1485 West Housatonic Street, Pittsfield, MA 01201 (Route 20)
A+
Phone: 413-448-8922 • Fax: 413-442-1550 • Email: info@fontainesauction.com
AUCTIONEER: JOHN FONTAINE, Mass. Auctioneers License #327 SINCE 1973
SAVE THE DATE
August 30 -September 4, 2021
(Tuesday through Saturday)
Things to do
in 2021
Fort Myers, Florida
MBSI is bringing the
1. Thank God that 2020 is over.
2. Get a Covid vaccine shot.
3. Make plans to attend the
Fall MBSI convention
4. Lose 15 pounds …
Lose 5 pounds …
Try not to gain more weight
Get up before noon.
6. Attend the MBSI convention
in Fort Myers, FL and
5. Wake up and exercise daily …
have great fun with
friends and
music machines
fun back in 2021
• Amazing instruments!
• Workshops!
• Collection tours!
• The Mart!
• Entertainment!
• Experts, fellow collectors and friends
from all over the world!
• Food, fun and fellowship!
Guaranteed to be the best
MBSI Annual Meeting
of this decade so far!
Registration details will be printed in a spring issue of Mechanical Music.
Ben’s Player Piano Service
Repair and restoration of air powered mechanical music
devices of all description.
Player pianos
Reproduing pianos
Dance organs
Fairground organs
Nickelodeon pianos
Original historically
Correct techniques
And materials used
Throughout in the
Rebuilding process.
Benjamin R Gottfried
464 Dugan Road, Richfield Springs NY 13439
Bensplayerservice.com 315-858-2164
WWW.REEDERPIANOS.COM • 517-886-9447
Specializing in the Restora on and Retail of Fine Pianos
Available Reproducing Pianos:
Chickering •Marshall & Wendall •George Steck
Mason & Hamlin •Knabe •Aeolian
»QRS & AMPICO MUSIC ROLLS«
“Where Fine Pianos
Are Reborn”
Fine Art & Antique Consignments
The highest level of customer service plus private,
professional and confidential transactions.
120 Court Street, Geneseo, NY 14454 cottoneauctions.comAdvertise 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 in The
Mart, an effective advertising tool at an inexpensive
price. Copy or cut out the form below and mail it in to get
started. Or, go to www.mbsi.org and place your ad online!
Name Phone
Email
Text of ad
Ben’s Player Piano Service
Repair and restoration of air powered mechanical music
devices of all description.
Player pianos
Reproduing pianos
Dance organs
Fairground organs
Nickelodeon pianos
Original historically
Correct techniques
And materials used
Throughout in the
Rebuilding process.
Benjamin R Gottfried
464 Dugan Road, Richfield Springs NY 13439
Bensplayerservice.com 315-858-2164
WWW.REEDERPIANOS.COM • 517-886-9447
Specializing in the Restora on and Retail of Fine Pianos
Available Reproducing Pianos:
Chickering •Marshall & Wendall •George Steck
Mason & Hamlin •Knabe •Aeolian
»QRS & AMPICO MUSIC ROLLS«
“Where Fine Pianos
Are Reborn”
Fine Art & Antique Consignments
The highest level of customer service plus private,
professional and confidential transactions.
120 Court Street, Geneseo, NY 14454 cottoneauctions.comAdvertise 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 in The
Mart, an effective advertising tool at an inexpensive
price. Copy or cut out the form below and mail it in to get
started. Or, go to www.mbsi.org and place your ad online!
Name Phone
Email
Text of ad
January/February 2021 MECHANICAL MUSIC 59
What’s your pleasure?
Bontems Singing Bird
In brass Jardiniere
Lawrencekirk cased
Chevron 2/per Section Comb
Bremond Interchangeable
3 cylinder –
Triple comb
Sublime
Harmony >
< Small 5 tune
Reed Monkey
Organ
Nancy Fratti Music Boxes
PO Box 400 – Canastota NY 13032 – USA
315-684-9977 — musicbox@frontiernet.net
www.nancyfrattimusicboxes
Thursday, Friday & Saturday, Jan. 14, 15 & 16, 2021
AUCTIONEERS & REALTORS STANTON’S
Stanton’s 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 – stevenEstanton@gmail.com
Michael C. Bleisch
(517) 231-0868 cellular
E-mail – mcbleisch@gmail.com
Location – The sale will be held at its original location, at the Barry Expo Center, on the Barry County
Fairgrounds, at 1350 N. M-37 Hwy., Hastings, Michigan – The facility is located 4-1/2 miles northwest of
Hastings on M-37 or 20 miles southeast of Grand Rapids.
Due to the present situation dealing with the Covid-19 Virus, we will be offering onsite participation
(as usual) at the auction in accordance with the present mandates, as well as online bidding, phone
bidding and pre-sale left bids that we will execute for the buyer competitively.
Pre-Sale Preview Dates – To parties not planning on attending the auction in person, the following days
will be available for hands-on inspection, Monday, January 11th – 1:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M., Tuesday,
January 12th – 1:00 – 4:00 PM, and Wednesday, January 13th – 9:00-4:00 PM. Additional Preview
Dates are available by appointment following Christmas until the date of the auction.
Changes to the Catalog – We know that we will need to make some changes to the original catalog.
To offer the collection in person, and through the Online Format we will need to change certain lots from
choice to individual lots for the benefit of the online bidders. Also, there is a possibility that the addendum
sheet lots will not be offered and depending on the mandate at the time of the auction, and ability
for the crowd to attend, the parts session may or may not take place.
Bidding Procedures, Changes in Terms and Conditions –
1. The buyer’s premium to all attending the auction will remain at 10% as usual.
2. The buyer’s premium charged to all individuals participating by phone or left bids will be 10%.
a. Please note that phone bidding is only accepted on items with values of $300.00 or more.
3. T he buyer’s premium charged to all individuals purchasing through the online formats will be 23%.
A 3% discount will be given for cash or personal check discount.
Online Bidding: Available at: LiveAuctioneers.com and possibly one other online auction format.
Watch our website at www.stantons-auctions.com for information.
Be sure to register 48 hours in advance to be approved as a bidding for the auction. All Online terms
and conditions apply.
Phone Bidding: Phone bids are accepted items valued of at least $300.00. Email your phone bid list
(lot number and short description) to stantonsauctions@sbcglobal.net, Steve Stanton, stevenEstanton@
gmail.com, or Michael C. Bleisch, mcbleisch@gmail.com by noon Tuesday, January 12th, 2020. Include
your name, full address, primary phone number, a backup/secondary phone number and email address.
You will receive an email or phone call to confirm receipt of your phone bids.
Terms –
1. Cash or personal check with proper identification
2. Credit cards are accepted with a 3% handling fee
3. Sale tax will be charged to all bidders unless you are reselling the items, in this case, please provide Stanton’s with a current sales tax
exemption license. If a copy is not provided sales tax will be charged. The only other exemption to sales tax being charged is if an
item is shipped to the purchaser, at an out-of-state location, by a Third-Party Shipper.
Shipping – Stanton’s Auctioneers does not provide packing and shipping services. We do have a list of recommended third party shippers
to assist you in shipping to and from the auction. We have found that our clients have had very good relationship with Pak Mail located at
30 E. Columbia Avenue, Ste. F-1, Battle Creek, Michigan 49015. Their phone number is (269) 660-1985, Fax (269) 660-1987, Email – ship@
pakmailbc.com, Website – www.pakmailbc.com. The contact persons at Pak Mail is David Smoot (owner), and Heather for information and
quotes. Other shipping firms are available in the nearby and surrounding area to the sale site. All shipping costs will be charged to the buyer.
Post-Sale Pickup – Will be available on Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday, January 18, 19, and 20 from 9:00 A.M.
– 12:00 Noon each day.
Condition – All items are being sold in as-is, where is condition with no expressed or implied warranty of any
kind. All descriptions and information is offered only as a guideline and is not supplied as a warranty of the item
being sold. Stanton’s will be glad to do an inspection of the Items that you have an interest in bidding on however,
that inspection is only our opinion, and it does not imply a warranty or change the fact that all items are
being sold in as-is condition. Final determination of the condition, and other factors regarding the items being
sold, is left to the buyer. All sales are final.
THANK YOU to everyone for working with us in the liquidations of these fine collections
in a difficult time. This auction represents many fine collections that have been assembled
by their owners after years and decades of pursuing the items that they enjoyed so
much. We hope everyone plans on participating in this excellent upcoming event.
Stanton’s Music Machine Auction
– RESCHEDULED –
FOR SALE
VINTAGE SWISS MUSIC MOVEMENTS. NOS.
THE MART
In A/C storage over 45 years; 12 note, 18 note
RESTORED MUSICAL BOXES Offering a most original wrap. 10/$25, 100/$200.+
variety of antique musical boxes, discs, shipping. Also Brass Reuge 30 note priced
orphan cylinders, reproducing piano rolls & separately. Location 11787. BILL ZUK,
out of print books about mechanical music. 941-321-1790, wmezuk@gmail.com.
BILL WINEBURGH 973-927-0484 Web:
Display Advertising Dimensions and Costs
Dimensions 1 issue 3 issues* 6 issues*
Back Cover 8.75” x 11.25” $600 $540 $510
Inside Covers 8.75” x 11.25” $450 $405 $383
Full Page 7.25” x 9.75” $290 $261 $246
Half Page 7.25” x 4.5” $160 $144 $136
Quarter Page 3.5” x 4.5” $90 $81 $77
Eighth Page 3.5” x 2.125” $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
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.
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 member’s 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 member’s
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 — 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.
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 you’ll find it to be one of the
most interesting, inspiring, informative books
you have in your library–or 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
Each One
Reach One
New Member
WURLITZER 190 B THEATER ORGAN with
piano attached. Many capabilities. $15,000
OBO. AMERICAN-BUILT SCOPITONES with
several extra films available. Two for $1,500
or one for $1,000, OBO. SEEBURG JUKEBOX
with records and wall box. $750 OBO. DUO
ART STROUD PIANO, restored. $750 OBO.
BUSH AND LANE grand reproducing piano.
Player action needs restoration. $500 OBO.
Deacon Chimes. $350 OBO. Several hundred
plus piano rolls, all types. One accordion
setup that ties into theatre organ or similar
device. $300 OBO. Contact JON CARPENTER
joncarol54@gmail.com
SUBMIT ADS TO:
MBSI Ads
130 Coral Court
Pismo Beach, CA 93449
(253) 228-1634
Email: editor@mbsi.org
62 MECHANICAL MUSIC January/February 2021
FOR SALE SERVICES FOR SALE SERVICES
Display Advertisers
CIRCA 1990s Reuge musical movements
never used, in original packaging, pristine
condition: two 4/50 (45008 & 45079); one
3/72 (37213); and one 3/144 (314403)..
Contact DAVID CROTHERS, at dwcboxes@
me.com or 267-280-2376
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. Purchase now at
www.mbsi.org
WANTED
COINOLA “X” or C-2. Also Regina 216 music
box with bells. Contact DON KROENLEIN, at
fbac@one-eleven.net or (217) 620-8650
RECUT RAGTIME type A rolls for my Seeburg
L and E nickelodeons. Mozart or Beethoven
containing rolls for my Ampico B reproducing
piano. Contact RON SCHULTZ, at 845-3862773
or rpsdds@hvc.rr.com
REPRODUCTION POLYPHON discs; Catalogs
available for 19 5/8”, 22 1/8”, and 24
1/2”. DAVID CORKRUM 5826 Roberts Ave,
Oakland, CA 94605-1156, 510-569-3110,
www.polyphonmusic.com
SAVE $’s on REUGE & THORENS MUSIC
BOX REPAIR & RESTORATION – 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.
We’re 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
3………. Renaissance Antiques
52…….. Miller Organ Clock
52…….. Bob Caletti
53…….. Morphy Auctions
54…….. Miller & Miller Auctions
55…….. Porter Music Box Company
56…….. MBSGB
56…….. American Treasure Tour
57…….. Fontaine’s Auction Gallery
58…….. Southeast Chapter
59…….. Cottone Auctions
59…….. Reeder Pianos
59…….. Ben’s Player Piano
60…….. Nancy Fratti
61…….. Stanton Auctions
67…….. Marty Persky
68…….. Auction Team Breker
Add a photo to your ad!
You know the old saying, “A photo
is worth 1,000 words!” For $30 you
can add a photo to your ad in the
Mart. Email your advertisement
with photo to editor@mbsi.org or
call (253) 228-1634 for more details.
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
Text of ad
Mechanical
Music
Directory
MeMbers,
MuseuMs,
& Dealers
2020 2021
ORDER EXTRA COPIES
The 2020-2021 Directory of Members,
Museums and Dealers is only $10 for
members. (International shipping is extra)
Get a copy to take with you and one to leave
at home when you travel.
Call MBSI Administrator Jacque Beeman at
(417) 886-8839 or send a check to:
Musical Box Society International
P.O. Box 10196
Springfield, MO 65808-0196
January/February 2021 MECHANICAL MUSIC 63
OFFICERS, TRUSTEES & COMMITTEES of the
MUSICAL BOX SOCIETY INTERNATIONAL®
OFFICERS
President
Tom Kuehn
4 Williams Woods
Mahtomedi, MN 55115
kuehn001@umn.edu
Vice President
David Corkrum
5826 Roberts Avenue
Oakland, CA 94605
musikwerke@att.net
Recording Secretary
Linda Birkitt
PO Box 541
San Juan Capistrano, CA 92693
scarletpimpernel28@yahoo.com
Treasurer
Edward Kozak
3615 North Campbell Avenue
Chicago, IL 60618
kozak@seldenfox.com
TRUSTEES
Dave Calendine
Bob Caletti
Ed Cooley
Dave Corkrum
G.Wayne Finger
Matt Jaro
Tom Kuehn
Mary Ellen Myers
Clay Witt
MBSI FUNDS
COMMITTEES
Audit
Edward Cooley, Chair, Trustee
Dave Calendine, Trustee
Matt Jaro, Trustee
Endowment Committee
Edward Kozak, Treasurer, Chair
Edward Cooley, Trustee
Dave Calendine, Trustee
B Bronson
Wayne Wolf
Executive Committee
Tom Kuehn, Chair, President
David Corkrum, Vice President
Clay Witt, Immediate Past Pres.
G.Wayne Finger, Trustee
Mary Ellen Myers, Trustee
Finance Committee
Edward Kozak, Chair, Treasurer
Wayne Wolf, Vice Chair
David Corkrum, Vice President
Edward Cooley, Trustee
Peter Both
Marketing Committee
Bob Smith, Chair
G.Wayne Finger, Trustee
Judy Caletti
Meetings Committee
Matt Jaro, Chair, Trustee
Judy Caletti
Tom Chase
Cotton Morlock
Rich Poppe
Membership Committee
Chair, TBD
Mary Ellen Myers, Trustee,
Southeast
Linda Birkitt, Southern California
Gary Goldsmith, Snowbelt
Christine Hopwood, Golden Gate
Julie Morlock, Southeast
Rob Pollock, Mid-America
Dan Wilson, Piedmont
Gerald Yorioka, Northwest Int’l
TBD, East Coast
TBD, Great Lakes
TBD, National Capital
TBD, Sunbelt
Museum Committee
Sally Craig, Chair
Clay Witt, Immediate Past Pres.
Glenn Crater, National Capital
Ken Envall, Southern California
Julian Grace, Sunbelt
Matt Jaro, National Capital
Richard Simpson, East Coast
Museum Sub-Committees
Ohio Operations
Emery Prior
SPECIAL ACTIVITIES
Publications Back Issues:
Jacque Beeman
Regina Certificates:
B Bronson
MBSI Pins and Seals:
Jacque Beeman
Librarian:
Jerry Maler
Historian:
Bob Yates
Nominating Committee
Dan Wilson, Chair
Clay Witt, Immediate Past Pres.
Bob Caletti, Golden Gate, Trustee
Mary Ellen Myers, Trustee,
Southeast
Jonathan Hoyt, Golden Gate
Robbin Biggins, Southern California
Aaron Muller, Lake Michigan
Publications Committee
Bob Caletti, Chair, Trustee
Steve Boehck
Dave Corkrum, Vice President
Christian Eric
Kathleen Eric
Terry Smythe
Publications
Sub-Committee
Website Committee
Rick Swaney, Chair
B Bronson
Don Henry
Knowles Little, Web Secretary
Special Exhibits Committee
Chair Mary Ellen Myers, Trustee,
Southeast
David Corkrum, Vice President,
Golden Gate
Donald Caine, Southern California
Jack Hostetler, Southeast
Knowles Little, National Capital
Judy Miller, Piedmont
Aaron Muller, Lake Michigan
Wayne Myers, Southeast
Rick Swaney, Northwest Int’l
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 author’s 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 author’s approval. All articles statements.
64 MECHANICAL MUSIC January/February 2021
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Date Event Location Sponsor
Aug. 30-Sept. 4, 2021 MBSI Annual Meeting Ft. Myers, FL Southeast Chapter
When will your chapter meet next? Holding a “virtual meeting?” Let us know!
Send in your information by Feb. 1, 2021 for the March/April issue.
The MBSI online discussion group is named Music Box Society Forum and is on Facebook. Show off a new
discovery, post a video of a new disc playing or ask a question today!
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 TBD to Roger Wiegand
281 Concord Road
Wayland, MA 01778
or pay via PayPal, send to
treasurereccmbsi@gmail.com
Golden Gate
Chair: Jonathan Hoyt
jenjenhoyt@yahoo.com
Dues $5 to Dave Corkrum
5826 Roberts Ave.
Oakland, CA 94605
Japan
Chair Pro Tem: Sachiya Sasaki
Vice Chair Pro Tem: Naoki Shibata
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
Temp Chair: Dan Wilson
(919) 740-6579
musicboxmac@mac.com
Dues $10 to Dan Wilson
4804 Latimer Road
Raleigh, NC. 276099
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 Diane Lloyd
1201 Edgeview Drive
Cowan Hgts, CA 92705
Sunbelt
Chair: Ray Dickey
(713) 467-0349
Dues $10 to Diane Caudill
4585 Felder Road
Washington, TX 77880
Copyright 2021 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
January/February 2021 MECHANICAL MUSIC 65
HALF PAGE
HORIZONTAL
7.25” x 4.5”
QUARTER
PAGE
3.5” x 4.5”
EIGHTH
PAGE
3.5” x 2.125”
Mechanical Music
Devoted to All Automatic Musical Instruments
Journal of the Musical Box Society International
Mechanical Music
Journal of the Musical Box Society International
Devoted to All Automatic Musical Instruments
Volume 63, No. 3 May/June 2017
Mechanical Music
Journal of the Musical Box Society International
Devoted to All Automatic Musical Instruments
Volume 63, No. 1 January/February 2017
DISPLAY ADVERTISING DIMENSIONS & PER ISSUE COSTS
Dimensions 1 issue 2-3 issues 4-6 issues
Back Cover 8.75” x 11.25” $600 $540 $510
Inside Covers 8.75” x 11.25” $450 $405 $383
Full Page 7.25” x 9.75” $290 $261 $247
Half Page 7.25” x 4.5” $160 $144 $136
Quarter Page 3.5” x 4.5” $90 $81 $77
Eighth Page 3.5” x 2.125” $50 $45 $43
Non-members pay a 10% surcharge on the above rates
Display Discounts shown above are calculated as follows:
3 consecutive ads 10% Discount
6 consecutive ads 15% Discount
FULL PAGE
8.75” X 11.25”
(0.5” bleed)
7.25” x 9.75”
(live area)
PRODUCTION SCHEDULE
ISSUE NAME ADS DUE DELIVERED ON
January/February December 1 January 1
March/April February 1 March 1
May/June April 1 May 1
July/August June 1 July 1
September/October August 1 September 1
November/December October 1 November 1
Mechanical Music is printed on 70 lb gloss
paper, with a 100 lb gloss cover, saddle-
stitched. Trim size is 8.25” x 10.75”.
Artwork is accepted in the following formats:
PDF, PSD, AI, EPS, TIF. All images
and colors should be CMYK or Grayscale
and all fonts should be embedded or
converted to outlines. Images should be a
minimum of 300 dpi resolution.
Email fi les to:
mbsi@irondogmedia.com
USPS or Fed Ex to:
Iron Dog Media, LLC
130 Coral Court
Pismo Beach, CA 93449
Mechanical Music is mailed to more
than 1,500 members of the Musical
Box Society International six (6) times
per year.
PRINTING & ARTWORK SPECIFICATIONS
CIRCULATION
ALL ADS MUST
BE PREPAID
The Musical Box Society International
accepts VISA, Mastercard and online
payments via PayPal.
Contact MBSI Publisher Russell Kasselman at (253) 228-1634 or editor@mbsi.org
CLASSIFIED ADS
• 47¢ per word
• ALL CAPS, italicized and
bold words: 60¢ each.
• Minimum Charge: $11.
• 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
Mechanical Music at its Best
Instrument Brokering & Locating / Appraisals / Inspections / Free Consultation
Mechmusic.com
Welte 4 Concert Violina Orchestra Hupfeld Helios II/25 Popper Felix
Wurlitzer CX with Bells Violano Virtuoso Seeburg KT Special
Jaeger Brommer
42’er Violinopan 20’er Automaton
45’er Niemuth
Bacigalupo Visit: Mechmusic.com Mills Bowfront Violano
Call Marty Persky at 847-675-6144 or Email: Marty@Mechmusic.com
for further information on these and other fine instruments.
Frisian musical
hall clock with moon phase
by Arent Jansen Abelius,
Norden, 1796
Sold: 7.250 / $8.480
Large picture clock with Ducommun-
Girod musical movement, c. 1865
Sold: 2.265 / $2.650
Interchangeable forte-piano musical
secretaire by George Baker, c. 1890
Sold: 11.550 / $13.515
Trumpet barrel organ by
Eduard Hilger, Berlin, c. 1912
Sold: 8.185 / $9.570
Musical clock with dulcimer
accompaniment, Berlin, c. 1830
Sold: 7.770 / $9.090
Monkey artist
musical automaton
with clock, c. 1885
Sold: 9.445 / $11.050
Station musical box by
Henri Vidoudez, St. Croix, c. 1895
Sold: 14.245 / $16.670
Black Forest automaton
shelf clock, c. 1890
Sold: 4.280 / $5.000
Marquise automaton
by Leopold Lambert, c. 1885
Sold: 3.980 / $4.655
“Figuraphon” toy gramophone
by Weco, Germany, c. 1925
Sold: 1.410 / $1.650
“Buddha Phonographe Artistique”,
Andia, Paris & Brussels, c. 1924
Sold: 3.590 / $4.200
Auto-Chordephonette
Model 15A, Chordephon
Musikwerke Claus & Co.,
Leipzig, c. 1905
Sold: 2.015 / $2.360
Swiss station musical box with
dancing dolls, drum and bells, c. 1890
Sold: 11.650 / $13.630
››Mechanical Music‹‹
Spring 2021
World’s Leading Specialist Auction for
Closing date for entries: 15 February 2021
– Illustrated are just a few of our highlights from last sales on 31 October 2020 –
Free consignment shipping to Germany – if delivered or sent to our location in Garden City Park,
NY 11040 (10 miles east of JFK Airport)
Free shipping for any major consignment from the U.K.! You just pack – we do the rest!
For more highlights and videos, visit www.Breker.com/New Highlights
or youtube.com/auctionteambreker
Fully-illustrated bilingual (Engl.-German) COLOUR Catalogue available against prepayment only:
Euro 28.– (Europe) or elsewhere Euro 37.– (approx. US$ 44.– / Overseas)
(Bank draft, cash or by Credit Card with CVV and expiry date: MasterCard/Visa/AmEx)
– The Specialists in »Technical Antiques« –
P. O. Box 50 11 19, 50971 Koeln/Germany · Tel.: +49 / 2236 / 38 43 40 · Fax: +49 / 2236 / 38 43 430
Otto-Hahn-Str. 10, 50997 Koeln (Godorf)/Germany
e-mail: Auction@Breker.com · www.breker.com · Business Hours: Tue – Fri 9 am – 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 · 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. +49 (0) 176-991 40593 * AuctionTeamBrekerUK@outlook.de · 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
Consignments are invited
for our next Spring Specialty Auction!