Mechanical Music
Journal of the Musical Box Society International
Devoted to All Automatic Musical Instruments
Volume 68, No. 1 January/February 2022
For over 45 years we’ve placed fine antiques in collections around the world.
Our reputation has been built upon appreciative buyers and satisfied sellers.
Pictured below are just a few examples from our current inventory.
Renaissance Antiques
Visit the charming Danish Village of Solvang, half an hour above Santa Barbara in the beautiful CA Central Coast Wine Country
Visit our Showroom at 496 First Street, Solvang CAVisit our Showroom at 496 First Street, Solvang CA
PURCHASE • SALES • CONSIGNMENT
of Quality Cylinder & Disc Music Boxes, Musical Clocks & Automata
Above: An amazing musical painting clock with
multiple animations and working clock in tower.
Left: This exceptionally rare Polyphon music
box clock plays 24-1/2” discs with a rich, full
tone and volume and stands nearly 9’ tall.
George Baker in amboyna
case with ebony trim playing
a total of 48 tunes on six 13”
interchangeable cylinders.
Above: An always desirable model of
a 15-1/2” Polyphon in a beautiful burl
walnut case with carvings and inlay.
Right: A rare Regina 12-1/8” disc
operated clock chiming the quarter
hours on 14 bells with 30 hammers.
Burl walnut
desk style music box playing
six interchangeable 13” cylinders.
of solvang Renaissance Antiques
Visit the charming Danish Village of Solvang, half an hour above Santa Barbara in the beautiful CA Central Coast Wine Country
Renaissance Antiques of solvang
Ron & Julie Palladino • 805-452-5700
www.renantiques.com • info@renantiques.com
Visit our Showroom at 496 First Street, Solvang CAVisit our Showroom at 496 First Street, Solvang CA
PURCHASE • SALES • CONSIGNMENT
of Quality Cylinder & Disc Music Boxes, Musical Clocks & Automata
Above: An amazing musical painting clock with
multiple animations and working clock in tower.
Left: This exceptionally rare Polyphon music
box clock plays 24-1/2” discs with a rich, full
tone and volume and stands nearly 9’ tall.
George Baker in amboyna
case with ebony trim playing
a total of 48 tunes on six 13”
interchangeable cylinders.
Above: An always desirable model of
a 15-1/2” Polyphon in a beautiful burl
walnut case with carvings and inlay.
Right: A rare Regina 12-1/8” disc
operated clock chiming the quarter
hours on 14 bells with 30 hammers.
Burl walnut
desk style music box playing
six interchangeable 13” cylinders.
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 2022. 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 68, No. 1 January/February 2022
MBSI NEWS
5 President’s Message
7 Editor’s Notes
7 Outreach Corner
8 Annual Business
Meeting Minutes
13 Annual Board of Trustees
Meeting Minutes
51 In Memoriam
Features
18 Notes from the 2021
Annual Meeting
39 Hats off to those who
make MBSI’s annual
gatherings so great
42 Nickel Notes
by Matt Jaro
Chapter Reports
49 National Capital
MBSI has replanted
167 trees so far as
part of the Print
ReLeaf program.
Thomas Pletcher
Read the story of the man who
made millions selling player pianos
and rolls. Page 42.
On the Cover
William Edgerton’s Gavioli
Fairground Organ thrilled visitors
during the annual meeting. Photo
by Robert Thomas. Page 18.
January/February 2022 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 2022
By David Corkrum
MBSI President
Being the new president of the
society, I wondered what inspiration
previous presidents had when writing
up their message. I decided to go back
and look at what others had written
and see what I could come up with.
One topic that came to mind, and
one that can be somewhat of a sore
topic, is volunteering. All the positions
in the society, other than the administrator,
editor, and accountant’s
positions, are made up of volunteers.
Being a trustee, officer, or chair of a
committee or chapter is not really that
difficult. I have served as a committee
and chapter chair, an officer and now
a trustee and president and I have
found these to be rich and rewarding
positions. Like anything new, there is
some reluctance to take on the position,
but once you do it isn’t all that
difficult. The difficulties arise from
what you do or do not do in the new
position.
I have always been a little fearful
that I am going to make some big
mistake and cause problems down
the line. Yeah, I made a bunch, but
with the help of others who have
been in similar situations, I was able
to solve the difficulties and move on
to the next problem. The reason I am
going through all of this is that it is
becoming more and more difficult to
find members who might be interested
in taking on one of the positions. They
aren’t that bad and there are normally
previous holders of these positions
who are willing to help when it is
needed.
At the present time, our society
has one vacant position, namely the
Membership Committee chair. It has
been vacant for some time. Although
there will be three committee chair
vacancies, two of the present chairs
have agreed to stay on longer, namely
publications and museum. These
extensions will be voted on at the
next trustees’ meeting. The third
committee chair is the Nominating
Committee. Yes, they are big shoes to
fill, but I know that there is someone
in our society who would be a natural
for one of these positions. All it takes
is to raise your hand and say that “I
will give it try.” It is not a full-time job,
only part-time and for some very little
time.
All I can ask is that the membership
think about it.
Welcome new members!
Brian & Sue EllefritzOctober 2021
Menlo Park, CA
Larry Bailey Darryl GiambalvoLady Lake, FL Wheaton, IL
Sponsor, Jack Hostetler Robert & Joan Hunt
David Cosmo Saint Augustine, FLBrewster, NY Luis Mota & Christopher Suess
Barrington, IL
Joel Nystrom
Buffalo, MN
November 2021
Joshua Kohl
Kobe, Hyogo, Japan
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.
★
★
★★
®
(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
Spring eld, MO 65808-0196
Phone/Fax: (417) 886-8839
Musical Box Society International
P.O. Box 10196
Spring eld, MO 65808-0196
Phone/Fax: (417) 886-8839
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 certi cate must
accompany payment and a copy of the completed membership
application from Page 4 of this issue of Mechanical Music.
New Member Name(s):
Expires: 01/01/2023
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 certi cate.
SPECIAL OFFER: Purchase one or more rst-year MBSI gift
memberships at $45 each U.S., $55 Canadian, or $60 other
International and you will receive $5 off your next year’s MBSI
membership renewal for each “New Member” gift.
Gift Membership Name
Address, City, State, ZIP
Phone Email
Sponsor
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.
Editor’s Notes
By Russell Kasselman
MBSI Editor/Publisher
This issue is a feast for the eyes.
Three photographers, Lowell Boehland,
Robert Thomas and Trustee
Edward Cooley, sent in a marvelous
batch of images from the most recent
MBSI Annual Meeting held in Fort
Meyers, FL. I only wish I had another
20 or so pages to print more of the
pictures since they are so engaging.
Instead, we will seek ways to display
more of their snaps via the MBSI
website with the permission of the
photographers as well as the collectors
who shared their wonderful
musical boxes and other treasures
with those who attended our society’s
annual gathering. Right now, however,
feel free to flip to Page 18 of this issue
to read B Bronson’s account of the
convention, but please don’t drool too
much on the pictures.
Later this year, we meet on the
West Coast in a joint session with the
Automatic Musical Instrument Collectors’
Association (AMICA). I like the
term joint meeting since it portends
opportunities to make new friends
and find additional ways to join forces
with other automatic music machine
lovers for the good of the hobby. I’m
sure, if you choose to attend (and I
shamelessly encourage you to do so),
that you will find yourself talking with
any number of friendly and interesting
people who come from diverse backgrounds.
The best part is they will all
have something in common with you,
mechanical music. It’s why we’re all
here in the first place, right? Right. Ok,
see Page 55 to get details and dates for
the event and get it on your calendar.
Speaking of dates, why not put a
reminder on your calendar for Feb. 1,
Apr.1, Jun. 1, Aug.. 1, Oct. 1 and Nov.
1. What’s so significant about those
days, you ask? Well, those are the
deadlines for submitting material to
be published in Mechanical Music.
We accept articles from all members
MAILING ADDRESS
MBSI Editorial / Advertising
130 Coral Court
Pismo Beach, CA 93449
EMAIL ADDRESS
editor@mbsi.org
PHONE
(253) 228-1634
on wide variety of topics. We love to
hear from members who have a technique
to help maintain a music box,
and we like stories about how a music
box came to be in your collection, or
historical accounts of the people who
were responsible for making a box in
your collection. We like to hear about
the music your box plays and the
people who made that music. Don’t
have a collection of your own? What
about becoming part of the Membership
Committee and volunteering to
write about other members who do
have collections? It’s a great way to
get to know more about people and
music boxes at the same time.
Hope you are all having a Happy
New Year!
Outreach Corner
By Mary Ellen Myers
Special Exhibits Committee Chair
Did you know about
MBSI’s Traveling Display?
If you are planning a
mechanical music event
and you would you like to
include some attractive
information about MBSI,
this is a great way to do it.
The indoor display,
currently stored in High
Springs, FL, by Bill Endline
is available for use by all
members of all chapters in
the U.S. for only the cost of
shipping.
This display was designed
and developed by the late
George Fryer, a member of the Southeast
Chapter. A short article about the
display appeared in the March/April
2005 issue of Mechanical Music (Vol.
51, No. 2). The display, when
assembled, measures 7 feet
high by 9-feet-4-inches wide
and comes with lighting and
pockets for MBSI brochures.
It is housed in two self-contained
storage cases that
measure about 4 feet high.
For more information or to
reserve a time frame for use
of this magnificent resource
for telling a crowd about our
society, call Bill Endline at
(239) 424-0144.
If your chapter is preparing
to do a series of exhibits in a
relatively short timeline and
you would like to keep the
display for a longer period
in a safe storage area, please
indicate this to Bill as well. We want
this to be seen!
January/February 2022 MECHANICAL MUSIC 7
Minutes of the 72nd MBSI Annual Business Meeting
Crowne Plaza Hotel
Fort Myers, FL — Sept. 3, 2021
President Tom Kuehn called to
order the 2021 MBSI Annual Business
Meeting at 8:17 a.m.
He read the names of members
who have passed away since the
2019 Annual Meeting: Marilyn Ames,
Dick Bagwell, Robert Battiste,
Peter Beebee, Rhonda Bryant, Boz
Bulovic, Russell Burt, Henry Childs,
George Cooper, Arthur Cunliffe,
Joseph Dennan, Nancy Dickey, Rudy
Edwards, Andy Ellis, Margie Epstein,
Thomas Fairey, John Field, Leland
Fletcher, Jackson Fritz, Vernon Gantt,
Bill Harris, Marilyn Hawks, Mary Lee
Hoek, Mike Kinter, Don Lundry, Philip
Malorf, Dave Miner, Charlie Moore,
Hellen Muller, Mary Pollock, Ruth
Pontius, Emery Prior, Charles Rubiola,
Gene Sabota, Jasper Sanfilippo, Faye
Simpson, Herbert Singe, Steve Smith,
Glenn Smith, Betty Toth, Ken Vinen,
Andy Ware, and Diane Yates.
A moment of silence was observed
in remembrance.
Sincere appreciation was extended
to the Southeast Chapter Team,
and they were asked to stand. The
Officers and Board of Trustees were
introduced. Past presidents and past
trustees were recognized and asked to
stand. First time attendees and those
attending from outside of the United
States were asked to please stand and
be recognized.
Officers’ Reports
President Kuehn reported that the
minutes of the 70th Annual Meeting
held in Rockville, MD, were published
in Vol. 65, No. 6, of Mechanical Music.
There being no corrections, additions
or deletions, President Kuehn
entertained a motion to approve the
minutes. The motion was made and
seconded to approve the minutes. The
motion passed.
Vice President David Corkrum
presented the vice president’s report.
The vice president has two main
jobs; one is to handle the awards
process and the other is to oversee the
conduct of the society’s chapters. Vice
President Corkrum congratulated the
following award recipients: Q. David
Bowers and Art Reblitz for receiving
the literary award; Aaron Muller for
receiving the Roehl Ambassador
Award; David Burritt for receiving
the Darlene Mirijanian Award; Lowell
Sundermann for receiving the Unsung
Hero award; Sherrie Krughoff, Jody
Kravitz, Robbie Rhodes, Matthew
Caulfield and Sally Craig for receiving
the Trustees Award; Ed Kozak for
receiving the President’s Award. Vice
President Corkrum introduced each
chapter starting with the host chapter
and concluded with the chapter
holding the next annual meeting. The
members of each chapter were asked
to rise and be recognized. The report
was received.
Treasurer Ed Kozak presented the
treasurer’s report. Treasurer Kozak
stated that the annual financial statement
for the period ending Jun. 30,
2021 was distributed to all the tables.
Some of the highlights from the report
are dues revenue for 2021 is $66,896
compared to $72,689 for the year 2020.
Fund balances decreased by $15,796
and membership decreased by about
3½ percent from 1,130 members
to 1,091 members. The report was
received.
To answer a question normally
received at this time from member
B Bronson, there will be no dues
increase this year.
Committee Reports
Audit Committee Chair Ed Cooley
presented the Audit Committee
report. Cinda L. Rodgers, CPA, PC,
who conducted the required annual
financial review, stated that, based
on her review, she is not aware of any
material modifications that should be
made to the financial statements. They
are in accordance with accounting
principles generally accepted in the
United States of America.
The committee is also responsible
for the comparison of
membership data with amounts
received for membership dues and
the collection of conflict-of-interest
statements from the officers, trustees
and committee members. The report
was received.
Finance Committee Chair Ed Kozak
presented the Finance Committee
report. A mid-year to mid-year
financial report was prepared in
accordance with New York Not-For-
Profit Corporation Law. Copies were
made available to members present at
the meeting.
During the year, $10,000 from the
Endowment Fund’s accumulated
realized income was given as a grant
to the Niagara Frontier Endowment
Fund. The request for the grant was
received through member B Bronson.
There was discussion about this
grant and questions were raised that
were answered by the requesting
organization.
The Finance Committee and the
Trustees have approved the budget for
2022 and there is a projected deficit.
The report was received.
Marketing Committee and
Membership Committee Chair Bob
Smith presented the report. Print
advertising was placed in a number
of periodicals hoping to attract new
members. No obvious increase was
noted. In the recent past, membership
gift certificates were provided to
auction houses who sold mechanical
music. An analysis indicates that most
of the certificates redeemed were
from one auction house but only a
small percentage of those redeemed
were renewed for a second year. The
committee has decided to pause this
program.
The production of short videos of
mechanical music machines readily
available in the marketplace is taking
place. These can be presented on
YouTube, our website, or other online
sites. Advertising has been placed on
Mechanical Music Radio, an online
station that is broadcast from England.
These are 30-second recorded ads that
8 MECHANICAL MUSIC January/February 2022
play several times a day and will run
for the next six months.
Last year, a contractor was hired to
produce two-minute videos of member
interviews. One has been completed
and is on the website. However, the
contractor now seems unable or
unwilling to produce any more.
The committee is in the process
of developing improvements to the
“Welcome” process the society uses
for new members. This new process
seeks to increase the number of
“touches” that every new member will
receive. The report was received.
Meetings Committee Chair Matt
Jaro presented the report on the dates
of upcoming meetings. Golden Gate
Chapter and the Founding Chapter
of AMICA will host the 2022 meeting.
Snowbelt Chapter will host the 2023
meeting. The chapter is in the process
of confirming location and dates of
the meeting. The 2024 meeting, which
is the Society’s 75th anniversary, is
being discussed by the Lake Michigan
chapter as to whether it will host this
meeting. The 2025 meeting will be in
southern California. This will be a
joint meeting with AMICA taking the
lead. The report was received.
Museum Committee Chair Sally
Craig was not present, so the report
was presented by President Kuehn.
With the passing of Emery Prior,
member Rob Pollock has agreed to
step in and take his place with the
Ohio operations. American Treasure
Tour (A.T.T.) has received a large
Raggedy Ann collection which has
caused the committee to purchase
additional storage racks for the society’s
mechanical music collection.
That concludes the highlights from
the Museum Committee report. The
report was received.
Publications Committee Chair Bob
Caletti was not able to be present.
President Kuehn presented the report.
Chair Caletti wished to thank the
committee members and the large
number of proofreaders. He also
thanked our editor, Russell Kasselman,
and Website Subcommittee chair, Rick
Swaney, for their work on the society
publications and website. Chair
Caletti reported that the website now
has a text version of our journals on
the website dated from January 2018
to the present which can be translated
and used by our non-English speaking
members as well as those who are
vision impaired. Additional translator
tools will be purchased in the future.
Many articles printed in the past can
be used in the society’s journal along
with articles published by some of
our sister societies. The editor would
also like to see more how-to articles.
If a member has the information, the
editor would be happy to help develop
it. The report was received.
Website Subcommittee Chair Rick
Swaney presented his report. The new
web server is now Dreamhost. The
website is doing well with about 100
views a day. By the end of the year, the
total number of views should be about
250,000. The Facebook group, Musical
Box Society Forum, where members
can post questions or information
about the society and its chapters,
has grown to about 470 and there are
postings every few days.
The website is also host to all of
the Presto and Music Trade Review
magazines dating back to the 1880s.
The search capabilities for these
publications are now being updated
so that a search will result in the
presentation of a full PDF copy of
the information being searched. The
report was received as presented.
Special Exhibits Committee Chair
Mary Ellen Myers reported that the
Special Exhibits Committee has
established a new feature in the journal
known as the Outreach Corner. It
is used as a way of reporting what a
chapter has done as far as outreach
goes and what has or has not been
successful. A successful exhibit was
presented at a retirement condominium
complex in Sarasota, FL.
The committee is still seeking a few
more chapter liaisons. The report was
received.
Nominating Committee Chair Dan
Wilson presented the report. Chair
Wilson introduced the members of
the committee. The following slate
is presented for the membership’s
approval:
For President, David Corkrum
to serve a two-year term; for Vice
President, Matt Jaro to serve his first
one-year term; for Trustee, Richard
Dutton to serve his first four-year
term, Ed Cooley to serve a second
four-year term, Mary Ellen Myers to
serve a second four-year term. Tom
Kuehn will serve an additional two
years as immediate past president; Ed
Kozak to serve one year as Treasurer;
Linda Birkitt to serve a one-year term
as Recording Secretary.
President Kuehn entertained
a motion to accept the slate as
presented. A motion was made and
seconded. The motion passed.
At this moment, outgoing President
Tom Kuehn presented incoming
President David Corkrum with the
presidential medal of office and
the gavel upon becoming the 38th
president of the Musical Box Society
International. President David
Corkrum then presented Trustee and
immediate past President Tom Kuehn
with the presidential pin indicating his
status as a past president.
President Corkrum thanked Trustee
Kuehn for his service to the society.
New Business
Meetings Committee member Rich
Poppe conducted a straw vote to
survey members’ desires regarding
the continuation of table favors.
There was some discussion about this
subject. The informal vote resulted
in 39 members in favor of dropping
the requirement for the table favor
and 16 members in favor of keeping
the requirement. There being no
new business, it was moved and
seconded to adjourn the meeting. The
motion passed, and the meeting was
adjourned at 9:17 a.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
Linda Birkitt
Recording Secretary
Nov. 27, 2021
January/February 2022 MECHANICAL MUSIC 9
10 MECHANICAL MUSIC January/February 2022
January/February 2022 MECHANICAL MUSIC 11
12 MECHANICAL MUSIC January/February 2022
Minutes of the Annual Trustees’ Meeting
Board of Trustees members, left to right: President David Corkrum, Immediate Past President Tom Kuehn, Trustee Mary Ellen
Myers, Trustee Edward Cooley and Vice President Matt Jaro.
Fort Myers, FL — Aug. 31, 2021
These minutes will be official when
approved and voted on during the
mid-year trustees’ meeting on Mar. 18,
2022.
The meeting was called to order
by President Tom Kuehn at 9:29 a.m.
Eastern Standard Time. A late start
occurred due to logistical issues on
the Internet, as some members were
attending via Zoom video conference.
Present: Tom Kuehn, President,
presiding, Vice President David
Corkrum, Trustees Ed Cooley,
Matt Jaro and Mary Ellen Myers.
Trustees Dave Calendine and Bob
Caletti attended via video along with
trustee-elect Richard Dutton as an
observer/guest.
As Recording Secretary Linda
Birkitt was unable to attend this
meeting, President Kuehn asked
Trustee Corkrum to read the minutes
of the Mar. 20, 2021, Mid-year Trustees’
Meeting. Minutes of the last trustees’
meeting were published in Vol. 67,
No. 3 of Mechanical Music. A motion
to approve the minutes was made by
Trustee Corkrum and seconded by
Trustee Calendine. Motion carried.
Old Business
Board Actions were presented by
Trustee Corkrum. (1) He deferred to
Trustee Jaro to discuss the Special
Report on the Digital Lending Library.
Per Trustee Jaro, Terry Smythe has
been a longtime friend of MBSI and
has digitized 29 books for our library.
Terry informed Trustee Jaro that he
had observed a Controlled Digital
Lending (CDL) meeting where 600,000
books were donated from a source in
New Zealand and Internet Archives
(IA), it appears, is prepared to digitize
them. (2) Terry asked if MBSI might
consider donating its books to CDL
as well as the 29 digitized PDF files
he had already digitized. Trustee
Corkrum clarified that MBSI might
send its books to IA for digitization.
Trustee Jaro remarked that the project
would not require much work, the
digitization makes MBSI information
more available to more individuals
and IA would assume the copyright
infringement liability so that we have
no risk. Since educating the public
via our library is a goal of MBSI, this
technology promotes the goal and
eliminates any liability issues. President
Kuehn asked Trustee Jaro to
pursue this issue further. The remaining
Board Actions were reviewed. The
report was received.
Trustee Corkrum presented the Vice
January/February 2022 MECHANICAL MUSIC 13
President’s report. All chapters have
submitted their annual reports except
Japan. Japan does, however, send
reports periodically. Trustee Corkrum
has updated everything with respect
to Guidestar regarding the IRS and the
Annual Report to the Board of Regents
of the University of New York. There
were two motions by the Executive
Committee:
1) Jul. 30, 2021. There was a unanimous
vote to approve the motion to
grant permission for the Automatic
Musical Instrument Collectors’
Association (AMICA) to reprint two
articles written by Art Reblitz titled
“Time Went Back to Svoboda’s,” parts
one and two.
2) Aug. 9, 2021. There was a unanimous
vote to extend a modified annual
meeting registration payment refund
policy permitting refunds on request
to the beginning of the 2021 Annual
Meeting. Report received.
The Administrator’s Report was
presented by President Kuehn. MBSI
membership as of Jun. 30, 2020, was
1,130 and as of Jun. 30, 2021, it was
1,091, a decrease of 39 over the past
year. Forty new MBSI memberships
were processed between Jan. 1 and
Jun. 30, 2021. Don Caine is the “dealer”
recipient of a free renewal for sponsoring
nine new members and Bill
Wineburgh is the “member” recipient
of a free membership for sponsoring
four new members. Thirty-one orders
totaling 49 items were processed from
Jan. 1 to Jun. 30 of this year. Of these,
28 were from the website (90 percent).
Report received.
President Kuehn presented the treasurer’s
report. He stated that if there
were any questions the trustees had
for the treasurer regarding his report,
Treasurer Ed Kozak would be glad
to answer them. No questions were
forthcoming. President Kuehn asked
for a motion to accept the budget as
submitted by the treasurer. Trustee
Corkrum moved to accept the budget,
seconded by Trustee Jaro. The motion
carried.
Dues revenue for 2021 was $69,895
compared to 2020 revenue of $72,289.
The 2020 Annual Report Data form
was submitted in a timely manner per
the New York State Statutes requirements.
MBSI tax returns for tax year
ending Dec. 31, 2020, were filed in a
timely manner. The change in the net
fund balance in 2021 was a decrease
of $15,796 compared to the net fund
balance in 2020 of $22,355. The society’s
investments consist of federally
insured certificates of deposit (CD)
and money market accounts and a
minor investment in a short-term bond
fund. Maturing CDs are reinvested in
order to continue the society’s investment
laddering philosophy. Net assets
as of Dec. 31, 2020 were $768,213.
In March 2021, an authorized grant
of $10,000 was given to the Niagara
Frontier Endowment Fund. That
grant is to used for the restoration and
maintenance of band and carousel
organs and roll-perforating equipment
at the Herschell Carousel Factory
Museum located in North Tonawanda,
NY. As of Jun. 30, 2021, the amount of
accumulated funds is $43,095 of which
$28,730 is available for projects or
programs. Report received.
Trustee Cooley presented the Audit
Committee report. The committee
members will all serve another
year. These are Trustees Calendine,
Cooley and Jaro. Pursuant to New
York requirements, our financial
statements are reviewed every year by
an independent CPA, Cinda Rodgers,
of Springfield, MO. Comparisons
of membership data with amounts
received from dues was delineated
by Treasurer Kozak and is the same
data as in March. MBSI lost Canadian
and Other International members at
a higher percentage rate than USA
members in 2020: USA at 5.2 percent.
Canada at 26.1 percent and other
international members at 9.6 percent.
The annual Conflict of Interest forms
remain a problem and could have
legal consequences if not completed.
Trustee Cooley will ask member
Clay Witt if MBSI can expedite these
signatures electronically. Revenue
analysis has been completed by Treasurer
Kozak. The report was received.
Although the Marketing Committee
Chair was unable to attend, discussion
ensued. Trustee Myers stated that
rack cards (advertisements placed
in racks in areas where you expect
tourists to congregate) for MBSI
are at the American Treasure Tour
(A.T.T.) Museum. She has already
made a rough draft of a new rack card
and will provide it to MBSI. Trustee
Corkrum asked for a motion to assess
the format of the rack card which
Trustee Myers developed. Trustee
Jaro moved that we contact Editor/
Publisher Russell Kasselman for his
assessment of Trustee Myer’s rough
draft, and Trustee Myers seconded
the motion. Motion carried. Trustee
Corkrum queried Trustee Calendine
about the status of the committee:
1) Calendine stated the committee
is continuing to monitor new member
gift certificates which have been
redeemed and will be reporting results
of that program. Trustee Caletti noted
that Editor/Publisher Kasselman has
been tracking these certificates in
some manner and Trustee Caletti will
ask for an update.
2) Marketing will complete an ongoing
member interview video program,
but they may have to consider another
videographer to complete the task.
3) The committee advised holding
off on a microphone purchase. He also
noted that COVID has been a negative
factor in the Marketing Committee’s
progress. Report received.
Trustee Jaro presented the Meetings
Committee report. The committee
purchased a new camcorder, tripod
and accessories to record the workshops
presented at annual meetings.
The existing wireless microphones
are compatible with the new equipment,
so it was determined new
microphones are not needed. Lowell
Boehland and Rich Poppe will cover
the workshops as videographers. The
committee may consider a select list
of recorded workshops as some are
redundant.
Trustee Jaro reported the following
about the Meetings Committee plans:
The 2022 MBSI Annual Meeting will
be held in San Francisco, CA. For
2023 the Snowbelt Chapter will meet
Sept. 11, 2021, to complete acknowledgment
for the upcoming meeting. In
14 MECHANICAL MUSIC January/February 2022
Board of Trustees members listening to Trustee Bob Caletti presenting reports via video conference.
2024 the Lake Michigan Chapter will
host MBSI’s 75th birthday celebration.
A joint AMICA and MBSI meeting will
be held in 2025 in Southern California
with AMICA taking the lead.
A virtual Mid-Year Trustees’ Meeting
will be held via Zoom video conference,
so the society will need to obtain
a software license for the program.
Report received.
No Membership Committee report
was submitted.
President Kuehn presented
the Museum Committee report.
Committee Chair Sally Craig and
committee member Richard Simpson
have conducted regular maintenance
of all cylinder and disc boxes. There
were recent additions at A.T.T. that
required some of the society’s music
boxes to be stored on steel racks in
the music room. A.T.T. needs four
more steel racks for the society’s
display items, but the museum
committee budget will not support the
new request. Chair Craig suggests the
society consider this extra funding in
the 2022 budget.
Trustee Jaro noted that there was
no receipt written for the Barry Johnson
donation as yet. President Kuehn
did not think it necessary to write a
receipt until the project is completed
and asked Trustee Caletti about the
status of the project. Trustee Caletti
felt we could write two receipts, one
for all the music boxes and discs
which have now been cataloged and
a second receipt for the remainder
of the items. Trustee Corkrum will
discuss with Chair Craig about creating
two receipts for this project.
Trustee Caletti stated that MBSI’s
editor and the Museum Chair are to
collaborate on obtaining a Museum
Committee member to volunteer as
a database administrator who would
work with the Museum Committee.
This is an ongoing action item. It is the
Museum Committee’s job to locate an
administrator to manage the task, as
the editor has written all the software
and organized all existing inventory
into a database.
Trustee Corkrum stated that Chair
Craig’s term will be up in 2022. A
replacement needs to be found, or
the Trustees can vote unanimously to
retain her for another year.
The report was received.
Trustee Myers presented the
Nominating Committee report. Chair
Dan Wilson wanted to thank all the
officers and trustees for recruiting
worthy candidates. The current Nominating
Committee consists of Trustee
Caletti, Aaron Muller, M. E. Myers,
Jonathan Hoyt and Robin Biggins. The
Piedmont Chapter will not be participating
currently on this committee.
Tom Kuehn will replace Clay Witt
as the immediate Past President for
one year. Chair Wilson will vacate his
position at the conclusion of the 2022
annual meeting. The following slate
January/February 2022 MECHANICAL MUSIC 15
of officers will be presented at the
Annual Business Meeting:
• President: David Corkrum to
serve a two-year term
• Vice President: Matt Jaro to serve
first one-year term
• Trustees: Richard Dutton to serve
first four-year term
• Tom Kuehn to serve an additional
two-year term per bylaws
• Ed Cooley to serve second
four-year term
• Mary Ellen Myers to serve second
four-year term
• Treasurer: Ed Kozak to serve
another one-year term
• Recording Secretary: Linda
Birkitt to serve another one-year
term.
The report was received.
Chair Caletti presented the Publications
Committee Report. He said MBSI
can now offer non-English-speaking
people the ability to read the text
of Mechanical Music in their own
language via the society website.
The society is planning to purchase
an even better translation program
for approximately $150 per year.
Trustee Jaro asked if there were any
responses about this new feature from
the international members, but none
were forthcoming. He asked if the
Marketing Committee would promote
this translation program.
Trustee Corkrum said he wants to
inform the membership of this translation
program using the website and
the society publication Mechanical
Music. Trustee Caletti stated that the
new text-only web pages can provide
help for the visually impaired to read
the magazine as well. Chair Caletti
assumed that everyone agreed with
the Publications Report. The report
was received.
Trustee Caletti presented the
Editor’s/Publisher’s Report.
Thirty-nine writers contributed to
the journal this year. Editor/Publisher
Kasselman wishes to extend his
sincere thanks to all those writers who
helped keep the journal interesting
and engaging for our members. The
society continued to grow its relationships
with other societies which focus
on mechanical music. Additionally,
MBSI has provided articles for reprint
and research to several sources as
requested. Editor/Publisher Kasselman
emphasized that articles on
pianos, band organs, automata, bird
boxes and clocks are eagerly sought
at this time.
Advertising percentages were
up slightly from last year, filling an
average of 19.61 percent of Mechanical
Music pages which is within the
targeted goal for advertising. The
report was received.
The Special Exhibit Committee
report was presented by Chair
Myers. She stated that the committee
has an ongoing task of obtaining a
representative from each chapter to
join the Special Exhibits Committee.
She recommended that the
Museum Committee or the Marketing
Committee be responsible for
further developing and replenishing
the rack cards at the A.T.T. She also
asked the trustees to consider the
usefulness versus cost of these cards.
Trustee Corkrum noted that the
Morris Museum could have our rack
cards since they already carry our
brochures. Additionally, the trustees
need to remove that portion of the
Board Action which states “rack cards
would be placed elsewhere.”
The Southeast Chapter managed
to have two special events for this
year which were very successful.
The events were listed in Mechanical
Music. One was the annual Christmas
show at The Villages, FL, that is scheduled
during the Christmas season
secondary to any restraints due to
COVID. A newly-launched column
in Mechanical Music is known as
Outreach Corner. People have been
volunteering to write for the column,
giving them a great experience plus
informing the rest of the membership
just what the chapter offers via a
personal interaction. The report was
received.
Trustee Caletti presented the
Website Subcommittee Report. Chair
Rick Swaney reported that an effort
to make issues of the Music Trade
Review and Presto publications into
easily searchable, downloadable PDFs
is closer to completion. A program
to trigger an automatic discount on
membership renewals for members
who sponsor other new members is
still in the design phase.
In 2019, the society decided to offer
advertising space on the website’s
homepage. The first advertiser to apply
was the Keenan Auction Company.
Their banner appeared on the website
and clicking it took the user to the
advertiser’s website. A notice was
posted to the MBSI Facebook Forum
page to drive more traffic to the MBSI
website and the advertiser website.
As noted earlier, an effort to provide
translated text-only versions of
Mechanical Music has been achieved.
Members can go to the members-only
section of the website, click on an
issue in the list and the complete text
of the issue is automatically translated
into the currently selected language.
The MBSI Forum on Facebook now
shows a membership of 470. Website
activity is up slightly, averaging more
than 100 visits per day. The all-time
site visit count is now over 212,000.
The report was received.
New Business
The Board of Trustees needs to
approve the new members of the
Executive Committee. There are three
ex officio members — Immediate Past
President Kuehn, President Corkrum
and Vice President Jaro. Two new
members at large are proposed: Bob
Caletti and Dave Calendine. Trustee
Jaro moved to accept the two new
at-large members and Trustee Myers
seconded the motion. Motion carried.
Chairs’ and members’ assignments
for one-year terms on standing
committees needs to be addressed as
distributed to all board members prior
to the meeting. Trustee Caletti noted
that Terry Smythe does not want to
be on the Publications Committee. A
motion to approve the new committee
list including the change of Terry
Smythe was made by Trustee Corkrum
and seconded by Trustee Myers. The
motion carried.
At the mid-year trustees’ meeting,
the Board of Trustees approved the
16 MECHANICAL MUSIC January/February 2022
reduction of the required quorum
number at the Annual Business Meeting
from 75 to 50. Since there were
only 93 registrants for the 2021 MBSI
Annual Meeting, it was suggested that
a temporary change to the quorum
requirement be made. Currently, there
is no minimum number to form a
quorum. Trustee Calendine moved to
use 40 as the required number to form
a quorum. After some discussion,
Trustee Calendine amended his original
motion to state that the quorum
number requirement should be
waived for the 2021 Annual Business
Meeting. His motion was seconded by
Trustee Corkrum. The motion carried.
President-Elect Corkrum will set up
a Presidential Committee to review
the requirement of the quorum in the
bylaws.
Having no more new business,
President Kuehn asked for a motion
to adjourn. Trustee Cooley moved
to adjourn the meeting which was
seconded by Trustee Calendine. The
motion carried. Meeting adjourned at
11:36 a.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Linda Birkitt,
MBSI Recording Secretary
Photo by Robert Thomas
A Libellion musical box with a cardboard book ready to play in the Mark Yaffe collection.
January/February 2022 MECHANICAL MUSIC 17
Notes from the 2021
By B Bronson
The 72nd MBSI Annual Meeting was
a welcome event as not many live,
mechanical music events have taken
place for some time now, due to the
world being turned upside down.
Co-chairs Mark Yaffe and Craig Darlak
and their team did a fine job of hosting
almost 100 members and guests. The
Crowne Plaza hotel in Fort Myers, FL,
was genuinely welcoming and took
very good care of our needs. Many
things have changed over the past
couple of years, but one thing that
didn’t is the amount of great mechanical
music in Florida.
One of the tours was that of the
fabulous Mark and Christel Yaffe
Photo by Lowell Boehland
The hospitality desk, staffed by (left to right) Margery and Howard Sanford with B
and Maria Bronson.
Photo by Ed CooleyPhoto by Ed CooleyPhoto by Ed Cooley
Photo by Robert Thomas
The Sweet & Hot Roaring ’20s Band entertains at the annual banquet dinner.
Photo by Lowell Boehland
Members shop and sell musical items during the popular Mart session of the annual meeting.
18 MECHANICAL MUSIC January/February 2022
Annual Meeting
Photo by Ed CooleyPhoto by Ed Cooley
Natalie and Retonio Breitenmoser perform a ventriloquist and
quick change magic show at the annual banquet.
Immediate Past President Tom Kuehn and his wife, Hongyan,
on the dance floor cutting a rug.
Photo by Lowell Boehland
The annual meeting brings friends together every year. From
left to right are Martin and Marilou VanZanten, Margery and
Howard Sanford, Wayne Myers, Judy Miller, Sandy Goldman,
Photo by Lowell Boehland
Marty Persky, Dick Hack, Ron Cappel, Natalie and Retonio
and Marti and Dan Wilson. Breitenmoser enjoying a drink at the banquet.
Photo by Lowell BoehlandPhoto by Lowell Boehland
Jeremy Stevens, AMICA Bulletin editor Glenn Thomas and Ron and Mary Jo Bopp promoting one of their wildly popular
Vice President Matt Jaro shopped the Mart for deals. Bumbling Bruder tours during the Mart.
January/February 2022 MECHANICAL MUSIC 19
collection. It’s housed in a large
building which is full to the brim
with all manner of mechanical
music. Mark’s business office is
a partial loft over the main floor
which leaves plenty of two-story
floor space for the taller machines.
A balcony around the structure
gives a beautiful view of the
collection. Mark took great pride in
demonstrating several fine music
boxes as well as some extremely
rare automata. Also on hand were
long-time expert restorers, Ron
Cappel and Dave Sorrow, who
demonstrated some of the orchestrions
and organs. They opened the
machines and explained the inner
workings and answered technical
questions.
Continued on Page 25
The Yaffe Collection
Photo by Lowell Boehland
Photo by Robert Thomas Photo by Lowell Boehland
Photo by Robert Thomas
22 MECHANICAL MUSIC January/February 2022
Photo by Lowell Boehland
Photo by Robert Thomas
Photo by Robert Thomas
Photo by Lowell Boehland
Christel and Mark Yaffe with a Mills Deluxe Violano in a unique Gothic case.
January/February 2022 MECHANICAL MUSIC 23
Photo by Robert Thomas Photo by Ed Cooley Photo by Ed Cooley
24 MECHANICAL MUSIC January/February 2022
Photo by Robert Thomas Photo by Ed Cooley Photo by Ed Cooley
Photo by Robert ThomasPhoto by Robert Thomas
Photo by Robert ThomasPhoto by Robert Thomas
Photo by Robert Thomas
Ron Cappel talks with Kenneth Goldman about one of the orchestrions in the Yaffe collection.
Continued from Page 20
Included in the collection were
American nickelodeons, European
orchestrions, custom art case
reproducing pianos, Mills Violanos,
a 112-key Mortier Dance Organ and
a spectacular 121-key Decap Dance
Organ. A delicious lunch was served
while various machines were being
played — a perfect combination.
Bill and Anne Edgerton’s collection
was another optional tour. Bill has
moved his mechanical music items
a number of times over the years.
They’re now nicely displayed around
the perimeter of his latest venue,
along with various artwork and
posters adorning the walls. The music
boxes were demonstrated and then
a rare, disc-playing piano. Of course,
he played one of his reproduction KT
Specials. The Decap Dance Organ
sounded great, along with the beautiful
Dutch sound from the 89-key Pluer
“De Kei” street organ. The 89-key
Gavioli was a real treat as Bill chose
a special book which really put the
organ through the paces, showing off
all of its capabilities. He showcased his
1876 Dufner Barrel Orchestrion, one of
Continued on Page 30
January/February 2022 MECHANICAL MUSIC 25
26 MECHANICAL MUSIC January/February 2022
The Edgerton Collection
Photo by Robert Thomas
Photo by Robert Thomas Photo by Robert Thomas
28 MECHANICAL MUSIC January/February 2022
Photo by Ed Cooley Photo by Robert Thomas Photo by Robert Thomas
The Dufner Barrel Orchestrion just before
its move to New Jersey. At left, Bill Edgerton
cranks out tunes for his guests. Photo by Robert Thomas
Photo by Ed CooleyPhoto by Ed CooleyPhoto by Robert Thomas
Photo by Ed CooleyPhoto by Ed CooleyPhoto by Robert Thomas
Continued from Page 25
three examples of Dufner instruments
extant. Bill then announced that at the
end of the meeting it would be sent
to New Jersey to its new permanent
home in the Guinness wing of the
Morris Museum. Jere Ryder, curator of
the Guinness collection, was on hand
to help play its last concert in Florida.
A very short distance from the
Edgertons’ was the showplace of
Jarda Dvorak. He emigrated from
Czechoslovakia some 30 years ago
and has put together a large display
of artwork. He’s also accumulated a
fantastic number of clocks. He showed
the various ways they were designed
to keep track of time, including some
that were more pretty than practical.
He refers to his favorite style as
“swingers.” The pendulum is the clock
itself and was interesting to see. Along
with their fascinating mechanisms,
several were also musical. He then
Continued on Page 39
30 MECHANICAL MUSIC January/February 2022
The Dvorak CollectionThe Dvorak Collection The Dvorak Collection
Photo by Ed Cooley
Photo by Robert Thomas Photo by Lowell Boehland
Photo by Robert Thomas
Photo by Robert Thomas Photo by Robert Thomas
32 MECHANICAL MUSIC January/February 2022
Photo by Robert Thomas
Photo by Lowell Boehland
Jarda Dvorak shares stories and details of his fantastic clock collection.
January/February 2022 MECHANICAL MUSIC 33
Photo by Robert Thomas
34 MECHANICAL MUSIC January/February 2022
The Jancko CollectionThe Jancko Collection The Jancko Collection
Photo by Robert Thomas
Photo by Robert Thomas Photo by Lowell Boehland
36 MECHANICAL MUSIC January/February 2022
Photo by Robert Thomas Photo by Robert Thomas Photo by Robert Thomas
Photo by Lowell Boehland Photo by Lowell Boehland
Photo by Lowell Boehland
Marty Persky demonstrates the mechanical music portion of the Jancko collection.
January/February 2022 MECHANICAL MUSIC 37
Photo by Robert Thomas Photo by Robert Thomas
“Our Backyard Museum” hosts, Pam and Joel Jancko.
Photo by Robert Thomas
Photo by Robert Thomas
38 MECHANICAL MUSIC January/February 2022
Hats off to all those who
make MBSI’s annual
gatherings so great
Continued from Page 30
demonstrated three European barrel
piano/organ orchestrions which were
weight driven.
Joel and Pam Jancko’s tour of their
collection, known as “Our Backyard
Museum,” was another highlight of
the meeting. It consists of a group of
buildings which display Americana
from the era of the Civil War through
the mid 1930s. The primary structure
is called the Barn, and houses the
majority of the collection. It is about
40 feet by 185 feet and is split into
three areas. Upon entering, one is in
the Great Room and notices several
nicely done scenes depicting vintage
store fronts with authentic, highly
collectible contents and props. A
Texaco service station, bicycle shop,
fire station, and a machine shop with
a working steam engine and line shaft
are among the displays featured. Joel
is very knowledgeable about all the
items and gave some history about
each scene. While he was busy there,
the other half of the group toured
the mechanical music portion, as
demonstrated by Marty Persky. The
machines included fine music boxes, a
Seeburg H, Wurlitzer CX, Mills Deluxe
Violano, phonographs and Limonaire
and Bruder band organs. A short walk
to the Annex treated members to a
saloon, country store, turn-of-thecentury
pharmacy and the War Room
with a number of Civil War artifacts.
Once again, Joel provided expert
commentary in each area. The group
came back together in the Barn, in the
larger Dance Hall portion to enjoy a
few tunes on the beautifully restored
92-key Mortier Dance Organ. Finally,
the pièce de resistance, was a live
concert on the 3/23 Wurlitzer Theatre
Organ. Local organist Stephen Brittain
played several tunes exhibiting
the numerous capabilities of the
installation.
Thursday, after a day of collection
tours, dinner was followed by a very
interesting silent movie titled “The
Flying Ace.” It was known at the
time as a race movie. Featuring an
all African-American cast, the movie
was billed as “The Greatest Airplane
Thriller Ever Filmed.” Except for one
short scene, everything was shot on
the ground using clever camera angles
and effects, making for a convincing
show, particularly for the time.
Friday consisted primarily of workshops.
Ron Bopp gave an entertaining
talk about how vintage magazines
presented organ grinder street musicians
as they were seen between
1840 and 1920. Dave Sorrow gave
some inside restorer tips on covering
pumps, particularly on the importance
of rib placement, sometimes called
stays, which allow the pump to create
pressure without blowing out the
sides of the cloth or leather. Dick
Hack gave an all encompassing talk
on MIDI, starting with its background,
through installing a system in many
different forms of mechanical music.
Finally, Warren Officer gave a reprise
of an interesting surprise found during
the restoration of a home-built calliope,
which he affectionately referred
to as “The Thing.” After a sumptuous
dinner, Swiss members (and the only
international attendees) Retonio
and Natalie Breitenmoser put on an
entertaining show featuring a ventriloquist
act with Retonio and Louis
“Satchmo” Armstrong while Natalie
was dancing back and forth on stage,
pausing just a few seconds behind
a decorative screen, only to come
out in a completely differently outfit!
She effected several “quick changes”
while Retonio was producing copious
amounts of flowers from thin air!
Saturday started with breakfast
which went into the annual business
meeting. With not too much on the
plate, the meeting went quickly even
with the customary financial report,
chapter introductions and the all
important election of officers. President
Tom Kuehn’s term was up and,
in an orderly transition of power, then
Vice President Dave Corkrum stepped
in to take the reins. Later in the day,
the Mart was opened. Even though it
was smaller in size, a number of transactions
were seen taking place and
many happy faces were seen, both on
sellers and buyers.
The meeting wound up as normal
with a cocktail hour and banquet,
followed by entertainment from the
Brown Bag Brass Band who called
By Claudia Molinari
The theme of this meeting was
“Forever Young” and this is how
we needed to be in order to see all
the collections! The first day my
husband and I went to Bill Edgerton’s
collection, Jarda Dvorak’s
shop, and the Janckos and their
backyard museum.
Our first stop was at Bill
Edgerton’s collection. Wow! So
many musical machines in such
a small place, or maybe it seemed
small because there were so many
machines! We were entertained
by his playing of many of the
machines. We were able to look
around at his other posters, etc. in
the short time we were there.
Our next stop was at the antique
store of Jarda Dvorak, in Naples.
In addition to several large musical
machines, he had an extensive
antique collection of clocks and
art, mostly from Europe. His
family was from the Czech Republic
and had money and good jobs,
but then the Soviets came in and
confiscated all their assets and
forced them to work in menial
Continued on Page 40
themselves a “Sweet & Hot Roaring
’20s Band” which accurately described
their great sound. The final event was
the distribution of the table favors.
They relied largely on a 3D printer to
produce the parts for the carousel-inspired
music box. As “goodbyes” were
exchanged, everyone was hopeful and
looking forward to next year in San
Francisco, CA.
The Southeast Chapter is owed a
great deal of thanks for putting on
the show and helping the MBSI return
to the business of getting fans of
mechanical music back together on a
larger scale.
January/February 2022 MECHANICAL MUSIC 39
Continued from Page 39
jobs instead of the professions they
had originally occupied. Gradually,
they left their homeland and remade
themselves. He did not project any
ill-will towards what happened to
them, being even matter-of-fact about
it. He was a gracious and knowledgeable
host.
Across Florida from the meeting
site we went to see “Our Backyard
Museum” on the property of Dr. Joel
and Mrs. Pam Jancko. While half of the
busload were entertained by the playing
of the OPUS 1616, the Wurlitzer
Theatre Organ, we toured the exhibit,
which consisted of their collections
of last 1800 and early 1900 ephemera.
Photo by Robert Thomas
They have a wonderful display of
an ice cream parlor complete with a
marble counter and assorted sundae
glasses. We toured a saloon from the
“wild west” containing a bar, poker
cards and roulette wheel, and even
the swinging doors. Also erected
inside this building was a log cabin
– think tiny house – where all that fit
there were a bed and luncheon table.
Further in this exhibit was a general
store with a printing press, bank
counter, horse harnesses, dried foods,
and yard goods! Just as though you
had stepped off a dusty street in the
bygone days of Arizona!
Leaving this building we were shown
an old oil rig and where the doctor
related a funny story to us. When he
first bought and installed the rig, it was
difficult to move, so he heavily greased
it and walked away. When he returned
to try to use it, the pump moved freely
spurting oil all over! He was ready to
join Jed Clampett in Beverly Hills until
he remembered what he had done!
There were also covered wagons in
this exhibit. He pointed out the problems
of using one without springs over
the one with! Springs definitely were
better.
Entering this building we discovered
an old time gas station, complete
with old pumps, which they took
care to construct in a way that would
replicate how the building would have
been erected – no mitered joints in
window and door frames, etc. Also on
exhibit were several hand-pumped fire
Joel Jancko leads a tour of his Backyard Museum featuring an extensive collection
of old west and early Americana in every corner.
Photo by Robert Thomas
Jarda Dvorak cranks a tune on his Kolb organ
trucks with various nozzles for squirting
water farther. He also had some
old cars and, finally, dresses and handbags
from the late 1800s. Returning to
the dance hall, we were treated to a
cookout before we were entertained
with songs from the theatre organ.
The next day we toured the Yaffe
Collection. Housed in an industrial
park, the collection was like nothing
I have seen – The ceiling was so “low”
that the crystal chandeliers hung from
the rafters to eye level. I was one of
the guests who had to be encouraged
to enter the building housing his
collection, as I found myself stopped
in my tracks with my mouth agape!
There were mechanical music items
everywhere, even on the catwalk. One
side of the building was filled with the
Decap Dance Organ and his beautifully
painted (and sounding) Mortier
Organ.
We were welcome and encouraged
to play any instrument we could.
Fortunately, our group knew enough
not to play too many instruments at
one time, otherwise the cacophony
would have been extreme. From time
to time they would announce that
40 MECHANICAL MUSIC January/February 2022
Photo by Robert ThomasPhoto by Robert Thomas
Photo by Robert ThomasPhoto by Robert Thomas
One of the chandeliers hanging at eye level in the Yaffe Mark Yaffe demonstrates one of the elaborate automata for
collection. visitors to marvel at.
one of the big orchestrions or organs
would be played, and we all stopped
to listen. Those instruments which
wouldn’t play or which we didn’t want
to touch, were played by Mark and his
assistants at our request. The music
boxes, player pianos, and automaton
were a delight to hear and a wonderful
sight to behold. Most of them had
come from Europe in container ships.
It is hard to imagine how this was
done without the instruments being
destroyed.
He had several interesting music
machines. One was what I found out
later was a station box. This item
would be in a train station and would
amuse travelers. The one he had was
of Chinese dancers turning and dancing
to the music. When I contacted
Mark about the details of this box,
convention in the early 1990s but don’t
know it’s history before that.”
One of the last days we were at the
convention we went to a workshop
about the poor characterization of
Organ Grinders, given by Ron Bopp.
We were easy targets – and I say “we”
as, not only did the paternal side of
my family make the organs, but my
maternal great grandparents rented
them from the Molinaris. This family
even had a monkey which they took
around with the organ. We were easy
targets as we were often playing in the
poorer sections of town and played
loud music, causing a stir where they
went, and we didn’t look like the other
white citizens of American cities. We
were poor immigrants who didn’t
have skills to support ourselves in
cities, having immigrated from farms,
Photo by Ed Cooley
William Edgerton cranked tunes on a
tabletop piano playing from cardboard
books to entertain his guests.
he said this, “The Black Forest
Swiss chalet station box was used to
entertain waiting people at the train
station for a small fee (coin dropped
in). The case was made in the Black
Forest. Although this case style is
relatively common its size is very rare.
To date it is the largest one known. It
is interchangeable (most only played
one fixed cylinder) with four cylinders.
I bought it at an MBSI annual
or who couldn’t get jobs as often there
were signs up in businesses “no Italian
need apply.” I was familiar with some
of these caricatures he showed, as we
were shown many of them as children.
However, as seen through the eyes
of my husband, I viewed them more
critically for the “Italian Bashing” as
we would now say, that they are.
This was a small but very enjoyable
convention during which time we
were able to check on our retirement
home in Lehigh Acres, FL, the next
town in from Ft. Myers. We met many
congenial people from the Southeast
Chapter who worked hard after the
pandemic to arrange this meeting. My
hat is off to them!
January/February 2022 MECHANICAL MUSIC 41
Nickel Notes
By Matthew Jaro
Thomas Pletcher, Q R S, and Bankruptcy
After reading the two-part article
by Art Reblitz on the Chicago Coin-
Operated Piano and Orchestrion Rolls
(AMICA Bulletin, Vol. 53, Nos. 1 and
2), I was reminded of an idea I have
had for a quite a while to write an
in-depth retrospective about Thomas
M. Pletcher. He was one of the most
important and enigmatic figures in
the automatic music business during
the first three decades of the 20th
century. He was a super-salesman, a
vice president of the Melville Clark
Piano Company, president of the Q R
S Music Company and vice president
of the Zenith Radio Company.
It is very difficult to get a handle
on Pletcher’s personality, since the
trade magazines wrote puff pieces
about frequent advertisers and were
reluctant to say anything disparaging.
Nevertheless, the number of articles
about the man is staggering. In the
Music Trade Review alone, there are
945 instances in 416 issues from 1901
to 1931.
Early Years
Thomas Marion Pletcher was born
Jan. 29, 1871, in Warsaw, IN, and he
died in 1950. He was the son of Eli and
Emma Pletcher. The first press notice
(“A Regina Hustler,” image at right)
was in the Music Trade Review on
Aug. 17, 1901.
His initials are misspelled, but it is
certainly our Pletcher. In 1901 he was
just 30 years old. In January 1904 he
resigned from the Regina Music Box
Company to join the Melville Clark
Piano Company. It earned a full-page
spread in the Music Trade Review. In
giving his reason, Pletcher said that
it was so easy to sell Reginas that “I
felt a change was necessary to avoid
a complete cessation of vital activity.”
He thought the Apollo player pianos
would be easy to sell, but noted
the average dealer was too slow to
realize the necessity of specializing
his player business. He goes on, “It is
not my intention to reflect in the least
upon the dealers’ good judgment, but
there are still a great many of them
who are not getting their share of
the profits from the player business,
presumably because of their own lack
42 MECHANICAL MUSIC January/February 2022
of confidence in the present possibilities
and substantial future of the
business.” He continues for an entire
page in this vein, talking about how
players must be displayed and demonstrated
by competent dealers, etc.
Notice how diplomatic and eloquent
he is.
In May 1904 he writes of his trip
to San Francisco, CA. He is called
“ambassador for the Melville Clark
Piano Company,” and this moniker
sticks for many years. He is constantly
traveling and there are articles for
each trip. Headlines of “T.M. Pletcher
leaves for …” and “T.M. Pletcher back
from …” are numerous.
In November 1905 the Music Trade
Review wrote: “Mr. Pletcher, the
energetic Apollo apostle, has taken
advantage of the present congested
condition of the Melville Clark factory
and has hied himself to the north
woods for a month’s search after
game, both large and small.” Imagine
taking so much time off for a single
vacation!
As if all of this wasn’t enough, he
was issued a patent in 1907 for an automatic
piano action, which consists of
a direct application of the pneumatic
to the piano hammer, dispensing with
the ordinary piano action. I guess this
meant that the pneumatics moved the
hammers without all of the ordinary
leverage points to accelerate the
velocity of the hammers. I wonder
what happened to the dampers.
Anyway, this patent was definitely not
a success (I’m glad he didn’t quit his
day job).
Pletcher could always be counted
on for witty remarks, like a December
1908 comment about standardization
of player piano rolls (image below).
Increasing Influence
In February 1914, Pletcher is
promoted to vice president (see
announcement “Thomas M. Pletcher
Honored” in image at right).
Since articles like this are generally
“puff pieces” it hard to find out what
his true personality was like, but clues
like the word “enthusiastic” seem to
indicate he was fun to be with and
radiated good cheer. A better clue
would be the statement of Miss Ursula
Dietrich, in the December 1975 AMICA
Bulletin. She was hired by Melville
Clark to hold comparison concerts
where her playing was compared to
the Apollo recordings. She said:
Anyone who had ever met Mr. Tom
Pletcher, the vice- president and sales
manager of this company which
manufactured the Apollo piano, could
not help but be impressed. He was a
person with a dynamic personality
and had the talent to win the confidence
and respect of anyone he met.
It is not often that one meets a person
who has the rare combination of
sagaciousness, knowledge, and wit
as did this very personable man. It
was said that in his early days he
sold patent medicine on the streets.
He certainly was a showman of no
mean prowess, and could probably
have sold toothpicks to a tiger. As an
executive of one of the largest piano
manufacturers, he was sought after as
a public speaker because of his ability
to fairly electrify an audience in the
sales business. His spirit infected
everyone who came in contact with
him and, for me, it was almost an
unbelievable advantage to become one
of his associates.
Ms. Dietrich would have no reason
to lie about Pletcher’s personality
since 1975 was many years after he
was dead.
There were all sorts of witty articles,
like the one from July 1914 titled “Lee
Roberts Loses” shown below.
Beginning in 1915, Pletcher speaks
on behalf of the Q R S Company in
addition to his duties as sales manager
and VP. In 1916, Pletcher was referred
to as Vice president of the Q R S
Music Roll Co. as well as VP and sales
manager of Melville Clark:
In December 1917, Tom Pletcher
got a whole page article in the Music
Trade Review entitled “Importance of
Music Roll Department (An Interview
January/February 2022 MECHANICAL MUSIC 43
with Thomas M. Pletcher, Vice president,
the Q R S Co.).”
Big Changes
1918 was a very important year.
In February 1918, Q R S rented space in
New York City to construct a new plant to
turn out rolls for the eastern trade. This is
in addition to the plant in DeKalb, IL.
In July 1918, Q R S bought the entire
Rolla Artis roll-cutting plant from
Wurlitzer. The transaction carried with
it an order for 2 million rolls from the
Wurlitzer Company. Pletcher did all of the
negotiating and announced the deal to the
trade press. The cost was estimated at
$100,000. All of the machinery would be
moved to the DeKalb plant of Q R S.
Then, Tom Pletcher bought a controlling
interest in the Melville Clark Piano
Company and the Q R S company. The Oct.
3, 1918, edition of Presto has a whole page
devoted to this (image at left). Considering
that the company did $2 million a year
in business and had $1.5 million in assets,
a controlling interest could not have been
cheap. So Mr. Pletcher really did well for
himself over the years. He must have been
some kind of sales genius.
Now things began to really happen fast.
The preceding article was dated Oct. 3,
1918, and by Nov. 5, 1918, Melville Clark is
dead. The Music Trade magazine said he
died after a lingering illness. It also said
that “Last month, Mr. Clark, on account of
failing health, disposed of the controlling
interest in the business to T.M. Pletcher,
who had been associated with him for
many years.” I guess he wanted to leave
a lot of cash to his widow, so he sold
out rather than give the business to his
brother, E.G. Clark, who was superintendent
of the Clark factory.
Thomas Pletcher became acting president
of the Melville Clark Piano Company
and Q R S. In December 1918 he is again
writing witty articles about retailing
music rolls, like this one in the Dec. 14,
1918, Music Trade Review:
Breathes there a man with soul so dead
Who never to himself hath said
“I’ll take a sack of peanuts,” when he
smells them hot roasting. The peanut man
knows how to tempt him. A good roll, too,
will appeal to a player owner if the dealer
will just find some way to sharpen up his
appetite each month.
44 MECHANICAL MUSIC January/February 2022
Pletcher Dumps the Piano
Business
1919 was a really busy year for
Pletcher. First, he gets elected president
(instead of acting president).
In August 1919, the Apollo Piano Co.
buys the Melville Clark Piano Co., a
recently organized concern to manufacture
and sell the Apollo player
pianos. They get the plant in DeKalb,
IL, intact. According to the Music
Trade Review:
Thos., M. Pletcher and his associates
retire from the Apollo business
and will devote themselves exclusively
to the expansion of the Q R S
Co., manufacturers of player rolls,
whose new plant is now under course
of construction in Chicago.
Presto states (quoting Pletcher):
We, from now on, will be manufacturers
of Q R S rolls exclusively. We
decided upon this move because we
realized the importance of having no
affiliations with any player manufacturing
business if we are able
to retain the position of serving all
dealers alike, without any prejudice
or partiality.
What was unstated in the press
releases was that Wurlitzer was
the force behind the Apollo Piano
Company (along with Amphion). This
is apparent from the directors and officers
of the Apollo Piano Company. At
any event, Pletcher has now thrown
everything into the roll business.
Maybe Pletcher thought that with the
death of inventor Melville Clark and
increased player competition, it would
be difficult to innovate and improve
the Apollo player. He also probably
thought that he really needed to be
independent of any manufacturer,
and he reasoned that Q R S was in a
good position to dominate the market,
which Apollo was not doing by 1919.
Q R S Moves Forward
On Jan. 20, 1920, the Clark Orchestra
Roll Company is formed. Ernest G.
Clark (brother of Melville) and Bayard
H. Clark (son of Ernest G. Clark)
resign from Q R S and become officers
of the new company. Were the Clarks
disenchanted by Pletcher dumping the
family piano business? In any event,
the Clarks took over the coin-operated
division of Q R S. This included
nickelodeon, orchestrion and organ
rolls. They took the equipment and
retained access to the Q R S masters.
Thomas Pletcher was left with a large
player piano roll business.
On Feb. 3, 1920, the name “Melville
Clark Piano Company” was changed
to the “Q R S Music Co.,” obliterating
any affiliation with pianos.
Q R S and the Federal Trade
Commission
For many years, Pletcher had been
writing articles about the need to
keep prices of player piano rolls high
and that his competition should do
likewise. Guess what happens! The
Federal Trade Commission cites Q R S
for unfair competition in August 1921.
According to the Music Trades:
This citation is upon an allegation
that the maintenance of resale prices
by a manufacturer, enforced by
refusal to sell for failure to maintain
such prices, is unfair competition;
and that the exclusive contracts used
by this company are violation of
section 3 of the Clayton Act.
Apparently, Q R S made retail dealers
sign exclusive contracts where
they could not sell any competitor’s
rolls and that the dealers would agree
not to sell rolls at prices lower than
those set by Q R S. Any dealer that
violated this, would not be supplied
with rolls to sell.
Of course, Pletcher had something
to say about this:
Apparently some jealous competitor
feels aggrieved at the polices
adopted by our company, policies
which are aimed to produce and
have produced equitable results to
the dealer, consumer and competitor
alike. … Jealousy, of course, is a
human agency beyond our control ….
If it be true that we are denied the
right to establish and maintain a
fixed retail price, then the Government
strikes at the very heart and
soul of business, for otherwise it
attempts to force the manufacturer to
sell to a habitual price-cutter, whose
sole object is to obtain publicity by
cutting the price of such articles as are
nationally advertised. It is such articles
only that he uses as his weapon
of destruction. So long as a business
fails to succeed he has no complaint.
The moment honest industry receives
its reward it becomes his target.
Are business policies to be fixed and
determined by such an individual?
The statement from Pletcher goes
on in this manner for a whole page.
The case was suspended, awaiting a
decision from the U.S. Supreme Court
on the Beech-Nut Packing Company
case. The FTC was upheld in that
case, paving the way for the Q R S
case to continue (1921 Annual Report
of the FTC). According to one legal
report, Q R S had over 50 percent of
the music roll business and thus could
be considered a monopoly.
In 1923, Pletcher announced that he
already spent $50,000 to $75,000 on
the case, and if it became necessary,
would carry it to the Supreme Court,
even if it cost every cent he had.
Pletcher said, in testimony to the
FTC, that in 1906, 500,000 rolls were
manufactured in the U.S. In 1922,
total production was from 10 to 12
million rolls, bringing a retail value
of approximately $10 million. In 1924,
Pletcher appealed the FTC decision to
the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals.
This case kept going until 1926,
when the FTC reported:
Q R S. Music Co. case Resale price
January/February 2022 MECHANICAL MUSIC 45
maintenance in the sale of music
rolls. In this case the commission
issued its order directing the Q R
S Music Co., of Chicago (a manufacturer
of music rolls for player
pianos having produced in excess of
6,000,000 rolls per annum), to cease
and desist from carrying into effect
a policy of fixing and maintaining
uniform prices at which the articles
manufactured by it shall be resold by
its distributors and dealers by– (1)
Entering into contracts, agreements,
and understandings with distributors
or dealers requiring or providing
for the maintenance of specified resale
prices on products manufactured by
respondent. (2) Attaching any condition,
express or implied, to purchases
made by distributors or dealers to the
effect that such distributors or dealers
shall maintain resale prices specified
by respondent. (3) Requesting dealers
to report competitors who do not
observe the resale price suggested by
respondent, or acting on reports so
obtained by refusing or threatening to
refuse sales to dealers so reported. (4)
Requesting or employing salesmen
or agents to assist in such policy by
reporting dealers who do not observe
the suggested resale price, or acting
on reports so obtained by refusing or
threatening to refuse sales to dealers
so reported. (5) Requiring from
dealers previously cut off promises
or assurances of the maintenance
of respondent’s resale prices as a
condition of reinstatement. (6)
Utilizing any other equivalent cooperative
means of accomplishing the
maintenance of uniform resale prices
fixed by the respondent. The order
also required respondent to cease and
desist from entering into contracts,
agreements, or understandings with
its dealers binding them not to deal in
the products of respondent’s competitors.
Respondent filed in the United
States Circuit Court of Appeals for
the Seventh Circuit its petition for
review. This was denied on April 9,
1926.
Pletcher and Company apparently
got away with their pricing and
contract policies for five years after
the FTC complaint, when there were
no further legal avenues open to them.
The Zenith Radio Adventure
Presto magazine reported on Apr.
15, 1922, that Q R S entered the radio
business. The headline was:
According to the Concise Encyclopedia
of American Radio:
As demand for the product
increased in 1922, [E.F.] McDonald
engaged his friend, Tom Pletcher,
a well-known figure in the music
industry and president of the Q R S
Music Company, to take over the sales
and manufacturing of CRL (Chicago
Radio Laboratories) receivers in
his large (and partially empty) new
factory. By July, production had
reached 15 sets per day.
McDonald did lose control of Zenith
briefly in 1928 when he incautiously
played the market with his Zenith
stock. While he was selling, Tom
Pletcher was quietly buying — 72
percent of the outstanding shares.
McDonald was saved only by buying
the stock option that R.H.G. Mathews
had received for his half of the CRL
partnership.
Pletcher and a fellow Q R S director
sold their stock in September 1928
and retired from Zenith entirely.
Redtop Radio Tubes
In addition to the radio market, Q
R S marketed “Redtop Tubes.” These
were very highly thought of in the
radio industry.
On a radio forum on the web, someone
requested a Q R S tube for an
antique radio. The following response
appeared:
Hi, I have a couple of the Q R S
85-mil rectifiers but they’re in the Q R
S display cabinet. The only loose ones
I see are Majestics (also made by Q
R S). However, they shouldn’t be that
Q R S Redtop Tubes that were highly-regarded products in the radio industry.
46 MECHANICAL MUSIC January/February 2022
rare. Q R S made a lot of them,
before losing a patent-infringement
suit to Raytheon.
Zenith also used Q R S tubes
for a time. Q R S actually
financed Zenith’s entry into
the big- time radio market
in1922, as well as providing
its network of music dealers
nationwide. The head of Q
R S, Thomas Pletcher, also
seems to have been a rare
bird, a genuinely nice person.
Naturally you won’t read
anything about this in the
official Zenith histories.
Q R S Records
Thomas Pletcher registered
a trademark for use
in phonograph records on Jan. 16,
1920 claiming use since Nov. 3, 1919.
Most of the early releases were from
Gennett masters and had the same
catalog numbers. The records were
produced for at least three years,
but production was sporadic, with
relatively few releases reported. (The
information in this section and the
image of the Q R S Record label is
used with permission from American
Record Labels and Companies, Allan
Sutton and Kurt Nauck).
It wasn’t until 1928, that Pletcher
resumed his venture into
phonograph records. Consider
the article shown at right from
The Music Trade Review, Oct.
20, 1928:
In this incarnation, Q R
S mainly supplied original
material and focused on
“race” records, which were
recordings intended for the
African-American community.
Sales were poor and the
records are rare today. Since
they featured great talents
like Clarence Williams and
Earl Hines, the records are
rare not just for the scarcity of
the label but for their artistic
merits. For example, Clarence
Williams or Earl Hines Q R S
records were listed in the 2001
price guide at a value of $250
and up. Of course, these are
worth much more today.
The October, 1925 edition of the Music Trade Review ran
the article above.
An interesting adjunct to
the record adventure, is Tom
Pletcher’s son, Stuart. “Stew”
was a trumpet player and
had his own orchestra. One
record was actually released
on Q R S records, as “Pletcher’s
Eli Prom Trotters.”
Eli was Thomas Pletcher’s
father’s name. The 2001 price
guide lists this record as
having a value of $75-$100.
Stew also recorded for Bluebird
records (a subsidiary of
Victor) and with Carl Webster
(on Okeh Records). He was
quite talented and very well
known. Stew’s son, Thomas,
was also a trumpeter of great
skill.
DeVry
Tom Pletcher had other adventures
in entertainment technology. He went
from music boxes to player pianos to
music rolls to phonograph records
to radio and finally to cameras and
projectors. These he sold under the
brand name Q R S. He realized that the
brand paled in comparison to DeVry’s
and in early 1929, Pletcher bought
out Herman DeVry for $1.5 million.
According to the immigrantentrepreneurship.
org web site:
DeVry remained as vice
president of the Q R S-DeVry
Corporation, and reinvested
his profits in the company.
Unfortunately, too much attention
to product and not enough
to promotion and distribution,
plus inattention to the changing
economic climate, made
the company vulnerable, and
it collapsed in the wake of the
stock crash of 1929. Pletcher
was finished as a force in the
industry and Herman DeVry
himself was nearly wiped out.
The company was put up for
auction, but DeVry was able to
scrape together enough cash to
reclaim it. Some of that money,
according to granddaughter
Diane DeVry, came from the
sale of family jewelry.
January/February 2022 MECHANICAL MUSIC 47
There are many other milestones
during the Pletcher years:
1925: Lee S. Roberts, who was vice
president and a great composer and
performer, resigns from Q R S; Q R S
buys the Angelus roll catalog.
1926: Q R S buys the U.S. Music
Company.
1929: Q R S–DeVry sells the
company’s neon tube plant (another
adventure).
The End of the Pletcher Era
An August 1931 issue of the Music
Trade Review reports the sale of
the Q R S-DeVry Company to Max
Kortlander:
There exists a copy of a letter
written by Pletcher to Max Kortlander
where the music roll division of Q
R S–DeVry was sold for $5,000 cash
upon signing the contract, $5,000 at
the rate of $500 per month, raw material
as used, rolls in stock as used
at 14 cents per roll. This included
all the machinery and equipment
used in recording, manufacturing
and selling of player rolls. All trademarks
and names are included. This
multi-million-dollar company was
now sold for $10,000.
In March 1933, the Q R S–DeVry
Corporation declares bankruptcy
(March 1933 Piano Trade Magazine).
According to this article, Tom
Pletcher had assets of about $4 million
before the stock market crash. During
the crash, Pletcher tried to support the
Q R S stock and he helped friends by
protecting their margin accounts. As
of this article Pletcher was managing
a Chicago business which manufactures
a germ destroying preparation.
The article says:
When he became a multimillionaire
Tom Pletcher’s habits did not
greatly change. He bought no yachts
and he did not move onto the Gold
Coast. He was still the democratic,
effervescent Tom that the music trade
knew as a salesman for Apollo players.
He continued to work hard, his
recreational activities being confined
principally to hunting and golf.
Wealth, however, gave Mr. Pletcher an
opportunity to indulge his naturally
generous instincts.
Believing he had more money than
he could possibly spend he was lavish
with his loans to friends and gifts
to relatives. It is said that there is
sufficient money due Tom Pletcher on
personal unsecured loans to keep him
in comfort the balance of his life – If
he could collect. On one occasion he
voluntarily gave a check for $25,000
to a friend who alleged such a sum
would extricate him from an embarrassing
personal difficulty.
The article goes on to say how
Pletcher was such a super-salesman
that he turned the mechanically
unsound downward touch of the old
Apollo players into an advantage. He
also did this with the spring-driven roll
frame motors.
In the 1930s and 1940s Thomas
M. Pletcher lived at the Lake Shore
Athletic Club. He married Agnes
Mullen in Marion, IN, on Dec. 16, 1900.
Thomas died in 1950. His son, Stuart
was born on Feb. 21, 1907, and died
Nov. 29, 1978, in Montague, MI. Stuart’s
son, Thomas, lives in Auburndale, FL.
The author would like to acknowledge
the contributions of Bob
Berkman, Art Reblitz, and Charles
“Rusty” King for their information
about this interesting topic.
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 2016 issue of The AMICA Bulletin.
48 MECHANICAL MUSIC January/February 2022
National Capital Chapter
Chapter Chair: Matt Jaro
Reporters: Nancy and Bob Goldsmith
Photographers: Nancy and Bob Goldsmith,
Robert Barnett, Knowles and
Ginny Little and Paul Senger
Oct. 24, 2021 — Gaithersburg, MD
Welcome back! After an absence of
almost two years, the National Capital
Chapter (NCC) held its first in-person
meeting and collection tour at the
home of Matt and Beni Jaro. It was a
lovely, bright sunny day for members
near and far to travel to Maryland to
enjoy good friends, good food and
good music. There were 22 members,
including one new member, and one
guest. The event started with the noontime
box lunches pre-ordered from
Panera. Members supplied the snacks,
beverages and delicious sweets.
After lunch, Matt held the business
meeting reporting all the good stuff
over the past year! Matt led the
updates with the news from the MBSI
annual meeting in Florida which
about 100 people attended and NO
COVID was reported among the
guests. On Sept. 18, NCC participated
in the Old Bowie Celebrates Festival
with nine members attending. Our
very own talented Glenn Thomas was
recognized for his weekly show on
MechanicalMusicRadio.com. It can be
heard Monday through Thursday from
6–7 p.m. and Friday and Saturday
from 7–9 p.m. Matt was presented a
Seeburg Style K “Midget Orchestrion”
catalog picture plaque to display on
his Seeburg K.
Matt chaired the nominating
committee for the election of chapter
officers for the next two years, The
recommendations of the committee
were as follows:
• Chair: Ken Gordon
• Vice Chair: Vacant
• Treasurer: Florie Hirsch
• Co-secretaries: Donna and Gene
Borrelli
Ken Gordon, Rory Lehman, Ryan Lehman, Robert Barnett, Richard Simpson, and
Paul Senger listen to Seeburg H. A Seeburg G is in the background.
Jack Hardman checks one of the desserts
supplied by members
Dick Maio and Rory Lehman and the
Western Electric Mascot C.
Ken Gordon, our nominee for new
Chapter Chair Joe Orens enjoying his boxed lunch.
The balloting will be by mail/email.
The collection tour began highlighting
the finely tuned instruments
that Matt listens to everyday. We
were entertained with music on a
Western Electric Mascot C piano, a
Nelson-Wiggen 4x, and several Seeburg
nickelodeons and orchestrions.
Matt has been busy modernizing his
collection. He upgraded his Seeburg
H orchestrion to play MIDI while
still keeping the paper roll-playing
capability. He and Glenn Thomas
commissioned the arranging of scores
of tunes not usually associated with
mechanical music, some old (“Toccata
and Fugue in D minor” by Bach) and
some newer (’50s and ’60s music).
Matt converted many of his and
other people’s existing paper rolls to
MIDI by having the rolls scanned by
Jack Breen. He also converted many
rolls from other machines to play on
his Seeburg H.
A crowd pleaser was the two large
pneumatic gauges attached to the
1926 Chickering AMPICO reproducing
piano. One gauge showed the volume
of the high notes while the other
showed the volume of the low notes.
In conclusion, we donned ear plugs
for the very powerful Wurlitzer 153
Band Organ.
We are looking forward to the next
in-person holiday party at Dick and
Cheryl Hack’s home on Dec. 5.
Matt and his Seeburg K with xylophone. Dick Maio, Richard
Simpson, and Glenn Thomas on right. New member Jessica Holden (center) attends her first chapter
meeting, with Glenn Thomas to her left and Carol Durand to
her right. All are enjoying the Chickering AMPICO.
Knowles Little, Bob Goldsmith and Joe Orens playing it safe.
Paul Senger presents a historic Seeburg K catalog plaque to
Matt Jaro.
Matt Jaro gives a report on the 2021 Annual Meeting and
shows the table favor. Glenn Thomas is on the left.
Matt demonstrates the 1926 Chickering AMPICO reproducing
piano. Rory Lehman, Richard Simpson, Richard Barnett, and
Dick Hack look on.
50 MECHANICAL MUSIC January/February 2022
In Memoriam In Memoriam
Marilyn Dauphinee, 1934—2021
By Peter Dauphinee
My mother, Marilyn E. Dauphinee,
87, of Dennisport, MA, peacefully
passed away Oct. 15, 2021, in her home
surrounded by her family following a
brief battle with ALS.
She is survived by a brother, Thomas
Sedgwick and his wife, Rosalind; three
children, Doug, Peter and Karin; five
grandchildren and one great grandson.
Marilyn was predeceased by her
parents, Wendell Sedgwick and Ruby
Hendsbee; her husband, Raymond,
father of their five children; and two
sons, Paul R. Dauphinee and David J.
Dauphinee.
Born in Boston, MA, Marilyn grew
up in Dedham, MA, and went to
the Massachusetts College of Art &
Design. She met the love of her life,
Ray Dauphinee, in high school, and
they were married for 63 years until
his passing. They moved to Acton,
MA, where Ray opened a Rexall Drug
Store.
Marilyn enjoyed music, starting with
her player pianos and singing with
family, friends and church members.
We would play and sing songs including
“Indian Reservation,” by the Raiders,
“Jean,” by Oliver, to Scott Joplin. On
Sundays, my parents fulfilled their
love for God as committed members
of the Nazarene Church where Mom
enjoyed listening to sermons as well
as singing and praying.
In the 1980s, Marilyn and Ray moved
to the Cape where they managed a set
of cottages for many years. With their
music interest, they collected music
boxes and joined MBSI and AMICA
in the 1970s. Their main passion was
going to yard sales, auctions, estate
sales and flea markets, and she loved
finding music boxes in her travels.
Every chance they had, they enjoyed
trips to MBSI meetings. Marilyn especially
loved visiting members’ homes
to see their incredible collections,
which always left them amazed. They
were always impressed by how kind
and welcoming all of the members
were to them.
My brother, Doug, and I accompanied
our mother to Maryland for her
last MBSI annual meeting. It was so
wonderful to see her enjoying herself,
and I could then understand her love
of music boxes in a new light. Many
thanks to all of the members for their
kindness.
In Memory of a Great Friend
By Frank Nix
with help from Mark Mercer
Herbert Mercer was born Jun. 29,
1932, in New York City and passed
away Aug. 15, 2021, at home with
family in Westlake Village, CA.
His mother was born in Russia and
his father in Poland. They had four
children together, two sons and two
daughters.
Herb was raised on the lower east
side of Manhattan in an emigrant area
of tenements.
During high school, Herb worked
the night shift in an arcade at Coney
Island where he developed a passion
for all types of coin-op machines
including automatic music.
After high school he served in the
Army on the battlefields of Korea.
After his discharge from military
service, he lived with his brother in
Michigan while attending Michigan
State, earning a Bachelor of Science
in Chemistry. He continued his education
in chemistry at Arizona State,
then used the GI Bill to achieve a PhD
in Pharmacology at the University of
Southern California.
He married Rochelle on Jun. 23,
1957, and was blessed with a son,
Mark, and a daughter, Ellen.
His management skills were put
to use at the pharmacies of Oxnard
Community Hospital and Oxnard
Medical Center, where he operated
Herb’s Pharmacy from 1970 to 1979,
receiving awards for community
service. He was extremely knowledgeable
and people liked him.
He also managed the pharmacy in
Port Hueneme, CA, in 1972 and the
pharmacy in Carson City, NV, attached
to a 200-bed hospital. Incredibly, he
also ran the pharmacy for eight years
at the Camarillo State Hospital until
its closure.
January/February 2022 MECHANICAL MUSIC 51
During this time he opened up the the convention marts and had a strict was a character, but in the best way,
Juke Box Trading Post on Thousand limit, bringing over a couple of music with a lot of fun jokes and stories. He
Oaks Boulevard in Thousand Oaks, boxes to get my opinion and then loved his family, many friends, dogs,
CA. seeing if he could buy one at his price. blueberry cupcakes and ice cream.
He joined the Carousel Organ Asso-Before we became friends, at one He is survived by Rochelle, his son
ciation of America, MBSI, AMICA, and of the conventions Shirley and I and daughter, two grandchildren and
a coin-op group and started collecting were sitting across the room in the two great grandchildren.
trade stimulators, merry-go-round restaurant from Herb, Rochelle, Lloyd He will be missed by all who knew
horses, music boxes, monkey organs, and Brook. They were laughing and him.
penny gumball machines and more. having a good time, and I decided I So long good buddy. Someday we
He would always buy something at had to meet that guy. You might say he may meet again.
MBSI has also learned of the passing of members Joe Berman, Donald Huene and Edward Buchanan. Our sincerest condolences
are extended to their families and friends.
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.
Go online to place your advertisement at www.mbsi.org,
fill out the form in the Mart section, or contact Russell
Kasselman at (253) 228-1634 to get started. You may also
email advertisements to editor@mbsi.org
52 MECHANICAL MUSIC January/February 2022
Missed the Annual Meeting?
Don’t miss your chance
to grab a table favor
Table favors from MBSI’s
71st annual meeting,
held in Fort Myers, FL,
are now available for purchase.
In keeping with the theme
“Young at Heart” these playful
carousels are reminiscent of younger times.
As the horses revolve, the song of the Sunshine State,
“You are my Sunshine,” plays.
Favors are $25 each,
or 2 for $45, plus shipping.
$10 for East Coast,
$15 West Coast,
$12 in between.
Instructions for winding,
placing the ag and
the label are in the
mailing box.
Send your check, made payable to “Southeast MBSI”
and the number of favors desired to Wayne and Mary
Ellen Myers, 2165 Blue Iris Place, Longwood, FL 32779.
Call (407) 739-5086 or (407) 630-1360 for more info.
I Left My Heart in SanFran -cis-co
Aug. 31 – Sept. 5, 2022 I Left My Heart in SanFran -cis-co
Aug. 31 – Sept. 5, 2022
58th Annual Meeting of the
Automatic Musical Instrument Collectors Association
& 72nd Annual Meeting of the Musical Box Society International
Hosted by the AMICA Founding Chapter
and the MBSI Golden Gate Chapter
San Mateo Marriott, near
the San Franciso Airport
in San Mateo, California
Ride the train through the redwoods to the top of the mountain
Return for lunch and then take the train
to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and the 1911 Looff Carousel
Quality 3-Day Music Machine Auction Quality 3-Day Music Machine Auction
To be held in the Barry Expo Center, 1350 N. M-37 Highway, Hastings, Michigan on:
Thursday, Friday & Saturday, January 6, 7, and 8, 2022Thursday’s sale begins at 1:00 P.M. – Friday & Saturday start at 9:00 A.M. each day
This will be an excellent auction with a fantastic representation of rare and
desirable phonographs, music boxes, clocks and more. Included in the
auction is Ron Sitko Estate Collection of phonographs with a Rare Berliner
“Tin Can” Ratchet Wind example, Berliner JS, 2 Edison Bijou Coin-operated
phonographs, Bettini reproducers, cabinets, and more. We have also
received the collections from the Chris Janko Estate and the Koontz Estate
both from Northern California and the Lelland Fletcher Estate collection
from San Diego. These collections contain disc and cylinder music boxes,
clocks, and wood horn phonographs. From the eastern and southern part
of the United States we have Rare Phonographs and Music Boxes including
a rare Edison Ajax (originally from the Aaron Cramer Estate Collection),
Rosenfield ISM coin operated machine restored by George Paul, Edison
Class M, Edison School with original stand, a glass top Herzog cabinet
with Edison Home, Idealia, Rare round Herzog & unique cylinder record
cabinets, a Edison Gold plated Triumph with cygnet horn, an excellent
Tin foil Exhibition by Sigmund Bergmann that was reproduced by Ray
Phillips of California in 1957. He made only 5 of these machines at that
time, Operas, wooden horn Victors, Victor Schoolhouse, 1,000s of cylinder
records, a great group of Berliner and other 7” discs, Berliner disc record
cases (2), Edison Diamond Discs including 52000 series, and so much more.
Stanton’s Auctioneers, Steven E. StantonAppraisers, & Realtors (517) 331-8150 cellular144 S. Main, P.O. Box 146 ’E-mail – stevenEstanton@gmail.comVermontville, MI 49096 SAUCTIONEERS & REALTORS TANTONSPhone: (517) 726-0181 Michael C. Bleisch
Fax: (517) 726-0060 (517) 231-0868 cellularE-mail: stantonsauctions@sbcglobal.net E-mail – mcbleisch@gmail.comWebsite: www.stantons-auctions.com
We are currently accepting individual machines and collections of phonographs, music boxes, nickelodeons, and band organs, as well as
high end antiques and coin operated items. Call us to discuss your items, collections, and the estates that you may be representing. We also continue
to work with museums around North America in the deaccession of items and our efforts to find interested buyers for the items through our catalogs,
online promotion, mailers, and phone bidding. Stanton’s can arrange pickup of your collections anywhere around the country.
(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
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.
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.
************************************************************************************************************************
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
58 MECHANICAL MUSIC January/February 2022
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.comCall / Text: 256-702-7453
Email: four.four_time@yahoo.com
Purchasing single pieces or entire collections.
“I am still
delighted with
the machines
I bought from
you. Your prices
were fair, everything
was just as you
described it.”
– Joe… Baraboo, WI, April 2020
Browse our selection of music boxes,
music box disc, phonographs, cylinder
records and more on: 4-4time.com
4-4time.com
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.comCall / Text: 256-702-7453
Email: four.four_time@yahoo.com
Purchasing single pieces or entire collections.
“I am still
delighted with
the machines
I bought from
you. Your prices
were fair, everything
was just as you
described it.”
– Joe… Baraboo, WI, April 2020
Browse our selection of music boxes,
music box disc, phonographs, cylinder
records and more on: 4-4time.com
4-4time.com
January/February 2022 MECHANICAL MUSIC 59
This first class tour will be conducted at a slow pace to give you time to enjoy every day of the 14-day program.
The tour will include outstanding collections and the following highlights:
The tour will start in Zurich, Switzerland. We will visit the famous Rhine Falls, and the Raffin
Organ Factory in Ueberlingen, take a cruise on Lake Constance and visit the beautiful Island
of Mainau. The tour continues to the Museum of Music Automatons in Seewen and onto
Waldkirch, Germany. The highlight will be the 13th International Waldkircher Orgelfest for
3 days with visits of the Jäger & Brommer Organ Factory, and the Elztal Museum. We will
also explore Triberg, and the Schwarzwald Museum. Our next destination is the city of
Speyer, where we will explore the Wilhelmsbau, the Technic Museum, and the German
Museum of Mechanical Musical Instruments. We continue to Ruedesheim, visit Siegfried’s
Mechanical Music Cabinet and take a scenic Rhine River Cruise. Our next destination is
Cologne, where we will enjoy a concert in the famous Cologne Cathedral. We bid farewell
to Germany and depart for the Netherlands, where we will stop at the Museum Dansant Hilvarenbeek and at the Netherlands Open
Air Museum in Arnhem. We continue to the historic city of Utrecht to visit the Stadskasteel Oudaen, and have a tour of the Museum
Speelklok. We continue to Haarlem, where we will visit the Barrel Organ Museum. The tour will end in Amsterdam.
First class hotels and deluxe bus transportation throughout the tour are guaranteed.
A tour escort with 35 years of worldwide travel experience will make sure you can enjoy an unforgettable tour.
For further information please contact:
Narrow Gauge Paradise – John Rogers -Musical Instrument Tours Dept.
P.O.Box 130807, Tampa, Florida 33681-0807
Tel: (001) 813 831 0357, Email: NGPAmerica@aol.com, Web: www.lgbtours.com
Let’s keep the music playing
Have you solved a problem while repairing,
restoring or maintaining a mechanical music box?
Cylinder boxes, disc boxes, band organs,
orchestrions and nickelodeons each have
their own special needs.
Share your restoration or maintenance tips with other
mechanical music enthusiasts.
Email editor@mbsi.org, call (253) 228-1634
or mail to:
Mechanical Music
130 Coral Court
Pismo Beach, CA 93449
Advertise in The Mart Email your ad to editor@mbsi.org or call (253) 228-1634 to place your
ad for the March/April 2022 issue.
Have some spare parts or extra rolls taking up the space where you
should be installing your next acquisition? Get the word out to other Add a photo to your ad!
collectors by advertising in The Mart, an effective advertising tool at
an inexpensive price. Photos are only $30 extra per issue.
Email editor@mbsi.org or call (253) 228-1634 for more details.
60 MECHANICAL MUSIC January/February 2022
FOR SALE
MARVELS OF MECHANICAL MUSIC -MBSI
THE MART
Video. Fascinating and beautifully-made
RESTORED MUSICAL BOXES Offering a film which explains the origins of automatic
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.
variety of antique musical boxes, discs,
orphan cylinders, reproducing piano rolls &
out of print books about mechanical music.
BILL WINEBURGH 973-927-0484 Web:
antiquemusicbox.us
THE GOLDEN AGE of AUTOMATIC MUSICAL
INSTRUMENTS By ART REBLITZ.
Award-winning classic that brings historical,
musical, and technical information to life
with hundreds of large, vivid color photos.
We guarantee 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
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
WURLITZER 153 with lights in good playing
condition for Broome County Historical
Society. Contact DENNIS, at dcamarda@stny.
rr.com or (607) 778-9085
REPRODUCO PIANO/ORGAN and rolls.
Contact DONALD KRONLEIN at fbac@
one-eleven.net or (217) 620-8650.
SUBMIT ADS TO:
MBSI Ads
130 Coral Court
Pismo Beach, CA 93449
(253) 228-1634
Email: editor@mbsi.org
62 MECHANICAL MUSIC January/February 2022
WANTED SERVICES WANTED SERVICES
Display Advertisers
TUNE CHANGING CAM for 27-inch Regina.
Contact MICHAEL DREYER at phonoman1@
gmail.com or (415) 577-0328.
SERVICES
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
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) 2281634
with questions.
3………. Renaissance Antiques
52…….. Music Box Restorations
52…….. Miller Organ Clock
53…….. Miller & Miller Auctions
54…….. Southeast Chapter
55…….. Golden Gate Chapter
56…….. Stanton Auctions
57…….. Porter Music Box Company
58…….. MBSGB
58…….. American Treasure Tour
59…….. Reeder Pianos
59…….. Cottone Auctions
59…….. Ben’s Player Piano Service
59…….. 4-4Time.com
60…….. Musical Instrument Tours
61…….. Nancy Fratti Music Boxes
67…….. Marty Persky Music Boxes
68…….. Morphy Auctions
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.
A photo makes your ad stand out
on the page and quickly draws a
reader’s interest in the item.
Email your advertisement with
photo to editor@mbsi.org or call
(253) 228-1634 for more details.
Name
Phone
Email
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)
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 2022 MECHANICAL MUSIC 63
OFFICERS, TRUSTEES & COMMITTEES of the
MUSICAL BOX SOCIETY INTERNATIONAL®
OFFICERS COMMITTEES Membership Committee Nominating Committee
Chair, TBD Dan Wilson, Chair
President Audit
David Corkrum, President Tom Kuehn, Immediate Past Pres.
David Corkrum Edward Cooley, Chair, Trustee
Richard Dutton, Trustee Bob Caletti, Golden Gate, Trustee
5826 Roberts Avenue Dave Calendine, Trustee
Mary Ellen Myers, Trustee, Mary Ellen Myers, Trustee,
Oakland, CA 94605 Matt Jaro, Vice President
Southeast Southeast
musikwerke@att.net
Endowment Committee Robin Biggins, Southern California Jonathan Hoyt, Golden Gate
Edward Kozak, Treasurer, Chair Judy Caletti, Golden Gate Robin Biggins, Southern California
Vice President Edward Cooley, Trustee Gary Goldsmith, Snowbelt Aaron Muller, Lake Michigan
Matthew Jaro Dave Calendine, Trustee Julie Morlock, Southeast
Publications Committee
24219 Clematis Dr B Bronson Rob Pollock, Mid-America
Bob Caletti, Chair, Trustee
Gaithersburg, MD 20882 Wayne Wolf Florie Hirsch, National Capital
Richard Dutton, Trustee
mjaro@verizon.net Dan Wilson, Piedmont
Executive Committee Steve Boehck
Gerald Yorioka, Northwest Int’l
David Corkrum, Chair, President Christian Eric
Recording Secretary TBD, East Coast
Matthew Jaro, Vice President Kathleen Eric
Linda Birkitt TBD, Lake Michigan
Tom Kuehn, Immediate Past Pres.
PO Box 541 TBD, Sunbelt Publications
Dave Calendine, Trustee
Sub-Committee
San Juan Capistrano, CA 92693
Bob Caletti, Trustee Museum Committee
Website Committee
scarletpimpernel28@yahoo.com Sally Craig, Chair
Finance Committee Rick Swaney, Chair
Matt Jaro, Vice President
Treasurer Edward Kozak, Chair, Treasurer B Bronson
Glenn Crater, National Capital
Edward Kozak Wayne Wolf, Vice Chair Don Henry
Ken Envall, Southern California
3615 North Campbell Avenue Edward Cooley, Trustee Knowles Little, Web Secretary
Julian Grace, Sunbelt
Chicago, IL 60618 Peter Both
Richard Simpson, East Coast Special Exhibits Committee
ekozak1970@gmail.com
Marketing Committee Chair Mary Ellen Myers, Trustee,
Museum Sub-Committees
Bob Smith, Chair Southeast
Ohio Operations
Dave Calendine, Trustee David Corkrum, President,
Rob Pollock, Mid-America
TRUSTEES Judy Caletti Golden Gate
Dave Calendine Donald Caine, Southern California
Meetings Committee
Bob Caletti SPECIAL ACTIVITIES Jack Hostetler, Southeast
Matt Jaro, Chair, Vice President
Edward Cooley Knowles Little, National Capital
Judy Caletti Publications Back Issues:
David Corkrum Judy Miller, Piedmont
Tom Chase Jacque Beeman
Richard Dutton Aaron Muller, Lake Michigan
Cotton Morlock
G.Wayne Finger Regina Certificates: Wayne Myers, Southeast
Rich Poppe
Matt Jaro B Bronson Rick Swaney, Northwest Int’l
Tom Kuehn
MBSI Pins and Seals: MBSI Editorial Office:
Mary Ellen Myers Jacque Beeman Iron Dog Media
130 Coral Court
Librarian:
Pismo Beach, CA 93449
Jerry Maler
editor@mbsi.org
Historian:
Bob Yates
MBSI FUNDS
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 2022
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Date Event Location Sponsor
Mar. 18, 2022 Mid-Year Trustees Meeting Virtual David Corkrum
Aug. 31-Sept. 5, 2022 Joint MBSI / AMICA Annual Meeting San Mateo, CA Golden Gate Chapter/
AMICA Founding Chapter
When will your chapter meet next? Holding a “virtual meeting?” Let us know!
Send in your information by Feb. 1, 2022, for the March/April 2022 issue.
Don’t hold your questions until the next chapter meeting.
Ask them today on our Facebook discussion group – the Music Box Society Forum.
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
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
CHAPTERS
East Coast
Chair: Elise Low
(203) 457-9888
Dues $5 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: Naoki Shibata
81-72986-1169
naotabibito396amb@salsa.ocn.ne.jp
Treasurer: Makiko Watanabe
makikomakiko62@yahoo.co.jp
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: Ken Gordon
(301) 469-9240
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
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 2022 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 2022 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
7
Mechanical Music at its Best -Visit www.Mechmusic.com
Instrument Brokering & Locating / Appraisals / Inspections / Free Consultation
Welte 4 Concert Violina Orchestra Wurlitzer CX with Bells Hupfeld Helios II/25 Welte Brisgovia C Luxus
Weber Unika Weber Maesto Weber Otero Seeburg KT Special Bowfront Violano
Offerings from the Jerry Cohen Collection
42’er Violinopan 20’er Automaton
Regina 35 w Clock Nelson Wiggen Style 8 Symphonion 25st
Mermod Orchestra Musical Chalet Nodding Cat Nicole 4 Air Fat Cyl. Musical Chairs
Call Marty Persky 847-675-6144 or email: Marty@Mechmusic.com
for further information on these and other fine instruments.
Coming to America in September – the fabulous
HENRI KRIJNEN
COLLECTION
MARK YOUR CALENDARS NOW TO PARTICIPATE
IN THIS ONCE IN A LIFETIME EVENT.
Mechanical Music, Gambling and Fairground
Instruments from the Netherlands. Over 20
Orchestrions, 50 Music Boxes, 2 Full Carousels,
Automata, Slot Machines and Saloon.
Coming to America in September – the fabulous
HENRI KRIJNEN
COLLECTION
MARK YOUR CALENDARS NOW TO PARTICIPATE
IN THIS ONCE IN A LIFETIME EVENT.
2000 N. READING ROAD | DENVER, PA 17517 | 877-968-8880 | INFO@MORPHYAUCTIONS.COM
MORPHYAUCTIONS.COMMechanical Music, Gambling and Fairground
Instruments from the Netherlands. Over 20
Orchestrions, 50 Music Boxes, 2 Full Carousels,
Automata, Slot Machines and Saloon.