Volume 69, No. 4 July/August 2023
Devoted to All Automatic Musical Instruments
Journal of the Musical Box Society International
Volume 69, No. 4 July/August 2023
5 PresidentÕs Message
7 EditorÕs Notes
35 In Memoriam
MBSI News
On the Cover
Linda and Sanford Friedenthal share their story of finding mechanical music together. This photo is of a keywind cylinder box with two teeth per comb, produced somewhere between 1815 and 1820. Page 31
Mechanical 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, Muse.ums, and Dealers.
The only requirements for membership are an interest in automatic music machines and the desire to share infor.mation about them. And youÕll 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) 576-4280, or
Email: jbeeman.mbsi@att.net
By David Corkrum
MBSI President
It is almost time for our annual meeting. Like many of you, I am looking forward to this meeting. It has been almost 10 years since I have been to the Minneapolis/St. Paul area and as in the past it will be a lot of fun. If you are coming early or staying after the meeting, then you probably know that there is a lot to see and do in the area. I know that you will enjoy yourselves in the land of Ten Thousand Lakes.
As you probably read in my last message, our society is facing many challenges and the trustees are work.ing very hard to solve some of the problems associated with them. One area where we face some problems is in the appointment of committee chairs. Although I encourage current committee chairs to find their own replacements, sometimes that duty falls on the president. Currently, the society has no membership chair. Fortunately for the society, Judy Caletti stepped forward and is doing a great job as our nominating committee chair. The nominating committee is a very important part of the society. These are the people who find members willing to take on the position of trustee.
We are very fortunate that Trustee Rich Poppe has agreed to stay on as trustee. Last year, he was appointed to the position to replace G. Wayne Finger, who retired early. But, we also have another new trustee to elect. Rick Swaney has agreed to take on the position of trustee. He will be replacing Tom Kuehn who has finished his 10-year term. Most trustees serve only eight years, but the end of TomÕs presidency occurred at the end of that eight-year term, and he had two more years to serve as imme.diate past president. Thank you, Tom. It was great to follow in your footsteps, but those shoes were definitely hard to fill.
Our vice president, Matt Jaro, had a tough time finding someone to replace him, but our publications chair, Bob Caletti, stepped up and will become our next vice president. Treasurer Ed Kozak and Recording Secre.tary Linda Birkitt have agreed to serve another year. Once again, we will have the full compli.ment of officers and trustees.
I would like to thank Sally Craig and Bob Caletti for volunteering to continue in their present positions as committee chairs. They both work very hard to keep our society healthy and I cannot thank them enough for all their hard work! I cannot, however, leave out all the other members who comprise our committees. Each has a particular job to perform, and they all do it very well. Mere words do not express the gratitude I have for all of them. Thank you!
This is all that I have for you in this issue. The picture is of me with my Raffin 31/84 street organ. It has trav.eled to several venues to entertain the public. It is a lot of fun to crank out some lively music although it can be tough on my right arm, especially if it is a long tune!
Mechanical Music
36 National Capital
40 National Capital
44 Golden Gate
46 Southern California
50 Lake Michigan
Outreach effort
Alvin Zamba shares the joy of mechanical music with his commu.nity. Page 35
MECHANICAL MUSIC
Journal of the Musical Box Society International
Devoted to All Automatic Musical Instruments
Editor/Publisher
Russell Kasselman
(253) 228-1634
editor@mbsi.org
MBSI Editorial Office:
Iron Dog Media
130 Coral Court
Pismo Beach, CA 93449
editor@mbsi.org
Publications Chair
Bob Caletti
All manuscripts will be subject to editorial review. Articles submitted for publication may be edited or rejected at the discretion of the Publications Committee and the Editorial Staff. The article will not be published with significant changes without the authorÕs approval. All articles are considered to be the authorÕs personal opinion. The author may be asked to substantiate his/her statements.
Mechanical Music (ISSN 1045-795X) is published by the Musical Box Society International, 130 Coral Court, Pismo Beach, CA 93449 six times per year. A Direc.tory 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 2023. The Musical Box Society Inter.national, 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
Features
8 Nickel Notes
15 The Pietschmann firm of Berlin (Part II)
31 The Hunt
35 A collections outreach presentation
Chapter Reports
MBSI has replanted 230 trees so far as part of the Print ReLeaf program.
MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
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)
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
Membership Dues
US members (per household)………………………………………..$70
Student Membership $30
(online journal access only)
Canada………………………………………………………………………….$80
Other International……………………………………………………….$85
(Add $20 for International air mail.)
Join online: www.mbsi.org/join-mbsi
Welcome new members!
April 2023
Michael & Nancy Walizer
The Villages, FL
James Dutton
Saint Augustine, FL
Kent Johnson
Fallbrook, CA
Sponsor: Don Caine
Tim Romano Tim
Madison, WI
Dennis Mathes
Jacksonville, IL
May 2023
Jason Beyer
Winona, MN
Larry Reece
Minnetonka, MN
Craig Robson & Grazyna Tuszynski
Darling Point 2027, Australia
Graham Smyth
Poughkeepsie, NY
Mary Wolf
Newport, CA
Edward Tuten
Memphis, TN
Barbra Porter
Woodland Hills, CA
Sponsor: Robin Biggins
EditorÕs Notes
MAILING ADDRESS
MBSI Editorial / Advertising
130 Coral Court
Pismo Beach, CA 93449
EMAIL ADDRESS
editor@mbsi.org
PHONE
(253) 228-1634
By Russell Kasselman
MBSI Editor/Publisher
I hope you all will be as happy as I am to see the number of chapter reports in this issue. Smiling faces enjoying mechanical music at in-per.son gatherings is so wonderful after the bleak years of the pandemic. If you have yet to attend a local chapter meeting, please get out and visit with your fellow mechanical music enthusiasts. I have a feeling it will lift your spirits to hear the music, see the machines and talk with fellow friendly society members.
For those without a local chapter, perhaps you might take a moment with the most recent Directory of Members, Museums and Dealers or use the online membership directory to see how many folks are within reasonable driving distance from you and start a chapter of your own.
Speaking of getting together, donÕt forget to turn in your registration for this yearÕs annual meeting, hosted by the Snowbelt Chapter. Hospitality in that part of the country is second to none and there are many marvelous places to see and things to do in St. Paul, MN.
Of course there are many other reasons to travel since it is Summer and this is the time for it. Should you happen to find yourself on the road, donÕt forget to take a copy of your membership directory with you or use the internet to search for fellow MBSI members wherever you are. My experience tells me you will receive a warm welcome at many homes and you might even get some hints about where to search locally for an antique shop or a member looking to make a deal on a music box.
I hope you enjoy this issue and find yourself inspired to contribute your own article for a future edition. Tell us the story of your restoration project, or let us know about your favorite tune and why you like it so much. This hobby is full of fantastic bits and pieces and people who are interested in it all.
My many thanks go out to our regu.lar contributors and chapter report writers for consistently helping fill the pages of this journal. Also, I must convey my gratitude to Sanford and Linda Friedenthal who shared their collection and story with us for our regular The Hunt column. Alvin Zamba also reports on a public presentation he made about mechanical music. In my opinion, spreading the joy of this hobby is never a bad thing. Thanks go too to Dr. Albert Lštz, who provides Part II of his thoroughly-researched report on the Pietschmann firm of Germany. Enjoy!
Upcoming Deadlines
ADVERTISING
Advertisements for the September/October 2023 issue of Mechanical Music need to be submitted by Aug. 1, 2023.
Advertisements for the November/December 2023 issue of Mechanical Music need to be submitted by Oct. 1, 2023.
EDITORIAL
Articles and photos for the September/October 2023 issue of Mechanical Music should be submitted by Jul. 25, 2023.
Articles and photos for the November/December 2023 issue of Mechanical Music should be submitted by Sept. 25, 2023.
Morris Museum appoints new director
The Morris Museum announced Tom Loughman will be its next executive director. Loughman is a global arts professional with extensive experience in museum management. Most recently, he spent five years as director and CEO of the Wadsworth Atheneum in Hartford, CT, overseeing a series of critically-acclaimed exhibitions, the creation of a free access program for the cityÕs residents, major acquisitions and gifts, and the modernization of the museumÕs digital and physical presence.
ÒThe Morris Museum is the regionÕs most impactful, community-focused cultural insti.tution,Ó said Loughman. ÒI am energized by the museumÕs commitment to connecting with people throughout New Jersey and nationally.Ó
Born in Morristown, NJ, Loughman is a grad.uate of Delbarton School (1989), Georgetown University (A.B. 1993), Williams College Gradu.ate Program in the History of Art (M.A. 1995), and Rutgers University (Ph.D. 2003).
Nickel Notes
By Matthew Jaro
For this issue of Nickel Notes, we feature Frank Himpsl. Frank was active in almost all facets of mechan.ical music. He had a profound love for ragtime and blues, and he could identify pretty much any song from the era we all know and love. He has scanned thousands of rolls of all sorts. In addition to his love for nickelodeon and player piano music, he loved classical music and was a fine pianist. As always, I ask people how they got started in mechanical music.
Early Years
FrankÕs earliest recollection of a player piano was one that he had seen in an old junk shop that wasnÕt working. There was a roll on it. Frank asked his parents about it and they said, ÒThatÕs a player piano.Ó He was probably 6 or 7 years old at the time. Frank never heard mechanical music until he saw a nickelodeon when he was about 8 years old in a fast food restaurant called Bonanza. It was a fire-engine red nickelodeon. FrankÕs dad put a nickel in the machine, a gutted Seeburg E that just played the piano. Frank remembered it playing the song ÒIÕll Get ByÓ all of his life.
Frank was 3 or 4 years old when his dad bought him a spinet piano. His grandmother had played the piano, but she died a year after Frank was born and in deference to her, FrankÕs dad wanted Frank to learn the piano. Frank was born in West Orange, NJ, in 1954 and the family moved to Matawan, NJ, when Frank was 3 years old. Frank said he canÕt honestly say that he took to the piano naturally. He would sit down and try to pick out simple tunes. His parents hired a teacher to come in once a week for a half an hour. Frank trudged through the stuff that was assigned (like the John W. Schaum book). Frank said that he was more interested in playing baseball than piano at that time. He was supposed to practice piano half an hour to an hour a day. His mother had an old German timer with a dial in the front. She would set the time to 30 minutes, but Frank would turn the dial forward so it only read 15 minutes!
The Piano
One day, when Frank was 10, his teacher bought him a book of 34 world-famous classics. The book had a piece called ÒThe Maple Leaf Rag.Ó As he always did, FrankÕs teacher played the piece before giving it to Frank to learn. This changed his life. When he heard him play ÒThe Maple Leaf Rag,Ó some kind of bell went off in FrankÕs head. Frank really couldnÕt play very well, but after he heard the rag, he knew he wanted to play the piano. Not just ragtime piano, but all the repertoire. Except for going to school, Frank practiced the piece day and night. In a weekÕs time, he played it for his teacher and blew his socks off.
When he was 12, Frank stopped taking formal lessons and learned on his own. Frank knew he had to learn the technical aspects of piano playing and ragtime wasnÕt going to be the route and so he developed an interest in classical music.
His first love was Beethoven and he learned the easier sonatas and worked his way up to the ÒAppassio.nata Sonata.Ó Frank was a Beethoven addict until he discovered Bach and the ÒWell Tempered ClavierÓ when he was about 12. Along the way, Frank discovered Chopin. Listening to a broadcast of the pianist Vladimir Horowitz in 1968, Frank heard two Scriabin pieces. This introduced him to Russian classical music and started a love that remained throughout his life. After the broadcast, Frank bought the Scriabin pieces at ShirmerÕs in Manhattan and learned them.
College Years
In 1972, Frank began attending classes at Rutgers. They had a music library and he got the rest of the Scriabin works. It took quite an effort for Frank to make heads-or-tails of them. He was able to find inexpensive LP records at the Princeton Record Exchange and studied many record.ings. He would buy one hundred LPs at a time for 99 cents each. He then could learn how the pieces were supposed to sound and how different they were from the way he was playing them.
FrankÕs father, an executive vice president of a steel fabricating company, saved a fortune so Frank could go to medical school. Frank didnÕt really have a knack for biology. Chemistry, on the other hand, he loved from an early age and therefore decided to major in that field of study. He would check out reference books from the library when he was a kid. At one time, he memorized the atomic weights and melting points of all the elements. He even checked out books from the 1930s, including one called ÒThe Home ChemistÓ that described experiments that no one should try at home, or perhaps even in a laboratory. He finally got his own laboratory setup in the basement of his house. In his senior year at Rutgers, Frank got a job with a professor working on the Manhattan Project. It was work that interested Frank and got him hooked on Boron-Hydrogen chemistry.
During his time in college Frank collected all the ragtime books he could find, including the complete rags of Scott Joplin. In his first year at Rutgers, Frank met ragtime pianist Eubie Blake who was visiting the school as a guest artist. After the performance, Frank got up his cour.age and went to talk to him. Frank told him how much he loved his music and playing style, and Blake asked Frank to play the piano for him. Frank felt that he gave some joy to Eubie. Frank describes Eubie as the kindest man you would ever want to meet.
Piano Rolls and Nickelodeons
Even though Frank didnÕt have a player piano, he started collecting piano rolls in the 1960s. It wasnÕt long after Frank had seen the fire-engine red nickelodeon in the Bonanza restaurant that he started asking who else had these machines. He was referred to the Freehold Music Company in Freehold, NJ. The place was filled with player pianos and there were several guys working on restoring them. This was in 1967 or 1968. They had a Duo-Art piano and they played GershwinÕs ÒRhapsody in BlueÓ for him. Frank had never heard anything like it. Frank asked who knew more about things like this. They told him he might want to meet Eddie Freyer. Eddie made nickelodeon rolls and lived in Flemington, NJ. FrankÕs dad took him to meet Eddie. During the visit Frank saw EddieÕs perforator and his many machines. Frank heard a Seeburg E with pipes and a Seeburg G. The next time Frank visited Eddie, Mike Montgomery (a well-known roll collector) came in. Mike put on some Capitol A blues rolls which blew Frank away. (The Capitol rolls were known for their arrangements by the greatest black musicians of the day, including Jimmy Blythe, Clarence Jones, etc.). Mike spent the next five days visiting Frank and his parents! Mike lived in Michigan. They became very close friends. After that time, Frank would periodically fly to Michigan to visit Mike. Frank got to hear his piano roll collection, which was a lot to take in for a kid going on 16 or 17 years old.
In 1970, Mike Montgomery was approached by Arnold C. Caplin, the founder of Biograph Records, for recording piano rolls made by Scott Joplin. They proceeded to do other reissues, such as rags by James P. Johnson and James Scott. Mike was still getting royalties on these up until the end of his life.
One of the things Frank would do at Eddie FreyerÕs would be to play back a tune that Eddie would play on a nickelodeon. Frank managed to play the interpolations that are common in nickelodeon music. Eddie would be punching rolls and Frank would play the pianos. Eddie would often curse after three or four songs were punched because he would have to change the ÒstepÓ gears. Eddie got a lot of grief from his customers since the holes were small, being equivalent in size to nine-to-the-inch, and in the 1960s there were practically no decent nickelodeons, so people would have difficulties. Eddie never wanted to spend the money to have the dies retooled. His Acme perforator was loud since Eddie would punch 10 to 12 copies at a time. The quality of nick.elodeons is quite different today and most people today have no trouble playing Eddie Freyer recuts.
Frank was also put in touch with Trebor Tichenor. (ÒTreborÓ is ÒRobertÓ spelled backwards!) Frank flew to Saint Louis, MO, to meet him. Trebor was a well-known authority on Scott Joplin and the ragtime era. He published rags and books about ragtime.
From the late 1970s to the early 1980s, Frank bought rare 78 rpm recordings from the famous record collector Robert Altshuler. Robert died in 2007.
Frank would make many trips to the Library of Congress searching for ragtime sheet music and he got to know the music librarian, Wayne Shir.ley. On WayneÕs day off from work, he would let Frank drive him to the stor.age facility in Landover, MD. Frank could pick and choose music to photo.copy. Frank thought there must be several million pieces of sheet music there. You couldnÕt really go through the collection at random. So, Frank spent hours in the Copyright Office and wrote down the numbers of the pieces he wanted to photocopy. Frank would have a sack full of nickels and he spent an entire day photocopying these things. Regrettably, Frank did not photocopy the covers, only the music. He did this for the better part of 10 years during his vacations from his job.
Early Career
Frank didnÕt get a player piano until 1981. His parents were dead set against it. They said, ÒYou play the piano, you donÕt need a player.Ó Despite this, after Frank got his job at the Engelhard Corporation, he earned enough money to buy a player but he had to put it in the washroom downstairs.
Frank got his Ph.D. in chemistry in 1979. It was the first doctorate in chemistry that Rutgers had awarded in three years. Frank was recently surprised to learn that a paper he published for his Ph.D. has been extensively referenced and still is to this day. FrankÕs work was the basis for producing solid rocket fuels. Frank worked at Engelhard until December 1997. He was laid off because of a reorganization after 17 years there. His mother died three months later.
Frank Meets Amanda
Frank was looking for a job online and he used America OnlineÕs social network. This is how he met Amanda, his future wife. She lived in Grand Junction, CO. They exchanged phone calls and found that they had a lot in common, including science fiction. Frank flew to Grand Junction on her birthday. This was in 1998. Frank was 44 and Amanda was 27. They got married.
Don Nielson
In October 1998, Paul Manganero introduced Frank to Don Nielson. Paul said, ÒFrank, you got to see this guyÕs collection.Ó Don went around playing machines and Frank would tell him what song was playing, including obscure stuff. Then Frank played the piano for him. Don said, ÒYou should work for me.Ó Don needed a database of his roll collection. So, Frank and Amanda moved to Audubon, PA, to be near DonÕs shop. He continued to work for Don in cataloging rolls, obtaining rolls and machines on eBay, making musical arrangements, going on the road to pick things up and many other assorted tasks. He met most of the collectors in this capacity.
Paul Manganero built a pneumatic scanning system to scan DonÕs A rolls. Frank met Gene Gerity who made an optical scanner in 1999. Frank used this scanner until his passing. Gene made two scanners. The other scanner was used by Jack Breen for his Mills Violano project. There came a day in 2000 that Don asked Frank about a non-mechanical perforator. Frank suggested lasers. They obtained a laser perforator that was too slow and too prone to burn the paper. It would take 12 hours to cut one A roll. It clearly wasnÕt a venture you would continue. So, they tried a different laser system. The idea was to be able to cut any roll at all, regardless of format. They needed a laser unit plus a precision sheet feeder, plus the spooling units. Gene wrote all the software to control the machine and to correct geometric distortions.
At this point Frank started the Valley Forge Music Roll Company. Don generously let Frank use the laser perforator without charge for operating his business. Frank did the work to set up a web site.
The Family
In 2004, Frank and Amanda wanted a family. They couldnÕt have children of their own, so they decided to adopt and went to an agency. They looked at different countries. In China, the waiting time was two years. Russia then was still open for adoption, but it too had a long wait time. They were interviewed multiple times. Adop.tion agencies asked if the Himpsls would rather have a boy or girl. They decided on a girl. They asked if the Himpsls would be open to adopting more than one child. Frank always wanted a sibling, so he thought two children would be ideal, but they would consider more. That turned out to be a key word. Instead of waiting two years, the Himpsls got a call in six months saying there were three biological sisters ready to be adopted and their ages were two, three and five. The adoption agency overnighted the Himpsls a video tape and the next day the Himpsls said Òbook the airline tickets, weÕre going to do this.Ó (The tickets were more than $6,000 per person just to fly to the remote part of Siberia). They had to go to Russia twice to settle all the affairs.
While at the orphanage, Frank played ÒMidnight in MoscowÓ and a Russian lady who heard the music stepped into the room to sing the lyrics at the top of her lungs in Russian. The HimpslsÕ second trip to Russia included a court date with state officials. Court officials asked Frank, ÒIf the Himpsls adopted the girls, would the girls be taught about their Russian culture?Ó Frank said he loved Russian literature, art and especially music and proceeded to talk about the Russian composers and how he would teach them to embrace their heritage. Out of the blue, the woman that sang ÒMidnight in Moscow,Ó and who it turned out was the head of the orphanage, stood up and said to the court, ÒWhat he said was true. He was playing Russian folk.songs for the girls at the orphanage on the piano.Ó The court decided in the HimpslsÕ favor and the three girls, Mila, Alyssa and Rhiannon returned with Frank and Amanda to the United States.
Scanning and Arranging
Frank started collecting rolls 10 years before he had a player piano, but it was really meeting Eddie Freyer, Mike Montgomery and Trebor Tichenor that got Frank into it. When he started earning money he found he could increase his collection. Frank amassed about 36,000 rolls! He also made about 480,000 database entries. He has about 79,000 roll scans to date. He scanned 88- and 65-note rolls, APP and PianOrchestra rolls, band organ rolls, nickelodeon A, 4X and G rolls. His scanning project was possible because of the generosity of collectors. For example, Bob Gilson let Frank scan a whole trailer-load of nickelodeon rolls. Don Nielson opened his entire collection for scan.ning. I even loaned Frank many of my rolls for scanning. Frank had materials loaned from the Milhous Brothers, the DeBence Museum and the Nethercutt Collection. Trebor Tichenor loaned Frank hundreds of rolls. Frank spent weeks there taking any roll he didnÕt have. It took him six months to scan all of them.
The Moves
In October 2009, Frank and Amanda sold their house in Audubon, PA, and moved to Pueblo West, CO. It was quite a task with three daughters, 13 dogs, five pianos, rare records, stamp collections and thousands of rolls. They wanted to live closer to Aman.daÕs parents in Grand Junction, CO, and they also thought employment opportunities might be better.
In 2016, the Himpsls moved to Geor.gia. Like the move to Colorado, this move required two moving vans plus a large U-Haul trailer for the valuable possessions. Sadly, Amanda passed away in May, 2016 at age 44. Amanda was a truly wonderful person and anyone that knew Frank knew and admired Amanda.
Frank had a 1910 Weber 65/88 note player piano, a 1920 Steinway Duo-Art upright, a 1925 Marshall-Wendell Ampico upright, a concert grand Seiler and a concert grand Baldwin with the PianoMation system.
Frank loved the rural setting in Georgia. At the end of his life, Frank made Wurlitzer 165 organ arrange.ments for Don Neilson and Glenn Thomas. He learned the proper tech.niques so that the songs sound like the original Wurlitzer rolls. I wrote Frank a Cakewalk CAL program to create a MIDI listening file so he could hear what the arrangements would sound like on the organ. This helped him make good sounding selections with the appropriate counter melodies so common in band organ music.
And so, we conclude this visit to Frank Himpsl, truly a renaissance man of music.
Frank Himpsl in a favorite pose.
FrankÕs grand piano room.
One of FrankÕs pianos and another section of the roll collection.
A section of FrankÕs roll collection and some sheet music as well.
Frank and his Òheroes.Ó
FrankÕs roll scanner.
Above: Frank Himpsl and his daughters, Rhiannon, Mila and Alyssa. Right: Frank and Amanda HimpslÕs wedding picture.
Another section of rolls from FrankÕs collection.
Another section of rolls from FrankÕs collection.
Email Matt Jaro at mjaro@verizon.net if you would like any information about style ÒAÓ, ÒGÓ, Ò4XÓ, ÒHÓ or ÒOÓ rolls. Also, comments and suggestions for this column will be appreciated.
Reprinted with permission of the author and The Automatic Musical Instrument CollectorsÕ Association (AMICA). Originally printed in the November/December, 2017 issue of The AMICA Bulletin.
The Pietschmann Firm of Berlin
(Part II)
The foundation and the first three business years of Berlin Musical Instruments Factory Inc.
By Dr. Albert Lštz
On May 18, 1889, Berliner Musik-In.strumenten-Fabrik AG (Berlin Musical Instruments Factory Inc.), formerly called Ch. F. Pietschmann & Sšhne, was recorded in the Berlin trade regis.ter. The stock exchange prospectus contains a wealth of important infor.mation on the firm.11 Stock Exchange Prospectus [Bšrsenpros.pekt] of Berliner Musik-Instrumenten-Fabrik Inc., vorm. Ch. F. Pietschmann & Sšhne, Berliner Tageblatt [Berlin Daily], June 2, 1889, fourth supplement, p.4. Also in: Berliner Bšrs.en-Zeitung [Berlin Stock Exchange Journal], June 1, 1889, evening issue, fifth supplement, p. 13.
At the time of the change to a joint-stock company, the factory employed 480 workmen. Since 1886, Herophons and their music had been sold annually at an average of 400,000 Mark, and Manopans and their music had been sold for 331,000 Mark in 1888, in the first year of their production. Among the assets of the initial balance sheet, the companyÕs real estate holdings were its biggest assets. The two premises at 28 Brun.nenstra§e and 45 Fehrbellinerstra§e with an area of 4,757 square meters were valued at 1,294,300 Mark by a certified expert, but valued at just 1,153,750 Mark in the balance sheet. The properties were encumbered with collective mortgages of 725,000 Mark. In addition to the three-wing tenement in Brunnenstra§e and the two-wing tenement in Fehrbelliner.stra§e, with four floors each, there were four factory buildings, four boiler-houses, and two store sheds on the premises. The machines and tools, including a printing-office, were valued at 220,000 Mark. The raw mate.rials in stock had a value of 153,384 Mark. Approximately 250,000 pieces of cardboard music with 3,000 titles were listed in the balance sheet with a value of 67,707 Mark. The cost price of finished and partly finished instru.ments was 229,448 Mark. Merchandise by other manufacturers for 50,741 Mark was in stock. An establishment in New York, NY, opened in Septem.ber 1887, appeared among the assets with a 120,804 Mark value. Accounts receivable was listed as 214,808 Mark. Company patents were taken into account with a symbolic value of just 100 Mark. The whole firm had a value of 1,300,000 Mark after deduction of the debts. In compensation for their contribution, Carl and Ferdinand Pietschmann received 3,000 Mark in cash, and 1,297 shares with a nominal value of 1,000 Mark for the remaining balance of 1,297,000 Mark.
The two Pietschmann brothers voluntarily paid 100,000 Mark into a special reserve fund of the company without the title of restitution. They took all financial risks still pending from the lawsuits of their former firm. In addition, they obliged themselves to be liable with their private means, if a dividend of at least 10 percent could not be paid for the business year 1888-1889, whose results should already be included in the balance sheet of the new company, and for the two following years. For this they gave security of 200,000 Mark in shares of the company. The guarantee of their dividend was dependent upon them remaining as directors of the company for a period of three years.They provisionally bound themselves to this function for the next five years. The members of the supervisory board were two bankers, a factory-owner, and a private person.
Simultaneously with the foundation of the company, 1,000 shares from the possession of the Pietschmann broth.ers were offered publicly for the value 145 percent, i.e. for 1,450 Mark per share. This high price was of course a bill on the future, and was therefore criticized by Cologne Newspaper which was joined by the Journal for Musical Instrument Making.22 Die GrŸndungs-Periode in der Musikinstrumenten-Industrie [The period of foundations in the industry of musical instruments], Zeitschrift fŸr Instrumenten.bau [Journal for Musical Instrument Making] (Leipzig, 1888-1889), p. 340.
The starting-point for the criticism was the profit of the past years. Approxi.mately 85,000 Mark had been earned annually in the last four years, and 125,000 Mark in the two years before them, each time with a turnover of approximately 1 million Mark. It was true that extraordinary expenses had been necessary in the last four years on account of the introduction of the Herophon and Manopan, yet the company would have to earn 130,000 Mark annually just for the projected dividend of at least 10 percent. As seen by Cologne Newspaper, the prof.its of the past years were Òtruly not high in view of the rapid fluctuation of the fancy to such toys, and the steadily necessary introduction of novelties!Ó In a response to that critique, the Pietschmann brothers pointed to the fact that the profit in the years 1886 to 1888 plus the expenses for the new production lines actually represented a collective profit of 176,000 Mark per year, and that the balance sheet for the business year 1888-1889 to be expected shortly showed a very favourable result.33 Vermischtes [Mixed News]. Berlin. Zeitschrift fŸr Instrumentenbau (Leipzig, 1888-1889), p. 384.
The balance sheet thus announced boasted a profit of 222,380 Mark. Therefore a dividend of 13 percent could be paid after paying various other expenses like bonuses and setting aside reserve funds.44 Berlin Daily, Oct. 25, 1889, morning issue, second supplement, first page.
This raises the question of why the change from a privately-held company to a joint-stock company was made. It seemed the conversion of the factory to accommodate the production of the new Herophon and Manopan instruments could be paid for with current profit, and the stock exchange prospectus had asserted in bold type:
ÒOn account of the expensive new equipment of the factory, the latter now complies with the requirements of modern technique, and such unique extra expenses will therefore not be required for years.Ó
Normally a joint-stock company is established when a new company is founded or a considerable expansion needs be financed by an influx of capital. Occasionally, the personal situation of a proprietor can play a role in such a decision, for example when there are problems of succession for a single enterpreneur. It appears improbable that the Pietschmann brothers just wanted to convert their property into cash, because Ferdi.nand Pietschmann founded the rescue company ÒDeutsche Musikwerke System PietschmannÓ in 1897, sacrific.ing his wealth in order to prevent the ruin of the former Pietschmann firm. Berlin Musical Instruments Factory was established just two months after the death of Christine Friederike Pietschmann, so that a relation to this event can be conjectured. Yet from the heirs only the sister Auguste might have demanded a securing of her hereditary portion, because the two brothers must have been interested in a continuation of the private partner.ship Pietschmann & Sšhne under their exclusive direction. One other signifi.cant event, however, may have played a role in this seemingly odd decision. On Jan. 7, 1892, Carl Pietschmann died of tuberculosis at the age of 49 years55 Archive of the Berlin Protestant Church, Berlin-City III, St.Elisabeth, Interments 1891-1892, No. 23 A.
(Figure 17). It is possible that his disease was diagnosed several years before and that he had to stay in sanatoriums for long periods. It is conspicuous that the annual balance sheet, published in October 1889, was signed only by Ferdinand Pietschmann and vice-chairman Wilhelm Wittig, the long-time manager66 Berlin Stock Exchange Journal, May 21, 1889, evening issue, p. 4, second column.
of the Piet.schmann firm. Considering this fact, it would be understandable that CarlÕs family wanted to divide up his portion of the wealth from the company instead of leaving it invested. Yet the Pietschmann family kept a major part of the publicly-offered 1,000 of the 1,300 shares instead of receiving the money from the sale, because the family possessed 653 shares, and thus a majority, when in 1892 a quarrel between the directors and the supervisory board broke out.77 Berlin Daily, Nov. 28, 1892, evening issue, Handels=Zeitung [trade journal] of Berlin Daily, second page.
The majority will mainly have consisted of Ferdinand PietschmannÕs initial share.
After the foundation of the joint-stock company, the house at 28 Brunnenstra§e was no longer a property of the Pietschmann brothers and they moved to a new addresses. According to the Berlin directory, Carl Pietschmann successively lived at three different places in the years 1889 to 1891, first in 46 Fehrbellinerstra§e, then in the suburb Pankow, and finally in 5 HŠndelstra§e (today HŠndelallee) in the district Tiergarten. The house at 46 Fehrbellinerstra§e had been a property of Pietschmann & Sšhne since 1876, but it did not become a part of the Berlin Musical Instruments Factory. According to the Berlin directory of 1890, the new proprietor was ÒPietschmann, Fbrk. [Fabrikant = factory-owner].Ó In 1891, an addition in parentheses to this statement of ownership said ÒPankow.Ó Therefore, Carl Pietschmann was the owner. The Berlin directory of 1893 lists his widow with the abbreviated Christian name ÒM.Ó, thus Maria, as results from the three Christian names in the marriage-certificate. The entry for the proprietor of the estate 46 Fehrbelli.nerstra§e changed to ÒPietschmannÕs Erben [heirs].Ó
Ferdinand Pietschmann moved from 28 Brunnenstra§e to 101 KurfŸrs.tendamm (a most elegant address in Berlin-West) in 1890, three years later back to a district in the vicinity of the factory, and further three years later again to a new address in the same district. He is listed as proprietor of the estate 24 Brunnenstra§e for the first time in the directory of 1894. In that year, the Berlin Musical Instruments Factory was not located any more in 28 Brunnenstra§e, but had moved to 25 Brunnenstra§e. The estates 26 to 29 Brunnenstra§e had been sold to an architect and were building-sites. The estates 25 Brunnenstra§e and 45 Fehrbellinerstra§e were a property of Berlin Musical Instruments Factory. The firm Schulz, Pietschmann & Co. with Ferdinand PietschmannÕs sister Auguste as co-partner likewise moved to 25 Brunnenstra§e. The directory of 1893 says in the rubric ÒMechanical Musical InstrumentsÓ about Schulz, Pietschmann & Co. ÒShop for accor.dions, Manopans, Herophons, etc., musical boxes, Symphonions, violins, flutes, etc.Ó
A drawing of Berlin Musical Instru.ments Factory can be found in the festive edition of Musical Instrument Journal of 1896 (Figure 18) that must have been made after the move from 28 Brunnenstra§e to 25 Brunnenstra§e in 1893. This follows from the absence of a house along the street left of the house bottom right in the drawing, in contrast to the preceding years for the house 28 Brunnenstra§e. Instead, a site fence higher than a person can be seen left of the house. According to the location of the estates 25 Brunnen.stra§e and 45 Fehrbellinerstra§e, the sideline of the two estates must have formed an angle with Brunnenstra§e of distinctly smaller than 90 degrees, as is the case still today for the adjoin.ing court between Brunnenstra§e and Fehrbellinerstra§e (see Figure 6 in part I). This cannot be detected with certainty from Figure 18 because of the perspective, however the wall with the company inscription joining the front building appears to be inclined to the left in comparison to the wall of the front building. The inclined wall was obviously provisional with windows in illusionistic painting.
In January 1890, the following statement appeared about the first business half-year 1889-90 of Berlin Musical Instruments Factory:
In the first half-year, the orders were so plentiful that their execution was only possible with overtime hours. It must especially be stressed that there was mainly increased demand for better instruments which yield a higher profit. Thus, as we were told, e.g. 1,383 Manopans of the biggest model were sold in compar.ison to 1069 Manopans in the same period of last year. In last December, the total turnover of Herophons and Manopans rose to 2,622 pieces, a number never reached in the 50 years history of the company. Ñ The new organette ÒSeraphine,Ó invented by director Pietschmann and recently patented, had a tremendous success, having been sold 2,700 times from September to December of last year.88 Berlin Stock Exchange Journal, Jan. 29, 1890, evening issue, p. 3, third column.
The ÒSeraphineÓ (Figure 19) was a small 18-note organette with the size 30 centimeters by 29 centimeters by 30 centimeters. There was also a some.what larger model called ÒExcelsiorÓ with 18 notes and 36 reeds. The music strips were 117 centimeters in length with endless form (closed loop), 284 centimeters in length with straight form, or folded cardboard in book form. The price of the simple model was lower by 25 percent than that of the simplest Manopan with 24 notes.
At the Leipzig Autumn Fair 1890, the firm presented two novelties.
ÒThe Berlin Musical Instruments Factory formerly Ch. F. Pietschmann & Sšhne presented an Excelsior Manopan with not less than 142 reeds, i.e. each key controls three reeds of the same pitch. This, of course, produces a mighty sonority approaching the sound of an harmonium. The common sound of the hurdy-gurdy is thus avoided most fortunately, and the musical arrangement sets off the good sound properties of the instrument. The firm also exhibits an ÔOrgue flautinaÕ that can be made to order with 24 or 39 notes. The sound that is likewise generated by reeds is very soft and low, and will probably have been designed for more delicate nerves.Ó99 Die diesjŠhrige Leipziger Michaelismesse [This yearÕs Leipzig Michaelmas Fair], Zeitschrift fŸr Instrumentenbau (Leipzig, 1890-1891), p. 6.
The ÒOrgue FlutinaÓ is depicted in the Holzweissig catalogue 1893-941010 Ernst Holzweissig Nachf., Engros-Preis.liste Ÿber Musikwerke (Leipzig, 1893-1894), p. 86.
and is designated Òdeeply voiced orga.nette in a highly elegant case.Ó It is a small instrument in black with golden engraving and a base of 38 centime.ters by 38 centimeters, and a height of 33 centimeters. The front half of the lid including a part of the side walls can be tilted up like a folding desk thus allowing access to the keys for inserting the music. The keys are a part of a separate music case that is not mounted on the side of the chest with the bellows as in the standard Manopan, but mounted in a bay of the upper front half of the chest with the wind supply.
A catalogue with 250 pages of the firm, published on Nov. 1, 1890, was designated as examplary by Zeitschrift fŸr Instrumentenbau.1111 Zeitschrift fŸr Instrumentenbau (Leipzig, 1890-1891), p. 112.
At the Leipzig Easter Fair of 1891, Berlin Musical Instruments Factory presented a chord pipe working with reeds. The major or minor triad on all 12 notes of the octave could be blown after appropriate mechanical switch.ing (for details of the construction see German patent DRP 43874 (1887) by Hans Krenn). At the same fair, Berlin Musical Instruments Factory presented also a new mechanical musical instrument:
ÒIn addition to the already mentioned miniature Ariston, there was another novelty called ÒCelestinaÓ, a reed instrument by Berlin Musical Instruments Factory formerly Ch. F. Pietschmann that worked with suction-air and had the form of a scaled down upright piano. The instrument with its 117 notes had a particular, somewhat mystical sound of unquestionable beauty, yet the price is accordingly quite high.Ó 1212 Zeitschrift fŸr Instrumentenbau (Leipzig, 1890-1891), p. 282.
On Apr. 20, 1891, Ferdinand Pietschmann had two models of orga.nettes in form of cabinets recorded in the Berlin utility model register with number 11262 for three years.1313 Zeitschrift fŸr Instrumentenbau (Leipzig, 1890-1891), p. 349.
These were the ÒSchrank-ManopansÓ (Cabinet-Manopans) depicted in the Holzweissig catalogue 1893-1894,1414 Ernst Holzweissig Nachf., Engros-Preis.liste Ÿber Musikwerke (Leipzig, 1893-1894), p. 85.
smaller successors of the ÒVerdi-ManopanÓ of 1888, already mentioned in Part I of this article. The case had a width of 43 centimeters, a height of 48 centimeters, and a depth of 33 centimeters. It had a front door with two wings and a door in the left side wall (for comparison: the front of the Verdi-Manopan had the approximate size 1 meter by 1 meter). A 24-note Manopan was mounted at half-height, yet the keys and the reeds were not housed in a small case attached to the side of a bigger case with the bellows, but were located on the top panel of the Manopan. Within the cabinet, an endless music strip was looped back under the Manopan. The crank protruded outwards from the right side panel of the cabinet.
In May 1891, Zeitschrift fŸr Instru.mentenbau reported that Berlin Musical Instruments Factory had founded a branch of its products in London E.C., 62 Holborn Viaduct. The agent was Mr. A. Paillard.1515 Zeitschrift fŸr Instrumentenbau (Leipzig, 1890-1891), p. 323.
It is striking in the balance sheet for the business year 1889-901616 Berlin Stock Exchange Journal, Dec. 8, 1890, evening issue, p. 11.
that the production account (on the credit side) of 282,000 Mark was lower than in the previous year by approximately 80,000 Mark. In addition, the costs of sale had increased by 15,000 Mark. The management explained these changes with the uncertainty of the situation in South-America, a main sales area of the firm, and with higher expenses for agents and travels with the objective of increasing the sales.1717 Berlin Stock Exchange Journal, Nov. 15, 1890, evening issue, p. 6, first column, bottom.
From the profit, a dividend of just 7. percent was possible so that the Pietschmann brothers had to stand in the gap with 35,750 Mark according to the contract in order to pay the guar.anteed dividend of 10 percent.
The balance sheet of the following business year 1890-18911818 Berlin Stock Exchange Journal, Dec. 23, 1891, evening issue, fourth supplement, first page (p. 11), fourth column.
showed a loss of 104,000 Mark for the first time. The biggest changes with respect to the balance sheet of the previous year could be found for the outstanding debts of customers that had decreased from 389,000 Mark to 163,000 Mark. The business report1919 Berlin Stock Exchange Journal, Dec. 9, 1891, evening issue, p. 7, first column.
explained this reduction by saying that the company found itself constrained to take back merchandise from customers in order to avoid still bigger financial losses. In view of the reduced capacity of the customers to absorb merchandise because of the general slump, cheaper instruments and new kinds of instru.ments should preferably be produced. The Pietschmann brothers paid 104,000 Mark to cover the loss, and in addition 130,000 Mark for the payment of the dividend of 10 percent. After that third business year, their guaran.tee for the dividend had expired. The loss is in contrast with a statement that the management had made to the Berlin Stock Exchange Journal still in June 1891:
ÒThe management of Berlin Musi.cal Instruments Factory Inc. formerly Pietschmann writes that the current business year cannot be judged as unfavourable, even if the situation in America has slightly influenced the business in that area. Noteworthy losses have not been made so that one can be as satisfied with the business as in the last year.Ó2020 Berlin Stock Exchange Journal, June 8, 1891, evening issue, p. 3, third column.
This was either a lie, or the manage.ment did not know from the actual business data what would give an unfavourable picture of the admin.istration. Further interesting details can be found in Zeitschrift fŸr Instru.mentenbau that reprinted a report by Leipziger Tageblatt (Leipzig Daily) on the general assembly of the company.2121 Zeitschrift fŸr Instrumentenbau (Leipzig, 1891-1892), p. 160.
According to that report, Òdirector Pietschmann,Ó which was Ferdinand Pietschmann in view of Carl PietschmannÕs death just two weeks later, rejected a candidate who had been proposed by the supervisory board for an empty seat on that board. He instead proposed a candidate of his own, who afterwards was elected, because the Pietschmann family possessed the majority of the shares. In addition, representatives of only 750 of the 1,300 shares were present. The election result caused three members of the supervisory board to step down. They only could be persuaded to stay in office up to an extraordinary general assembly to be convoked in the near future. It was rumoured that Ferdi.nand Pietschmann considered buying the factory back. Leipzig Daily also saw this as the best solution.
The extraordinary general assem.bly took place on Feb. 1, 1892. The four members of the supervisory board remained in office, and three additional members were elected, among them the candidate proposed by Ferdinand Pietschmann and elected previously, but not the former candidate of the supervisory board. Ferdinand Pietschmann made known that the factory had made a profit in the first half-year. In striking contrast to this statement, the chairman of the board declared that the sales had dropped considerably, the prices had to be reduced, and generally no good news on the current year could be given.2222 Berlin Stock Exchange Journal, Feb. 1, 1892, evening issue, p. 3, third column.
Berlin Musical Instruments Factory under Ferdinand Pietschmann
Some months after the death of Carl Pietschmann, the former vice-director Wilhelm Wittig became second direc.tor beside Ferdinand Pietschmann.2323 Berlin Stock Exchange Journal, May 27, 1892, evening issue, third supplement, first page (p. 9), third column.
As a longtime coworker of the Pietschmann firm, he would not have been anything other than a puppet of Ferdinand Pietschmann, and the supervisory board had no other option but to wait for a favourable occasion to oust him from office so they could install an independent second director (see below). Nevertheless, Ferdinand Pietschmann (Figure 20) ruled the firm at that time, even if it was with a distressing relationship to the super.visory board and with a bad state of business.
The overproduction of harmonicas, their resulting price decreases, and the fact that harmonica development was already 70 years old would have made Ferdinand Pietschmann think that the best times of the harmonicas were over. Thus, the business report for the year 1890-1891 had announced the production of new kinds of instru.ments in order to increase sales. As the German patent DRP 59844 (1891) shows, corresponding developments had already been made. The patent protects a mechanism for the plucking of steel teeth. Leipzig manufacturers of disc musical boxes had done excel.lent business since some years ago, with one example being the Factory of LochmannÕs Music Boxes Inc. [Fabrik LochmannÕscher Musikwerke Aktieng.esellschaft] (ÒSymphonionÓ) that paid a dividend of 23 percent for 18912424 Zeitschrift fŸr Instrumentenbau (Leipzig, 1891-1892), p. 269.
so this production area appeared to have a bright future.
A considerable problem was the already existing patents for these instruments, so Ferdinand Pietschmann would obviously have wanted to avoid patent litigations as he had experienced formerly with the Herophon instrument. To avoid copyright infringement, he dispensed with the star wheel, which was at the time the standard solution for disc musical box movements. Pietschmann applied keys so that music without projections could be used. The patent DRP 59844 filed first was replaced by the improved patent DRP 62275 only three months later. The patent draw.ing is explained in a box together with Figure 21.
Both for musical boxes and orga.nettes, more robust music sheets of metal working according to the principle of folded cardboard music were introduced with the patent DRP 64005 (1892) and the supplementary patent DRP 69446 (1892). A further patent DRP 70177 (1893) simplified the construction by using one-layer instead of two-layer metal plates which were fastened to each other at the junctions by thin bands of cloth on both sides bridging the gap. Everywhere else the metal plates were covered with paper for a smooth transition between the paper and cloth covered surfaces. The covering with paper on both sides was also recommended for metal discs, mainly in order to eliminate the noise of the keysÕ sliding on the disk.
On account of newspaper reports in November 1892, the management of Berlin Musical Instruments Factory sent the Berlin Stock Exchange Jour.nal a letter denying that a criminal procedure initiated by the supervi.sory board was pending against the commercial director Wittig, and that he had been taken in custody. The letter stated that the supervisory board examined accusations against Wittig by coworkers, and that the latter had been given leave for the present. The letter also called Ferdinand Pietschmann technical director of the firm.2525 Berlin Stock Exchange Journal, Oct. 31, 1892, evening issue, p. 4, first column.
Approximately one week later, Julius Lindheim and Ado Lehmann were conferred joint power of representation.2626 Zeitschrift fŸr Instrumentenbau (Leipzig, 1892-1893), p. 123.
Shortly thereafter, the annual business report of Berlin Musical Instruments Factory appeared. The turnover had dropped by 129,000 Mark in comparison to the previous year. In order to reduce the debts, approximately one-third of the large stock had been sold with loss relative to the prices of last yearÕs inventory, partly after remodelling and modernization. A balance with total loss of 241,000 Mark resulted that was reduced to 105,000 Mark by complete use of the reserve funds.2727 Berlin Stock Exchange Journal, Nov. 29, 1892, evening issue, p. 14, fourth column.
The super.visory board accused the management of miscalculation and deficiencies. The loss had only become known at the inventory. The outlook said:
ÒIn the past business year we thought to realize a higher turnover by the introduction of new patented products. Yet this was regrettably not possible up to now. People now prefer the mechanical musical instruments of Swiss kind [disc musical boxes]. Guided by this taste we constructed such an instrument after many time-consuming problems, and we have protected it by a series of patents. The production line for this instrument is now ready so that we will be able to market the instrument in the course of this business year.Ó2828 Berlin Stock Exchange Journal, Nov. 16, 1892, evening issue, p. 3, second column, bottom.
The Pietschmann family, including Ferdinand Pietschmann, placed the dismissal of the supervisory board on the agenda of the general assembly,2929 Berlin Stock Exchange Journal, Nov. 22, 1892, evening issue, p. 4, first column.
which took place on Nov. 28, 1892. At that assembly, Ferdinand Pietschmann explained the decrease of the sales by the general slump in nearly all parts of the world, the increase of the import customs, and the dumping prices of the competitors. In addition, considerable losses had resulted at the partial sale of the big stock with partly out-of-date merchandise in spite of remodelling. He criticized the decision of the super.visory board to write off 167,000 Mark and regarded 31,000 Mark sufficient. In response to this point, the chairman of the supervisory board reminded of the high losses in the sale of stocks in spite of the allegedly most rigorous inventory performed the year before. There was a discussion between the chairman of the supervisory board, banker Neuburger, and director Ferdi.nand Pietschmann on the agenda item dismissal of the supervisory board, about which Berlin Daily wrote:
ÒBoth parties blamed each other to have acted against the interests of the company and the shareholders. The chairman of the supervisory board, Neuburger, stated that Mr. Pietschmann was unable to direct such an enterprise successfully, while Mr. Pietschmann said that his treatment by the supervisory board had caused his opposition, and thus a good cooperation was not possible.Ó3030 Berlin Daily, Nov. 28, 1892, evening issue, Handels=Zeitung [trade journal] of Berlin Daily, second page.
The move for the dismissal of the supervisory board was accepted with large majority, and a new supervisory board was elected of which the previ.ous chairman Neuburger was not a member any more. As can be learned from the report on the general assembly of the following year, 1893, the reserve captain and director of Invalidendank, Wilhelm Brenken, became chairman. Invalidendank [thanks to disabled soldiers] was a society supporting German disabled soldiers in making a living. The society received advertise.ments for all newspapers home and abroad, and sold tickets for theaters and extra trains for partial financing and providing positions for disabled soldiers.3131 A. Ludwig, Berliner Adre§-Buch fŸr das Jahr 1893 [Berlin Directory 1893], W. & S. Loewenthal ed., p. 588.
As already reported above, Mr. Brenken had been elected a member of the supervisory board at the general assembly 1891 by the Pietschmann family against the will of the chairman Neuburger. The parting chairman Neuburger warned the shareholders not to sell their shares at the current low price, because this would support the take-over plans of Mr. Pietschmann, and because the estates were worth at least 60 to 80 percent of the nominal value of the shares of 1,000 Mark. It was also made public at the general assembly that the accusations against director Wittig were mostly unfounded. It was admitted that Wittig had not kept the account books carefully, yet the loss of 800 Mark because of this action was relatively small.3232 Berlin Stock Exchange Journal, Nov. 28, 1892, evening issue, p. 4, first column.
Nevertheless, WittigÕs reputation was degraded, and he had to leave the company.3333 Berlin Stock Exchange Journal, Jan. 3, 1893, evening issue, p. 7, first column, and p. 11, first column.
Thus Ferdinand Pietschmann lost a confidant of long standing in the management.
Somewhat later, the Berlin Stock Exchange Journal published a communication Òfrom bankersÕ circlesÓ that pointed to the fact that the estates of the company were accounted with 1,200 Mark per Quadratruthe (14.4 square meter) although the actual value in that part of Berlin was considerably higher. In addition, the communication said:
ÒAs owner of a very big part of the shares, director Pietschmann is highly interested in the posperity of the company. He can very much hope for better results in the future, because, being familiar with the manufacture and sale for 30 years, he realised important profits in earlier years that made him and his rela.tives wealthy. Still in the near future, director Pietschmann plans to market a completely new product which might perhaps prove as profitable as previously the Manopan, Herophon etc. whose sale in many thousands of pieces resulted in big profits for the company.Ó3434 Berlin Stock Exchange Journal, Dec. 8, 1892, evening issue, p. 3, first column.
A joint power of representation that had been conferred to Julius Lindheim and Ado Lehmann in November 1892 after director Wittig was placed on leave was withdrawn in April 1893,3535 Zeitschrift fŸr Instrumentenbau (Leipzig, 1892-1893), p. 537.
and conferred to Georg Reichelt.3636 Zeitschrift fŸr Instrumentenbau (Leipzig, 1892-1893), p. 555.
In August 1893, Paul Schaetzell was given joint power of representation,3737 Zeitschrift fŸr Instrumentenbau (Leipzig, 1892-1893), p. 801.
which meant that Ferdinand Pietschmann was the sole director but he managed the enterprise with procurators.
The instrument with steel comb announced already by Ferdinand Pietschmann in the business report of November 1892 (see also the patent drawing in Figure 21 above), was launched at the Leipzig Easter Fair 1893 (Figure 22, Figure 23). It was a small instrument called ÒUnikonÓ that played with a long metal sheet without projections instead of a disc, and had 41 teeth.3838 Q. David Bowers, The Encyclopedia of Disc Music Boxes (Altona, Canada, 2016), p. 114.
Musical Instrument Jour.nal wrote:
ÒFollowing the trend of our time, the company also dared to experiment in the area of mechanical musical instruments with steel combs (Swiss instruments), and we left with the impression that the company was sufficiently skilled to solve the task surprisingly. We saw two models, one playing automatically and the other by cranking. Because these instruments can play whole overtures, waltzes etc. on account of the unlimited length of the strips, their advantages are obvious. They are marketed with the name ÒUnikonÓ, and the manufacture of bigger models is expected soon.Ó3939 Musik-Instrumenten-Zeitung (Berlin, 1892-1893), p. 545.
As Zeitschrift fŸr Instrumentenbau wrote, the music sheet ran free of noise, because it was covered with specially treated paper. However, the firms Thost & Richter (ÒLibellionÓ) and Plagwitzer Musikwerke R. M. Polter (ÒAriophonÓ) had already exhibited instruments similar to the Unikon at the Leipzig Easter Fair one year earlier. The Ariophon could already be purchased in three differ.ent sizes.4040 Zeitschrift fŸr Instrumentenbau (Leipzig, 1892-1893), p. 390.
At the Leipzig Easter Fair 1893, when the Unikon was presented first, Zeitschrift fŸr Instrumentenbau praised the beautiful pure sound of the Libellion, apart from the some.what weak bass notes. At that time the instrument was offered in several sizes by the firm SchŸtzold & Werner of Leipzig. A Libellion model with coin insert aroused much interest, because the long music sheet allowed the playing of six different music pieces without changing the sheet. The old competitor of Berlin Musical Instru.ments Factory, the Factory of Leipzig Mechanical Musical Instruments formerly Paul Ehrlich & Co., had developed a disc musical box that was presented with the name ÒMonopol.Ó According to Zeitschrift fŸr Instru.mentenbau, the instrument had quite a pleasant sound.4141 Zeitschrift fŸr Instrumentenbau (Leipzig, 1892-1893), p. 494.
Berlin Musical Instruments Factory also developed a disc musical box with conventional star wheels. Its patent DRP 69016 (1892) is related to the damping problem (Figure 24). The patent describes three different damping mechanisms. Two of them are quite similar so that they are not both discussed here. The explanation of the mechanisms is given in a box together with Figure 24.
The utility model DRGM 13132 filed on Mar. 30 , 1893, and entitled ÒMechan.ical musical instrument to which one or several supplementary instruments (drum, bell etc.) are attached for being simultaneously played by hand.Ó4242 Zeitschrift fŸr Instrumentenbau (Leipzig, 1892-1893), p. 553.
protected the ÒTrommel-ManopanÓ (Drum Manopan), an instrument already marketed since autumn 1892 (Figure 25). Different from what can be read in the advertisement, but in agreement with the picture, the instrument was equipped with bass drum (wrongly designated ÒPaukeÓ [timpani] in colloquial German), small drum, cymbal, and bell. The beaters for the bass drum and the cymbal were coupled so that three buttons were sufficient to play the four instru.ments.4343 The mechanism is described in the British patent No. 11672 of 1893 (GB000189311672 in the data bank of the German Patent Office).
The Drum-Manopan was available with 24 and 39 notes,4444 Ernst Holzweissig Nachf., Engros-Preis.liste Ÿber Musikwerke (Leipzig, 1898), p. 145.
and as an instrument for children with 16 notes.4545 Ernst Holzweissig Nachf., Engros-Preis.liste Ÿber Musikwerke (Leipzig, 1893-94), p. 71.
At the Leipzig Autumn Fair 1893, Factory of Leipzig Mechanical Musi.cal Instruments exhibited a ÒMusical Flute-AutomatonÓ with two stops of wooden pipes for loud and soft playing, 24-note Ariston discs, and coin insert. This instrument was also available in a tall cabinet of the size 188 centimeters by 61 centimeters by 44.5 centimeters and a nicely-painted metallic door panel. Berlin Musical Instruments Factory also developed an instrument with pipes of 2 meters high played by Manopan music, according to an advertisement that appeared in autumn 1893 (Figure 26). Factory of Leipzig Mechanical Musical Instruments triggered a development by its musical flute automaton that even the firm Hupfeld followed. Hupfeld presented the corresponding instrument ÒAeolionÓ at the Leipzig Easter Fair 1895 (see Part III of this article in the next issue of Mechanical Music).
The new organette ÒDolcineÓ advertised in Figure 26 was presented at the Leipzig Autumn Fair 1893 and sold well. The instrument had a simple case with the size 27 centimeters by 21 centimeters by 18 centimeters, 16 steel notes and was played with long cardboard strips. The keys were on the top of the instrument.4646 Ernst Holzweissig Nachf., Engros-Preis.liste Ÿber Musikwerke (Leipzig, 1893-94), p. 71.
It appears top right in an illustration of the range of instruments of the firm in autumn 1894 (Figure 27). Musical Instrument Journal wrote about the Dolcine:
ÒA charming article for export, quite rugged and mainly constructed for tropical countries. Equipped with steel reeds, and, because all the other construction is quite thorough, repairs are practically excluded. As with the Manopans, manufactured by the same firm, the music is played by long perforated strips, and complete waltzes etc. can be performed also on this smaller instrument. In addition to all these advantages, the price is quite moderate!Ó4747 Musik-Instrumenten-Zeitung (Berlin, 1892-93), p. 545.
According to a report on the same fair by Zeitschrift fŸr Instrumenten.bau, the quality of the Pietschmann instruments had not always been satisfying in the years before:
ÒWe noticed that this firm has recently more cared about the exterior appearance of its instruments, and is also returning more and more to first-class manufacturing with respect to the quality of the sound.Ó4848 Me§bericht [Report from the Fair], Zeitschrift fŸr Instrumentenbau (Leipzig, 1893-1894), p. 5.
The accumulated loss of the Berlin Musical Instruments Factory after the business year 1892-1893 amounted to 79,000 Mark, while the year before it had been still 105,000 Mark. However, in the balance sheet of the past year, the special reserve for defaults on receivables had been 71,000 Mark, while now just 20,000 Mark were put in the balance sheet. In addition, the depreciations were lower by approximately 70,000 Mark.4949 Zeitschrift fŸr Instrumentenbau (Leipzig, 1893-1894), p. 175.
It was obvious that the new chairman of the supervisory board Brenken balanced less cautiously than the former had done. The turnover had decreased further. According to a statement by Ferdinand Pietschmann at the general assembly, an operating profit of 123,000 Mark had nevertheless been made, in contrast to the loss of 23,000 Mark in the year before. The branch in New York had made neither profit nor loss, and a recommendation was made that it should be closed. Its stock had been valued at 72,000 Mark. The volume of manufacture was going to be limited, and the buildings thus not used any more should be let. The mechanical musical instruments were manufactured with profit, but not the cheap products in large quantities.5050 Berlin Stock Exchange Journal, Dec. 1, 1893, morning issue, p. 13, second column.
An article on the musical instrument industry of Vogtland (southwestern part of Saxony, especially in the towns Klingenthal and Markneu.kirchen)5151 Zeitschrift fŸr Instrumentenbau (Leipzig, 1893-1894), p. 749.
appearing in August 1894 in Zeitschrift fŸr Instrumentenbau stated that the sale of mechanical musical instruments with perforated music had not been as expected. In Klingenthal, e.g., the firm F. F. Hess produced the ÒViktoriaÓ-organette,5252 Zeitschrift fŸr Instrumentenbau (Leipzig, 1893-1894), p. 330.
a directly competing instrument for the Pietschmann Cabinet-Manopan. The main reason for the unfavourable situation of the reed instruments was the very strong competition by the instruments with steel combs.
The new 49-page catalogue of Berlin Musical Instruments Factory appear.ing in Autumn 1894 presented as new instruments the Drum-Manopan, the Excelsior-Seraphine (18 notes, 36 reeds), the Motor-Manopan (with hot-air motor, to be discussed in Part III), the Henry-Organ (a big pipe organ with Manopan music, likewise in Part III), a miniature harmonium, and a domestic pipe-organ.5353 Zeitschrift fŸr Instrumentenbau (Leipzig, 1893-1894), p. 897.
Details on the latter two instruments and depictions are given below.
The report on the business year 1893-1894 disclosed a further reduc.tion of the turnover by 110,000 Mark.5454 Berlin Stock Exchange Journal, 26 November 1894, evening issue, p. 7, second column.
This had especially been caused by the shut-down of the branch in New York that had made a turnover of the order of magnitude 200,000 Mark in the previous years. Its stock was sold, at what could only be described as dirt-cheap prices. The branch in New York was completely dissolved, and the still remaining instruments were transferred to a department store to be sold. Loans had to be raised for the development of new products so that the company debt increased by 41,000 Mark. The accumulated loss rose from 79,000 Mark in the previous year to 223,000 Mark in the 1893-1894 year. The accordion factory had been moved out of town in order to save costs. At the general assembly,5555 Berlin Stock Exchange Journal, 30 November 1894, evening issue, p. 3, second column.
the chairman of the supervisory board announced the end of new developments. It was announced that the high demand for the new instrument ÒCoelesta,Ó a disc musical box, could not be met with the present personnel. In the balance sheet5656 Berlin Stock Exchange Journal, 30 November 1894, evening issue, p. 16, fourth column.
there was an item ÒremovalÓ with an amount of 9,000 Mark, caused by the removal of 28 Brunnenstra§e. Yet, the value of the estates and of the mortgage responsibilities were unchanged in comparison to the previous years.
The joint power of representation of the merchant Paul Schaetzell, conferred in August 1893, was finished on Mar. 15, 1895, and conferred to Eugen Vogel5757 Zeitschrift fŸr Instrumentenbau (Leipzig, 1894-1895), p. 525.
who became a member of the management on Jun. 27, 1895.5858 Zeitschrift fŸr Instrumentenbau (Leipzig, 1894-1895), p. 735.
Thus, two directors were again in office after a long time.
Two advertisements in October and November 1894 show novelties of Berlin Musical Instruments Factory at that time. The first advertisement presented only text and reads in English translation:
ÒNovelties in Musical Instruments! Just delivered to the trade:
Accordorgel: 4 octaves compass, similar to the harmonium, however can be learned to play as quickly as the known Accordzither.
Miniature-Harmonium: 3. octaves, common keyboard, cheaper by more than one half of the price of a common harmonium.
Pipe Organ (utility model), called Flutopan, with wooden pipes, no barrel. Plays thousands of musical pieces with the known Manopan music. Cheap and easy to transport.
Henry Organ with 78 wooden pipes for dancing saloons. No barrel, can be played with Manopan music.
Drum-Manopan with drum, bass drum, and bell that are played by the music sheet of the Manopan.
Excelsior-Seraphine: cheapest organette with two reeds per note and long music sheets.
Serinette, cranked pipe organ, plays only the melody, no barrel, plays hundreds of melodies with perforated music. Best bird organ.
Herophon in form of an upright piano. The music sheet is mounted on the rear panel of the instrument.
Music-stand from iron, collapsible, can be carried by hand, serves for storing music for Manopan and Herophon, but simultaneously also as music-stand.
Zither table with resonance chest, feet can be folded up, can be carried by hand as zither case.
Bamboo cane, serves as case for violin bows.
Available in all good shops for musical instruments and at whole.salers of the branch.Ó5959 Zeitschrift fŸr Instrumentenbau (Leipzig, 1894-1895), p. 48.
Among the instruments, there is an ÒAccordorgelÓ (an organ simple to play, equipped with pre-set chords for the accompaniment) in accordance with the published patents and utility models. The miniature harmonium had a compass of 3. chromatic octaves and the two stops Forte and Vox Coelestis.6060 Musik-Instrumenten-Zeitung (Berlin, 1894-95), p. 44.
The percussion instru.ments of the Drum-Manopan were no longer played with knobs, but by the music sheet (utility model DRGM 25710).
The second advertisement is shown in Figure 27. The instruments depicted in Figure 27 appearing from top right to bottom left are the Dolcine, the Manopan, and then the miniature harmonium (the latter identfied by comparison with a larger depiction6161 Musik-Instrumenten-Zeitung (Berlin, 1894-95), p. 44.
). Then follows the Drum-Manopan, in front of the angelÕs feet an accordion, and from the two instruments at the bottom, the one to the right is the ÒMotor-OrchestrionÓ that will be discussed in Part III. The instrument to the left is the pipe organ ÒFlutopan.Ó It has a horizontal support on the rear panel to read the Manopan music. The front is constructed in the design of a street organ with three round-headed windows. The center window shows a rank of pipes. On the left side, a part of the crank can be seen.
The Disc Musical Box Celesta
In the beginning of 1895, the first advertisements for the disc musical box ÒCelestaÓ of Berlin Musical Instruments Factory appeared (Figure 28). Yet neither the report published by Zeitschrift fŸr Instrumentenbau from the Leipzig Easter Fair6262 Zeitschrift fŸr Instrumentenbau (Leipzig, 1894-1895), p. 428.
nor that from the Leipzig Autumn Fair mentioned this new product. Berlin Musical Instruments Factory was obviously not present at the Easter Fair. At the Autumn Fair, its products were present only among the perma.nent sample stock of the Leipzig wholesaler Holzweissig.6363 Zeitschrift fŸr Instrumentenbau (Leipzig, 1894-1895), p. 885.
Musical Instrument Journal however wrote from the Berlin Spring Fair 1895 about the Berlin Musical Instruments Factory:6464 Musik-Instrumenten-Zeitung (Berlin, 1894-95), p. 463.
ÒThe effective novelty ÔCelestaÕ, the newest mechanical musical instru.ment with metal discs of the actively progressing firm was especially remarkable. Its advantages are
1.
The bottom of the Celesta can be taken off with one press so that the mechanics are comfortably accessible from below.
2.
An uncommon resonance is brought about by the special construction.
3.
The decoration of the discs and of the instrument is of artistic beauty.
4.
By a novel treatment of the steel combs the teeth are unbreakable.
5.
The projections of the discs are not punched but stamped, and are therefore likewise unbreakable.
The various models of the ÔCelestaÕ, for instance the Celesta automaton ÔGloriaÕ and the Celesta ÔMusic Cabi.netÕ with their powerful double combs, provide quite a loud, pleasant and full sounding, well arranged music.Ó
With regard to point two of the list of advantages of the Celesta musical box, Musical Instrument Journal wrote in its festive edition for the Berlin Industrial Exposition 1896 that the Celesta had a novel sound that was produced by various resonance devices consisting of double bottom, resonance bridges, and spring-loaded bottom. The mechanism was reported to be mounted on a piano-like reso.nance board without being fixed else.6565 Festive Edition for the Berlin Industrial Exposition 1896 of Musik-Instrumenten-Zei.tung (Berlin, 1896), p. 22.
This resonance board was protected by German utility models (DRGM 26616, DRGM 46298, DRGM 60132). Archives for these before 1934 have not been preserved. In Ferdinand Piet.schmannÕs British patent No. 12027 of 1894 (depatisnet GB000189412027) a corresponding simple resonance board is depicted. A plate-spring that can be turned and thus be removed from its holding slots presses the resonance board against the case. A similar resonance board had been filed by Factory of Leipzig Mechanical Musical Instruments in 1893 (DRP 74650). This board, however, had been slightly bent by long screws fixed to the metal plate carrying the comb. The small upright or wall model of Berlin Musical Instruments Factory (Figure 29) with probably 28.9 centimeter disc diameter,6666 Equivalent with the table model of 28.9 cm disc diameter depicted in Q. David Bowers, The Encyclopedia of Disc Music Boxes (Altona, Canada, 2016), S. 116.
depicted in advertisements of Zeitschrift fŸr Instrumentenbau since October 1895, was a respectable success at the beginning, but it could not compete, for example, with the upright model No. 54 (disc diameter 62 centimeter) launched at the Leipzig Autumn Fair in 1895 by Polyphon.
At the Berlin Autumn Fair 1895, Berlin Musical Instruments Factory exhibited a Celesta instrument with clown which had been filed as utility model (DRGM 41135, 1895).
ÒAt the entrance of the hall, there was a Celesta instrument in an elegant case, whose head-piece with columns surrounded a life-like moulded ÔclownÕ who started his performance when the magnificent instrument was automatically set in motion by insertion of a 5 Pfennig coin. Lowering his head gracefully and with cunningly smiling face, the clown dipped a small tube, which he held with his left hand, in a small pan with soap water standing in front of him, and blew real soap bubbles in the air Ð which could excite the envy of many a boy.Ó6767 Musik-Instrumenten-Zeitung (Berlin, 1893-94), p. 941.
In the patent DRP 82323 (1894) of Berlin Musical Instruments Factory, a new form of projections for disc musical boxes is proposed, and in DRP 82565 (1894) a machine for punching these discs is presented. The projections have the form of a small bridge, lifted out of the disc material in the direction of the disk rotation. These bridges unite seamlessly again with the disc sheet at both their ends. For forming the bridges, the metal must therefore be stretched and thus gets somewhat thinner. First, a bridge in the form of an isosceles triangle is formed in the punch. Immediately thereafter the bridge is reformed in such a way that the front part of the bridge along one fourth of its length runs flush with the disk, while the second fourth protrudes from the disk. For the latter reforming, the material must be stretched again.
The Berlin Musical Instruments Factory balance sheet of the business year 1894-1895 was presented to the supervisory board on Oct. 30, 1895.6868 Berlin Stock Exchange Journal, Oct. 31, 1895, evening issue, p. 3, second column.
The operational loss for the year was 206,000 Mark. Considering the deficit from the previous years, it was decided that a capital cut was needed and an extraordinary general assembly should vote on the proposal immediately after the ordinary general assembly. According to the business report of the manage.ment that was published some days before the general assembly,6969 Berlin Stock Exchange Journal, Nov. 20, 1895, morning issue, third supplement, first page (p. 13), third column.
and according to the report given at the general assembly itself,7070 Berlin Stock Exchange Journal, Nov. 23, 1895, morning issue, second supplement, first page (p. 9), third column.
the reason for the financial loss was a drastic decrease of the turnover in America. Outstanding, but irrecoverable claims in America amounting to 31,000 Mark had to be written off completely, and the remaining stock in New York with outmoded instruments had to be valued less by 21,000 Mark. It was recommended that these instruments be shipped to Berlin. The manufacture of the Unikon (musical box with long strips) had been discontinued, because the instruments revealed defects after longer use. The whole stock of finished and half-finished instruments of this type was written off as a loss. More than 100,000 Mark had been spent for the setting-up of the production-line of the Celesta, yet the orders for this instrument were so extensive that the number of workmen in this department had to be increased to 70 persons. The manufacture of harmonicas did not yield a profit but was necessary for keeping customers.
The immediately following extraor.dinary general assembly had to be adjourned because of the absence of more than a third of the capital, so the planned capital cut could not be approved. A new meeting date was set for Dec. 17 but it had to be cancelled also because the time between the deposition of the shares and the assembly had not been long enough. On Jan. 9, 1896, a more complicated capital measure than a capital cut was accepted and it was thought this new measure would supply the company with fresh capital.7171 Berlin Stock Exchange Journal, Jan. 10, 1896, morning issue, second supplement, first page (p. 9), third column; Feb. 12, 1896, evening issue, p. 15, first column.
There were three possibilities available to the share.holders. They could exchange three old shares of nominal value 1,000 Mark for one preference share with the same nominal value (capital cut 3:1), exchange one old share and 300 Mark cash for one preference share (capital cut 10:7, with subsequent recapitalization), or keep their old shares. The preference shares with three rights of voting per share had to be paid dividends up to 6 percent, and money from potential liquidations up to 100 percent, with first priority. This meant if shareholders decided to keep the old shares they could go away empty-handed if the company failed. The management and the supervisory board hoped to eliminate the deficit of 429,000 Mark and to get fresh money in this fashion. The capital (among the debts in the balance sheet) was reduced by 667 Mark per old share with the first variant. With the second variant, the cash increased by 300 Mark per share. After two prolong.ments of the term for the exchange,7272 Berlin Stock Exchange Journal, Apr. 1, 1896, evening issue, p. 10, first column bottom; Apr. 13, 1896, evening issue, p. 10, first column.
the stock exchange prospectus for the preference shares appeared in the beginning of June 1896.7373 Berlin Stock Exchange Journal, June 5, 1896, evening issue, p. 10.
A total of 579 old shares were reduced to 193 preference shares, 336 shares had been exchanged for preference shares by additionally paying 300 Mark cash per share, and 385 old shares had been kept. This meant (193+336)*3+385=1,972 votes. After deduction of the costs for the capital measure, a book profit of 473,000 Mark resulted.7474 Berlin Stock Exchange Journal, Sept. 29, 1896, evening issue, p. 8, second column.
In the end of 1895, a Celesta disc musical box in form of an historical old-German bay from Nuremberg was marketed7575 Zeitschrift fŸr Instrumentenbau (Leipzig, 1895-1896), p. 251.
(Figure 30) after a corre.sponding utility model had been filed (DRGM 48318).
In a retrospective glance at the year 1895, the redaction of Zeitschrift fŸr Instrumentenbau reported that the known and well-established factories for disc musical boxes could not supply the demand, yet that the trade on the other hand ordered new brands only hesitatingly in order to avoid the establishment of further large stocks of discs.7676 Zeitschrift fŸr Instrumentenbau (Leipzig, 1895-1896), p. 282.
The Berlin Industrial Exposition 1896 had originally been planned as a world exposition, but had been declined by the German Emperor. This did not prevent him from inaugu.rating the exposition on May 1, 1898, with great pomp. The famous Berlin piano manufacturer Carl Bechstein directed the expositionÕs department for musical instruments. Ferdinand Pietschmann acted as vice-secretary.7777 Zeitschrift fŸr Instrumentenbau (Leipzig, 1895-1896), p. 767.
He also was the sole member in the five-member committee for the subdivision string and wind instru.ments and mechanical and automatic musical instruments, who represented the industry of mechanical music. Zeitschrift fŸr Instrumentenbau wrote about the display hosted by Berlin Musical Instruments Factory:7878 Zeitschrift fŸr Instrumentenbau (Leipzig, 1895-1896), p. 880.
ÒThe automatic musical instru.ment ÔCelestaÕ is presented in various models. It is in high demand home and abroad on account of its melo.dious, sweet and yet strong sound. A Celesta with a bajazzo as soap-blower makes great effect. He dips a small tube in a pan held in front of him, puts the tube to his mouth, and soon blows a soap bubble which he repeats in quick succession as long as the music plays. One Celesta case is a highly artful work of genuine Indian kind made from ebony and ivory.
Among the cranked instruments, there are also the ÔHerophonÕ and the ÔManopanÕ in several sizes and furnishings. Furthermore a weight-driven Orchestra-Manopan with drums, bells, and triangle of strong sound, likewise a Concert-Mo.tor of the same kind with coin insert. An Orgue Flutina has a sweet and soft sound generated by the American suction system. The firm has very well solved the task of manufacturing a cheap domestic pipe organ with exchangeable music. It is a splendidly furnished pipe organ with crank that can play pieces from the known program of Manopan music.
A miniature harmonium of good and solid workmanship has a remarkably strong sound with 2 stops and a compass of 3. octaves. The traditional specialty of the firm, the accordions, are very well represented by a collection of specimens.Ó
The Celesta musical box was available with five different disc diameters from 16.5 to 49.8 centi.meters.7979 Q. David Bowers, The Encyclopedia of Disc Music Boxes (Altona, Canada, 2016), p. 116.
The Orchestra-Manopan and the Concert-Motor will still be discussed later, because they were larger Manopan instruments driven by hot-air motor. The Orgue Flutina was a small table instrument that had first been exhibited already at the Leipzig Autumn Fair 1890 (see above). The domestic pipe organ and the minia.ture harmonium can be seen in Figure 27 above that shows the spectrum of products in autumn 1894. Musical Instrument Journal printed a plan of the arrangement of the firms in the hall with the musical instruments in the festive edition for the Berlin Industrial Exposition. The plan shows the position of Berlin Musical Instru.ments Factory at a prominent place in the center of the end of the hall.8080 Festive Edition for the Berlin Industrial Exposition 1896 of Musik-Instrumenten-Zei.tung (Berlin, 1896), p. 2.
The journal reported from this stand:
ÒAlso the older products like ÔHerophonÕ and ÔManopanÕ enjoy a high demand, as does the ÔHarmo.nium-ManopanÕ, which is not only similar to the harmonium in its exterior appearance, but also plays completely like that instrument.Ó8181 Musik-Instrumenten-Zeitung (Berlin, 1896-1897), p. 1.
The Harmonium-Manopan had three rows of 39 harmonium reeds, but only two registers, among them Vox Humana. The volume could be set Òaccording to wishÓ with a Forte stop.8282 Musik-Instrumenten-Zeitung (Berlin, 1894-95), p. 43, with depiction.
The Berlin Musical Instruments Factory report on the business year 1895-1896 said that an operational loss of 114,000 Mark had resulted with a turnover of 646,000 Mark.8383 Berlin Stock Exchange Journal, Sept. 29, 1896, evening issue, p. 8, second column.
This meant a cumulative loss of 112,000 Mark in the balance sheet. The value of the stock had been reduced by 90,000 Mark in comparison to the previous year, and merchandise should only be produced on order. This reduction had obviously only been possible with considerable losses, as in the previous shut-down of the New York branch. As the profit and loss accounts8484 Berlin Stock Exchange Journal, Oct. 3, 1896, evening issue, p. 10, fourth column.
show, the value of the merchandise exceeded the production costs by only 15 percent. To these losses, the costs of sale had to be added with an amount of 80 percent of the production costs. The management thus recommended the liquidation of the company. In the profit and loss accounts, there appears also an amount of 4,306 Mark for the move of the harmonica factory Òfrom Bernau [a small town near Berlin in the countryside] to Berlin.Ó It must probably read Òfrom Berlin to Bernau.Ó
The general assembly on Oct. 2, 1896, elected a revision committee that would give a report to an extraordinary general assembly and should make proposals for the further advance.8585 Berlin Stock Exchange Journal, Oct. 3, 1896, morning issue, p. 9, second column.
The revision committee published its report8686 Berlin Stock Exchange Journal, Oct. 13, 1896, evening issue, p. 7, second column.
on Oct. 13, 1896, stating that management could not be blamed for the losses. It deemed the business would be profitable if the Celesta production was given up, and recommended the liquidation of the current company followed by the formation of a new company with limited liability [GmbH] that should continue the production of other profitable instruments. At the extraordinary general assembly held Oct. 24, 1896, the commercial director, Mr. Vogel, announced that a bank was ready to supply money if a capital cut was performed but indicated the conditions of such a cut were not yet settled. The assembly was adjourned until further negotiations with the bank could be concluded.8787 Berlin Stock Exchange Journal, Oct. 25, 1896, morning issue, p. 13, third column.
1,199 votes (shareholders of 61 percent of the capital) were repre.sented at the extraordinary general assembly on Nov. 19, 1896. Director Vogel declared that the negotiations with the bank had failed because the main shareholder director Pietschmann had declined the conditions. The proposed liquidation of the company was accepted, and liquidators were elected to sell the assets, including the premises by private contract with permission of the supervisory board. Ferdinand Pietschmann was not among the liquidators, because he intended to be a buyer. The factory was reported to be completely busy, and the operation of the firm should be continued.8888 Berlin Stock Exchange Journal, Nov. 20, 1896, morning issue, p. 14, first column.
Part III of this article will appear in the September/October 2023 issue of Mechanical Music. Part I of the article can be found in the May/June 2023 issue.
Figure 17: Obituary for Carl Pietschmann11 Berlin Daily, Jan. 10, 1892, morning issue, fourth page, second column. If the statement of 30 yearsÕ activity in the firm has to be taken literally, Carl Pietschmann must have been active already in the firm of his mother in Neue Kšnigstra§e.
(Berlin State Library Ð Prussian Cultural Possessions).
ÒObituary! On the 7th of this month our revered colleague and chief, director Carl Pietschmann, passed away after a long and severe illness at the age of 49. We are losing a member of our admin.istration who has excelled in energy and knowledge, and a chief with affable and humane character. He enjoyed the general respect, love, and esteem of all those closely connected with him during his activity of 30 years in our factory. Berlin, 10 January 1892. The board of directors and the clerks of Berlin Musical Instruments Factory Inc., formerly Ch. F. Pietschmann & Sons.Ó
Figure 18: View of the Berlin Musical Instruments Factory published in 189611 Festive Edition for the Berlin Industrial Exposition 1896 [Festausgabe 1896 zur Berliner Gewerbeausstellung] of Musical Instrument Journal [Musik-Instrumenten-Zeitung] (Berlin, 1896), p. 22.
(Berlin State Library Ð Prussian Cultural Possessions, Music Department with Mendelssohn Archive).
Figure 19: The ÒSeraphineÓ by Berlin Musical Instruments Factory.11 Ernst Holzweissig Nachf., Engros-Preisliste Ÿber Musikwerke [Wholesale Price List for Mechanical Musical Instruments] (Leipzig, 1898), p.142.
The instrument was protected by the Pietschmann patent DRP 50193 (1889). The music strip was moved forward between two rubber barrels of small diameter. This drive, which avoided a worm-gear for the strip advancement necessary with thick barrels, was improved in patent DRP 59175 (1891) by a third free-running barrel for pressing down the strip onto the keys.
Figure 20: Ferdinand Pietschmann11 Festive Edition for the Berlin Industrial Exposition 1896 of Musical Instrument Journal (Berlin, 1896), p. 7.
(State Library of Berlin Ð Prussian Cultural Possessions, Music Department with Mendelssohn Archive).
Figure 21: Improved patent for musical boxes with steel comb by Berlin Musical Instruments Factory (DRP 62275, 1891). Deutsches Patent- und Markenamt [German Patent Office] Munich, online at https://depatisnet.dpma.de/DepatisNet/.
Explanation of Figure 21 from the German patent specification DRP 62275 (1891): A tooth k of the comb is plucked at the end of a perforation when the key b is pressed out of the perforation by the music sheet. The main problem is, how the plucking tip f (below the tooth) can be drawn off the tooth tip in order not to touch it when the key engages the perforation, and to shift the plucking tip back ready to sound the next note before the key leaves the perforation. The plucker c forks at its right end into the plucking tip f and the damper (above the tooth). The plucker is mounted on the key b by the pluckerÕs two rectangular holes into which two pins fastened on the key protrude in such a way, that the plucker must follow the tilting motion of the key but can move simultaneously along the pins, i.e. along the key. One of the pins is the pivot of the key and mounted on the center of the bridge a. An arm l fixed at the plucker follows the tilting motion of the key. When the key moves clockwise, i.e. into a perforation, the arm l stops at the left leg of the bridge, shifting the plucker to the right on further tilting of the key so that it dampens the tooth, and is able to later pluck it. This is the position shown in Figure 21. When the key is tilted back counter.clockwise at the end of the perforation, because its tip b is pressed under the music sheet, the tooth is plucked with the tip f. On descending of the key, the arm l stops at the right leg of the bridge thus shifting the plucker away from the tooth k. The spring i both presses the key against the music sheet and stabilizes the position of the plucker with respect to the key. When a new music sheet is inserted, all keys can be lowered and all pluckers drawn away from the teeth of the comb by pressing down the lever y whose shaft yL engages the pockets of all hooks x.
Figure 22: The musical box ÒUnikonÓ with book music from metal.11 Zeitschrift fŸr Instrumentenbau (Leipzig, 1894-1895), p. 48.
(Bayerische Staatsbibliothek [Bavarian State Library, Munich], https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/).
ÒUnikon, first and eldest musical box with exchangeable long music sheets (fre.quently improved) with unlimited time of playing. In addition, endless cheap music sheets of cardboard or metal (DRP 70177). The only existing music from metal in book form. The ÒUnikonÓ plays complete overtures, medleys, opera melodies etc. Uncommon durability of the steel combs, powerful sound, elegant execution. General distribution: Plato & Co., Berlin SO., Kšpnickerstr. 106.Ó
Figure 23: The Unikon with open lid.11 Zeitschrift fŸr Instrumentenbau (Leipzig, 1894-1895), p. 98.
(Bayerische Staatsbibliothek [Bavarian State Library, Munich], https://creative.commons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/).
The text of the advertisement is identical with that of Figure 22. A fine full-page photo of an extant opened Unikon musi.cal box can be found in a book by Arthur Ord-Hume.22 Arthur W.J.G. Ord-Hume, The Musical Box, A Guide for Collectors (Atglen, 1995), p. 245.
A few small images are also presented in the book on disc musical boxes by Kevin McElhone.33 Kevin A. McElhone, The Disc Musical Box (The Musical Box Society of Great Britain, 2012), p. 86, 170, 283, 427.
Figure 24: Two damping mechanisms of the patent DRP 69016 (1892). Figure taken from the patents of German Patent Office online.
Explanation of Figure 24 from the German patent specification DRP 69016 (1892): In the upper part of Figure 24, the shaft of the star wheels B is pivot of the dampers s in form of two-arm levers. A spring i loosely protrudes into the opening at the left end of the damper s holding the damper tip h above the tooth f of the comb. When the star wheel is turned by the music sheet C, one of the teeth of the star wheel comes into contact with the spring i and presses it upwards which makes the damper tip h touch the tooth of the comb. Still before the next tooth of the star wheel reaches the tooth of the comb, the spring i falls back into its normal position by the turning of the star wheel thus ending the damping. In the lower part of Figure 24 with the other mechanism of damping, the damper k can be shifted horizontally to the right by the spring o. Yet this is normally prevented by a tooth of the star wheel which is in contact with the platelet b fixed at the damper. When the tooth of the star wheel leaves the platelet upwards, the damping happens, and is finished again shortly before the plucking of the comb tooth by another tooth of the star wheel contacting the platelet b.
Figure 25: The Drum-Manopan with buttons for playing the percussion instruments.11 Zeitschrift fŸr Instrumentenbau (Leipzig, 1893-1894), p. 41.
(Bayerische Staatsbibliothek [Bavarian State Library, Munich], https://creativecom.mons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/).
ÒNew! Manopan with orchestral accompaniment (drum, tympani [actually bass drum], bell). In two sizes. Novel! The three accompanying instruments are played with the left hand by means of buttons thus providing a variation of the music. Berlin Musical Instruments Factory formerly Ch. F. Pietschmann & Sons.Ó
Figure 26: An advertisement for the new organette Dolcine and the big organ cabinet.11 Zeitschrift fŸr Instrumentenbau (Leipzig, 1893-1894), p. 45.
(Bayerische Staatsbibliothek [Bavarian State Library, Munich], https://cre.ativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/).
ÒNew! Dolcine. Miniature cranked organ with undestructible mechanism and steel notes (cannot be delivered directly to France, Russia, and England because of con.tracts). Playable with cardboard music.
Berlin Musical Instruments Factory Inc. formerly Ch. F. Pietschmann & Sons, Berlin Brunnenstr. 28a Ð New York Chambers Street 91. First and greatest factory of musical instruments with steam power. Delivers all kinds of musical instruments for lowest prices. Specialty: accordeons, organettes called Herophon, Manopan, Seraphine. Export to all countries. Catalogues for retailers free.
New! Herophonette No. II cheapest organette with two reeds per note. Patented metallic music sheets in elegant design for Herophon, Herophonette, and Unikon.
Organ in cabinet form, height 2 meter, played by Manopan music. 78 tall wooden pipes. Perfectly replaces small church organs. Price per instrument 350 Mark.Ó
Figure 27: A part of the spectrum of products in autumn 1894 in pictures.11 Zeitschrift fŸr Instrumentenbau (Leipzig, 1894-1895), p. 119.
(Bayerische Staatsbibliothek [Bavarian State Library, Munich], https://creativecom.mons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/).
ÒJust delivered to the trade. Novelties in musical instruments. Just delivered to the trade.Ó
[The text characterising the instruments is identical to that of the text-only adver.tisement of the same time quoted above, with the following additions:]
Accordorgel: É Òwith one or two reeds per note.Ó Henry Organ: É Òalso with motor.Ó
ÒAvailable in all good shops for musical instruments and at wholesalers of the branch.Ó
Figure 28: Advertisement for the disc musical box Celesta of Berlin Musical Instruments Factory.11 Zeitschrift fŸr Instrumentenbau (Leipzig, 1894-1895), p. 316.
(Bayerische Staatsbibliothek [Bavarian State Library, Munich], https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/).
ÒCelesta, newest patented musical box. Very latest mechanical musical instru.ment with unbreakable steel combs and metal discs. Up to now unreached, surprisingly full sound, simplest con.struction. Patented resonance bottom that can be removed by one press, and thus makes the interior of the instrument accessible. Price low in comparison to all similar instruments. Request pro.spectus. Berlin Musical Instruments Factory Inc. formerly Ch. F. Pietschmann & Sšhne.Ó
Figure: 29: Disc Musical Box Celesta of Berlin Musical Instruments Factory.11 Zeitschrift fŸr Instrumentenbau (Leipzig, 1895-1896), p. 19.
(Bayerische Staatsbibliothek [Bavarian State Library, Munich], https://creativecom.mons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/).
ÒCelesta. Newest self-playing mechanical musical instrument, patented in various states, with unbreakable É [The remaining text is identical to that in Figure 28 with the addition in small type after the text:] Ð Cases in various tasteful designs22 The photo of a small extant Celesta musical box with an attractive lid picture can be found as cover image of the September/October 2018 issue of Mechanical Music, vol. 64, No. 5 (The Musical Box Society International), being a part of an article by Steve Boehck, entitled ÒArt-Cased Disc Musical BoxesÓ in the same issue, pages 22-43.
, [and at the end:] Berlin N., Brunnen-Stra§e 25. Eldest factory for accordions and mechani.cal instruments, like Manopan, Herophon etc.Ó
Figure 30: Celesta disc musical box in form of a Nuremberg bay.11 Zeitschrift fŸr Instrumentenbau (Leipzig, 1895-1896), p. 190.
(Bayerische Staatsbibliothek [Bavarian State Library, Munich], https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/). The text is identical to that of Fig. 29.
The Hunt
Story by Linda Friedenthal, Photos by Sanford and Linda Friedenthal
Column Graphic by Mary Clegg
This is a story about how we ÒdiscoveredÓ music boxes in an amaz.ing coincidence. It was the 1970s. Sanford and I were newly married and living in Southern California. He worked about 45 minutes from where we lived. I was a sales representative and happened to have an appointment not far from his office. I arrived about an hour before my appointment and decided to go into an antique store in the area which I had not been to before. I was looking at various items when I came across a beautiful music box with the inlay of a lion on the lid. I planned to go home and tell Sanford about my find.
He walked in later that evening and said he had something special he wanted to show me. It was the exact same music box I had seen that afternoon. Antique stores were not something that we normally spent our time pursuing so he had never gone into that store. It was such an amazing coincidence!
We no longer have any pictures of the first music box that we purchased, but it had several broken teeth. In order to learn more about music boxes, we joined the Southern Cali.fornia Chapter of MBSI and became friendly with Richard Baker who had an excellent reputation for music box repair. He provided some guidance on how to repin the music box. After repining the first couple of inches of the cylinder, I realized that I did not have the fortitude to complete the entire cylinder. As I recall, we ended up trading the lion box for another music box.
We do still have the second music box we purchased at another antique store in Studio City, CA, in the 1970s. It is an eight-tune Mermod Frres with a beautiful selection of tunes including a selection from the opera ÒBarber of SevilleÓ and ÒAmerica.Ó
Over the years we collected both cylinder and disc boxes. We purchased boxes while traveling in Scotland, Germany, and France, as well as across the United States. We have a Nicole Frres overture music box and an old keywind music box with segmented comb, two teeth per segment, dating to about 1815-1820, We also have an interchangeable organ box, a mandoline box, and Stella, Mira, and Olympia disc boxes. We have many other collectibles including an Edison cylinder phonograph, and a pianola.
Our interest in music boxes resulted in some very interesting experiences. For example, I sold laboratory equip.ment to research labs. Our first time in Scotland, we went into a shop that sold antique scientific equipment. The owner of the shop also had an interest in music boxes and had quite a collec.tion. He invited us to his ÒcastleÓ that he had purchased 20 years earlier. He served us dinner in the castle dining room and played a huge orchestrion that he had recently restored. We ended up purchasing an overture box from him. He also had an amazing collection of original televisions dating back to the 1920s.
We also had the opportunity to visit Chet Ramsey and his wife over the years at their old farm home near Coatesville, PA. Chet would take us into his workshop where he repaired a few of our music boxes. We also attended a couple of the RamseysÕ annual Tailgate and Swap Meets. I was saddened to read in the last issue of Mechanical Music that he passed away last November.
We now have three granddaughters. A highlight for them is our Swiss musical chair. We love seeing their faces when we play the sweet tune of ÒEdelweiss.Ó
My in-laws were avid clock collec.tors. When they moved out of their house in Carlsbad, CA, there was a grandfather clock with an organ and little soldier automaton at the top that Sanford loved. His parents sent it back east to our house but it was in disrepair when we received it. We were able to locate a clock shop in Hagerstown, MD, that was able to fully restore the clock and organ. The shop is owned by a Mennonite family that has done clock repair dating back generations.
The second music box, a Mermod Frres, that the authors purchased in the 1970s.
A Nicole Frres overture box in the FriedenthalsÕ collection.
An interchangeable organ music box.
A grandfather clock with organ that the Friedenthals inherited and had restored.
A mandoline cylinder music box on display at the FriedenthalsÕ home.
A Swiss musical chair that plays ÒEdelweiss.Ó
A keywind cylinder box the authors think was made circa 1815.
Community Collections Outreach
By Al and Mary Zamba
Photo by Robin Wuchina
On March 25 through April 8 a special event of community collec.tions was held at the Harmony Museum in Harmony, PA. Among the 13 collections exhibited, I displayed a collection of musical boxes ranging from some early musical boxes in the industry to more modern versions. Among the 15 items shown were a snuff box; an early plain fruitwood sectional-comb box; some Symphon.ion mechanical musical childÕs toys; a Regina childÕs bank; a Regina gum dispenser; a dancing-doll station box; and a musical decanter. There was also a continuing video which showed each item playing a tune along with a narrative describing the box.
In 1804 there was a religious separatist group that emigrated from Iptingen, Germany, to settle in Harmony, PA. It was the first of three such settlements. These were an industrious and hard-working group of people living in a communal society. They believed in the second coming of Christ and took care of one another in harmony, thus the town was named Harmony.
The idea of the exhibit was to broaden awareness of the museum and share a wide variety of collec.tions from the community. This was achieved from the number of people who attended. My being on hand during some museum hours to answer questions and demonstrate the boxes helped to enhance the visitorsÕ expe.rience. Everyone enjoyed the exhibit and the musical display.
MBSI has learned the following members or former members of the society have now passed on.
¥
Mike Perry of Marion, OH
¥
Donald Wayne Edmonston of Windermere, FL
¥
Robert (Bob) Lloyd of
Jacksonville, FL
Our deepest condolences are offered to their friends and families.
National Capital Chapter
Chapter Chair: Ken Gordon
Reporters: Donna and Gene Borrelli
Photographers: Gene Borrelli and
Paul Senger
Apr. 16, 2023 Ð Pasadena, MD
The National Capital Chapter held its Spring business meeting on Sunday, Apr. 16, at the home of Robert Barnett and Bob Zuern in Pasadena, MD. Thir.ty-nine people attended, including 10 guests. Chapter President Ken Gordon thanked our hosts and welcomed everyone to the chapterÕs Spring meet.ing. A special thank you was delivered to Paul Senger for all the work he does for the chapter, especially as he does not hold an elected position.
A warm welcome was offered to the Hardmans who announced that their Wurlitzer Theater Organ has found a new home at Dominican University in Columbus, OH. The building that will house the organ was purposely built for an organ including two pipe chambers, but never was an organ available until now. The organ has been delivered and the Hardmans plan to put their home in Great Falls, VA, on the market soon.
Ken and Paul welcomed Bob Schmitz to his first meeting. They also welcomed the guests of Bob Barnett who are members of the Antique Phonograph Society. Bob announced that one of his guests, David Giovannoni, using high-definition photography, had succeeded in trans.ferring the paper sound recordings of Edouard-Leon Scott De Martinville to a 7-inch Flexi Disc from the original paper storage medium in 2007. They were able to listen to recordings that predate Thomas EdisonÕs work by approximately 20 years.
Paul announced that the C&O Canal meeting would be Sunday, May 28. It was also noted that this will be the chapterÕs 25th performance.
Following the business meeting, host Bob Barnett gave us a tour of his collection. It includes a restored Mermod Frres Ideal Sublime Bell, Drum and Castanets music box, Regina Corona 27-inch changer, Polyphon and Regina 151/2-inch boxes, several Reginaphones of different sizes, including a restored 203/4-inch desk model in oak. Also in the collec.tion are many Edison and Victor cylinder and disc machines and early record-changer consoles.
Many members felt it was fasci.nating to see the early mechanized and somewhat elaborate attempts to develop what we all now recognize as a record changer. Some of the changers took a record from the top of a stack and some from the bottom. After transferring it to the turntable to be played, the record would be lifted from the turntable and slid into a stack of records that had already been played.
Robert Barnett demonstrates a rare Regina Music Desk with a beautiful horn.
A Mermod Frres Ideal Sublime bell, drum and castanets cylinder music box on display during the meeting.
This is a remote control for the Automatic Gramophone Changer.
An Automatic Gramophone Changer is demonstrated by Robert Barnett.
The coin box for the Capehart Orchestrope.
Ken Gordon and Knowles Little learn about a phonograph from a phonograph enthusiast.
Ken Gordon conducts the business meeting. As always we had plenty of goodies to nibble on.
Knowles Little, Matt Jaro and Paul Senger taking in all the phonographs. Notice the stained glass. The pattern matches the pattern on the wall paper and ceiling.
Robert Barnett, Paul Senger and Mary Patrick doing registra.tion and visiting before lunch.
Mildred and Jack Hardman get a special thank you. They have found a new home for their organ and are one step closer to moving to Oregon.
Chapter members enjoy lunch outside. Our host, Bob Zuern, is in the center in the dark red shirt.
A 27-inch Regina changer in Bob ZuernÕs collection.
Laura Bates checks out BobÕs miniature horse.
National Capital Chapter
Chapter Chair: Ken Gordon
Reporter: Paul Senger
Photographers: Knowles, Ginny and Brian Little, Paul Senger, Ken Gordon
May 28, 2023 Ð Potomac, MD
The National Capital Chapter (NCC) held its 25th Annual Organ Grind and Music Box Demonstration at the Chesapeake and Ohio (C&O) Canal National Historic Park overlooking the Great Falls of the Potomac. We added to the festivities of the Art in the Park at Great Falls Tavern May event. This was a long-awaited milestone after multiple prior cancellations caused by the COVID pandemic. Nineteen members attended.
The weather was partially cloudy, with temperatures in the 70s, with just a few sprinkles. This was a welcome change since in many years past we have faced sweltering weather while participating in this event.
Terry and Jan Bender, who hosted the first rally on Jun. 23, 1996, demon.strated their R20/78 Konzertorgel custom ÒOriginal Raffin,Ó with six melody stops with tenor and bass accompaniment. They had a monkey marionette and action birds to enter.tain the kids. We were honored to have Jack and Mildred Hardman once again present with their JŠger & Brommer 20-note organ. The belt on their organ broke before the rally, but Dick Hack was able to make an emergency fix days before the rally.
Cheryl and Dick Hack demon.strated their Arthur Prinsen 32-pipe book-playing organ on wheels. They let many visitors from young to old play the organ. ItÕs always fun to watch the book music go through the organ.
Paul Senger brought his 20-note John Smith organ that he made 20 years ago: and which still functions well. Kids who played the organ got an official organ grinder certificate. Paul also brought some small organs including a circa-1790 serinette and his childhood Jack-in-the-Box. It has survived chapter rallies for nearly 15 years.
Ginny and Brian Little manned the Touch Table, with lots of mechanical music toys and small instruments for the kids to play with. This is always our favorite exhibit and attracts lots of families. Knowles Little brought his 1906 15.-inch Regina disc music box and a poster with a history of mechanical music. Joe Orens and Florie Hirsch brought their Hofbauer TanzbŠr 20-note accordion. With a top hat and formal attire, JoeÕs playing is so realistic he is often asked to play a special request. Richard Simpson was our Jack-of-All-Trades, helping others set up and tear down displays and demonstrating all the instruments to visitors. He is always a big help to all of us, traveling from Pennsylvania to attend. Chapter Chair Ken Gordon demonstrated instruments, explained mechanical music and organized our group picture.
We had a surprise visit from the Perskys: local members Susan Persky, Todd Hyman, and kids Zeke, Felix and Spencer Persky-Hyman. The kids had a great time trying everybodyÕs organs and organettes.
Our National Park Service contact Ranger Amanda Zimmerman thanked us for our performance.
Our chapterÕs thanks go out to every.body who came Sunday to display the instruments of our hobby and cele.brate the chapterÕs 25th anniversary. These have been great opportunities to bring mechanical music and joy to so many people.
Florie Hirsch, Ken Gordon and Jan Bender welcome visitors at the entrance.
Cheryl Hack instructs a visitor trying his hand cranking the Prinsen organ. He found it was hard work.
A group of young women learns what it takes to play the Prinsen organ.
Terry Bender on his Raffin organ with his facinating monkey marionette and action birds.
Mildred Hardman cranks out a tune on the JŠger & Brommer 20-note organ.
Paul Senger plays his John Smith Busker organ.
Brian and Ginny Little at the Touch Table ready for some more kids.
Ginny Little oversees the Touch Table. Visitors get to play the assortment of mechan.ical music toys.
Chapter members pose for a group photo to commemorate the 25th performance at the C&O Canal.
Felix Persky-Harman plays the HardmanÕs barrel organ as Todd (back), Spencer, Susan and Zeke look on.
Richard Simpson and Knowles Little ready to demonstrate the 15.-inch Regina.
Ken Gordon, the Hardmans, the Hacks and Richard Simpson get together in the shade for a chat as the day winds down.
Visitors play the GEM roller organ.
Joe Orens and Florie Hirsch entertained with their Hofbauer TanzbŠr 20-note accordion.
Mildred and Jack Hardman enjoying the beautiful day.
Golden Gate Chapter
Chapter Chair: Judy Caletti
Reporter: David Corkrum
Photographer: Bob Caletti
May 7, 2023 Ñ Menlo Park, CA
The Golden Gate Chapter held its second meeting of the year at the home of Judy and Bob Caletti. The chapter was joined by the Founding Chapter of the Automatic Musical Instrument CollectorsÕ Association. Fifteen members attended. Our hosts provided a main course of roast chicken breasts. The attendees augmented this with an assortment of salads and side dishes and desserts.
The members were entertained by a large assortment of instruments in the CalettisÕ collection, including a Seeburg H located in our hostsÕ bedroom. I once asked Judy how she slept with Bob playing this instrument at all hours. She stated she slept just fine. Other instruments included a Symphonion Eroica disc box, a Cremona K orchestrion, a 15.-inch Regina changer in an art-glass case with a clock in the pediment, and a Knabe Ampico Grand in an art case.
Bob has two workshops, one in the basement and the other in a shed adjacent to the basement where Bob demonstrated the newest addition to his collection of tools, a Wazer waterjet cutting machine capable of cutting metal or any other material using a focused high-velocity water jet containing abrasive particles.
Dianne Field brought some items for sale from the estate of her late husband, Dr. John Field. A mart had been set up for this meeting and other members brought items to sell. Dave Corkrum brought along some table favors from the 2022 meeting to sell.
A business meeting was held, headed by Chapter Chair Judy Caletti, and there was some discussion about holding a meeting in October at MusŽe MŽchanique located in San Francisco, CA. Dan Zelinsky, the owner and member of the chapter, had extended an invitation for the chapter to come to his place of business. He is usually working when we have meetings and thought this would be a great way for him to attend.
It was a beautiful day in Menlo Park, CA, and this reporter felt that every.one had a great time.
Bob Gonzales and Matt Bjork enjoying the Seeburg H in the CalettisÕ bedroom.
Darryl Coe, Philip Strauss, Richard Hughes, Bob Gonzales and Matt Bjork listening to a 27-inch Symphonion with 12 Bells.
Bob Caletti welcomes members to his workshop in the basement of his home.
David Corkrum and Judy Caletti conduct the chapter business meeting.
Jonathan Hoyt with a 27-inch Regina changer.
Richard Hughes, Darryl Coe, Mark Williams, Russ Kriegel and Matt Bjork listening to the Banjo-Orchestra.
Marc Williams, Jared DiBartolomeo, Fred Deal and Bob Caletti listening to the Knabe Ampico grand piano in the CalettisÕ living room.
Lyle Merithew, Bob Caletti and Fred Deal with the 15.-inch Regina changer.
Southern California Chapter
Chapter Chair: Robin Biggins
Reporter: Robin Biggins
Photographer: Lowell Boehland
May 21, 2023 Ñ Palos Verdes Estates, CA
Mark and Gale WeberÕs collection includes phonographs, music boxes, organs, automata, and vintage magic lanterns along with many other inter.esting items collected over the years. Mark is also an amateur furniture maker and has many award-winning pieces that he made in his home workshop.
The highlight of Mark and GaleÕs collection is their replica of a Belgium dance hall organ in the style of Mortier. The organ plays 322 pipes plus several hundred digitally-sampled virtual pipes that can play in conjunction with the real pipes. The organ plays from a balcony above the kitchen area. The pipe chamber is located in the attic, and there is an attic room where the organ presents itself as a residence organ from the 1920s, complete with an original Robert Morton console from the Wilshire Ebell theater. Mark and Gale designed the organ and constructed it from parts gifted, scav.enged, or purposely built by Mark.
During the day, chapter members were entertained by the Philipps PC 10 Orchestrion with violin pipes, and several engaging automata. Some members sang the lyrics to a tune played on a Concert Roller Organ while others listened to a rare mando.line-expression musical box by Henri Joseph LeCoultre-Duperrut that was built circa 1845. The expression in that particlar music box is achieved by pinning long and short pins onto the 13-inch cylinder.
A monkey violin-player automaton made by J. Phalibois, Paris, France, was a real crowd-pleaser. Another complicated automated scene by Alexandre ThŽroude displays a monkey magician and two musicians. There are 18 separate movements made by this piece. Other items in the Weber collection included a Pathex motion picture projector developed in 1922, a Polyphon Tempo Regula.tor, and Magic Lanterns, which use transparent plates of painted, printed or photographically generated images using lenses and a light source.
It was a wonderful meeting, and we all enjoyed the generosity and hospi.tality of our hosts.
The music room entrance to the patio.
Our hosts, Mark and Gale Weber.
Sonja Johnson, Ken Rosen, Mark Weber and David Frank enjoy the Alexandre ThŽroude magician automaton.
Jerry Kaliser and Robin Biggins view two other automata.
Robin demonstrates the LeCoultre cylinder musical box, near the Phalibois automaton. Dennis and Camille Tynes and Jerry Kaliser relax on the couch.
Ken Rosen, Mark Weber, David Frank and Frank Nix play the Ferdinand Molzer organ.
David Frank enjoys the Weber residence organ.
Robin Biggins and Gale Weber discuss a roller organ.
The 27-inch Regina dragon-front disc music box.
The organ loft above the kitchen.
Some of the early projection items on display.
Food was enjoyed by all.
Examining one of the Praxinoscopes.
Robin Biggins conducts the chapter business meeting.
Everyone gathered for a group photo on the patio.
Lake Michigan Chapter
A SoirŽe at the Sanfilippo Estate
Chapter Chair: Mark Pichla
Reporter: Marty Persky
Photographer: Ken Walczak
May 27, 2023 Ñ Barrington Hills, IL
The Lake Michigan Chapter held what was billed as a ÒSoirŽe at the Sanfilippo EstateÓ this past Memorial Day weekend. Invites were extended to groups outside the Musical Box Society International. The 150 guests in attendance included members from the Automatic Musical Instrument CollectorsÕ Association, Carousel Organ Association of America, Amer.ican Theatre Organ Society, and Silent Film Society of Chicago.
As the doors to the grand foyer opened, guests were greeted with music of the 100-key Imhof Mukle barrel orchestrion.
James Huffer and Beverly Chat.field registered guests for the event. Sanfilippo Foundation docents and several chapter members played instruments throughout the house and theater on all levels. The Parisian Streetscape of Perfume Passage (www.perfumepassage.org) was open for viewing. On either side of this display are beautiful art-nou.veau-styled perfume shop windows. Through the storefronts you can view a fully restored 1890s apothecary and ice cream parlor. It is just one part of an 8,000 square foot addition to the Sanfilippo collection.
Experts from the Illinois Railway Museum had serviced the steam engines below the theater and came out to demonstrate them for us. Regu.lation of the engines enabled all to be run simultaneously, something we had not seen in the past.
The 5/80 Wurlitzer theater organ chambers were toured in groups of 20 at a time. At 5 p.m., Sanfilippo Foun.dation Director Greg Leifel welcomed us in the theater. ChicagoÕs foremost photoplay organist, Jay Warren, started his program riding the console up to the stage as he played the King Kong March. Jay accompanied Buster KeatonÕs 1925 classic film, ÒSeven Chances,Ó which was a hit with the audience. Jay had his version edited to fit our schedule so it was more precisely ÒFive Chances,Ó but nobody counted.
Then it was on to the Carousel Pavilion for a social hour with music, wine and soft drinks plus five tables of Mini-Mart items in the steam engine gallery. A new opening between the carousel pavilion and the steam engine gallery permitted easy access to the minimart.
At 7:15 p.m., tables were called two at a time for the buffet dinner of Chicken Kiev and chef-carved roast beef. Due to an issue with one of the organs on a common blower, several organs in the carousel pavilion could not be played. Fortunately, there was no shortage of organ music. Dessert was followed by a concert with most of the big fair organs up front.
The Eden Palais salon carousel with its galloping horses, rocking gondolas and 89-key Gavioli was fired up with rides for all. At the eveningÕs end, Ò76 Trombones in the Big ParadeÓ was played on the 110-key Gavioli as the last of us marched out to our cars.
Jerry Biasella discusses the Double Violano with visitors.
Beverly Chatfield and James Huffer registering guests.
Ken Walczak at the Banjo Orchestra.
The Illinois Railway Museum volunteers who operated the steam engines for the day.
Marty Persky checking on steam engines operation.
Bear Schultz playing instruments in the saloon.
Playing the Imhof Mukle orchestrion.
Organist Jay Warren with the Wurlitzer Console.
Guests enjoy the 115-key Mortier dance hall organ from the stairs.
FOR SALE
RESTORED MUSICAL BOXES Offering a variety of antique musical boxes, discs, orphan cylinders, reproducing piano rolls & out of print books about mechanical music. BILL WINEBURGH 973-927-0484 Web: antiquemusicbox.us
THE GOLDEN AGE of AUTOMATIC MUSI.CAL INSTRUMENTS By ART REBLITZ. Award-winning classic that brings historical, musical, and technical information to life with hundreds of large, vivid color photos. We guarantee youÕll find it to be one of the most interesting, inspiring, informative books you have in your libraryÐor your money back. Everyone has been delighted, and some readers have ordered several copies. Get your copy today for $99 plus S/H. MECHANI.CAL MUSIC PRESS-M, 70 Wild Ammonoosuc Rd., Woodsville, NH 03785. (603) 747-2636.
http://www.mechanicalmusicpress.com
REGINA 27 IN CASKET MODEL. Totally restored by Porter in Oct 2020. With ten new discs from England. Needs nothing, as new. Amazing sound and volume. Sitka Spruce sound board. Make offer. Contact JOHN LEUENBERGER, at jeleuen@gmail.com or 850 218 4800
PAILLARD INTERCHANGEABLE CYLINDER BOX with 6 cylinders, 6 tuned bells, fitted on original table. This instrument is in excellent mechanical condition and sounds beautiful. Price: $22,500. Contact JOSEPH SIGMON, at jkentsigmon@gmail.com or 828.381.9048
MARVELS OF MECHANICAL MUSIC – MBSI Video. Fascinating and beautifully-made film which explains the origins of automatic musical instruments, how they are collected and preserved today, and their historic importance, MBSI members and collections are featured. $20 USD. Free shipping in the continental U.S. Additional postage charges apply for other locations. Purchase now at www.mbsi.org
THE MARTTHE MART
CLASSIFIED ADS
¥ 47¢ per word
¥ ALL CAPS, italicized and bold words: 60¢ each.
¥ Minimum Charge: $11 per ad.
¥ Limit: One ad in each category
¥ Format: See ads for style
¥ Restrictions: Ads are strictly limited to mechanical musical instruments and related items and services
¥ MBSI memberÕs name must appear in ad
¥ Non-members may advertise at the rates listed plus a 10% surcharge
PLEASE NOTE:
The first two words (or more at your choice) and the memberÕs name will be printed in all caps/bold and charged at 60¢ per word.
Mechanical Music
Mechanical Music is mailed to all members at the beginning of every odd month Ñ January, March, May, July, September and November.
MBSI Advertising Statement
It is to be hereby understood that the placing of advertisements by members of the Society in this publication does not constitute nor shall be deemed to constitute any endorsement or approval of the busi.ness 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 busi.ness dealings with said advertisers.
ALL ADS MUST BE PREPAID
We accept VISA/MC and PayPal.
ADVERTISING SPECS:
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.
Photos are only $30 extra per issue. Email editor@mbsi.org or
call (253) 228-1634 for more details.
SERVICES
REPRODUCTION POLYPHON discs; Cata.logs available for 19 5/8Ó, 22 1/8Ó, and 24 1/2Ó. DAVID CORKRUM 5826 Roberts Ave, Oakland, CA 94605-1156, 510-569-3110,
www.polyphonmusic.com
SAVE $Õs on REUGE & THORENS MUSIC BOX REPAIR & RESTORATION Ð MBSI MEMBERS RECEIVE WHOLESALE PRICING. 40 + Years experience servicing all makes & models of cylinder and disc music boxes, bird boxes, bird cages, musical watches, Anri musical figurines, et al. All work guaranteed. WeÕre the only REUGE FACTORY AUTHORIZED Parts & Repair Service Center for all of North America. Contact: DON CAINE – The Music Box Repair Center Unlimited, 24703 Pennsyl.vania Ave., Lomita, CA 90717-1516. Phone: (310) 534-1557 Email: MBRCU@AOL.COM. On the Web: www.musicboxrepaircenter.com
NEW WEBSITE DEDICATED TO VIOLANO VIRTUOSO PRESERVATION Ð www.Viola.noPreservation.com features historic photos and original advertising and promotional materials from Mills Novelty, as well as the transcript and audio of Don BarrÕs interview with Bert Mills. Site also features restored Violanos for sale along with rolls and acces.sories. Contact JOHN ZUK, at coinopgeek@gmail.com or 626-840-4241
Display Advertisers
2……….Renaissance Antiques
54……..Golden Gate Chapter
55……..Porter Music Box Company
56……..Steve & Jere Ryder
56……..Automata Magazine
56……..American Treasure Tour
57……..John Luenberger
58 …….Miller Organ & Clockworks
58……..MBSGB
59……..Stanton Auctions
60……..Snowbelt Chapter
61……..Nancy Fratti Music Boxes
63……..Music Box Restorations
68……..Marty Persky Music Boxes
ORDER EXTRA COPIES
The 2022-2023 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
Display Advertising Dimensions and Costs
Dimensions
1 issue
3 issues*
6 issues*
Back Cover
8.75Ó x 11.25Ó
$600
$540
$510
Inside Covers
8.75Ó x 11.25Ó
$450
$405
$382.50
Full Page
7.25Ó x 9.75Ó
$290
$261
$246.50
Half Page
7.25Ó x 4.5Ó
$160
$144
$136
Quarter Page
3.5Ó x 4.5Ó
$90
$81
$76.50
Eighth Page
3.5Ó x 2.125Ó
$50
$45
$42.50
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
$10 for members. (International extra) Call (417) 886-8839
OFFICERS, TRUSTEES & COMMITTEES of the
MUSICAL BOX SOCIETY INTERNATIONAL¨
OFFICERS
President
David Corkrum
5826 Roberts Avenue
Oakland, CA 94605
musikwerke@att.net
Vice President
Matthew Jaro
24219 Clematis Dr
Gaithersburg, MD 20882
mjaro@verizon.net
Recording Secretary
Linda Birkitt
PO Box 145,
Kuna, ID 83634
scarletpimpernel28@yahoo.com
Treasurer
Edward Kozak
3615 North Campbell Avenue
Chicago, IL 60618
ekozak1970@gmail.com
TRUSTEES
Dave Calendine
Bob Caletti
Edward Cooley
David Corkrum
Richard Dutton
Rich Poppe
Matt Jaro
Tom Kuehn
Mary Ellen Myers
COMMITTEES
Audit
Edward Cooley, Chair, Trustee
Dave Calendine, Trustee
Matt Jaro, Vice President
Endowment Committee
Edward Kozak, Treasurer, Chair
Edward Cooley, Trustee
Dave Calendine, Trustee
B Bronson
Executive Committee
David Corkrum, Chair, President
Matthew Jaro, Vice President
Tom Kuehn, Immediate Past Pres.
Dave Calendine, Trustee
Bob Caletti, Trustee
Finance Committee
Edward Kozak, Chair, Treasurer
Edward Cooley, Trustee
Peter Both
Marketing Committee
Bob Smith, Chair
Judy Caletti
Don Caine
Meetings Committee
Matt Jaro, Chair, Vice President
Judy Caletti
Tom Chase
Cotton Morlock
Rich Poppe
Membership Committee
Chair, TBD
David Corkrum, President
Richard Dutton, Trustee
Mary Ellen Myers, Trustee, Southeast
Robin Biggins, Southern California
Judy Caletti, Golden Gate
Gary Goldsmith, Snowbelt
Julie Morlock, Southeast
Rob Pollock, Mid-America
Florie Hirsch, National Capital
Dan Wilson, Piedmont
Gerald Yorioka, Northwest IntÕl
TBD, East Coast
TBD, Lake Michigan
TBD, Sunbelt
Museum Committee
Sally Craig, Chair
Matt Jaro, Vice President
Glenn Crater, National Capital
Ken Envall, Southern California
Julian Grace, Sunbelt
Richard Simpson, East Coast
Museum Sub-Committees
Ohio Operations
Rob Pollock, Mid-America
Nominating Committee
Judy Caletti, Chair
Tom Kuehn, Immediate Past Pres.
Bob Caletti, Golden Gate, Trustee
Mary Ellen Myers, Trustee,
Southeast
Jonathan Hoyt, Golden Gate
Robin Biggins, Southern California
Aaron Muller, Lake Michigan
Publications Committee
Bob Caletti, Chair, Trustee
Richard Dutton, Trustee
Steve Boehck
Christian Eric
Kathleen Eric
Publications Sub-Committee
Website Committee
Rick Swaney, Chair
B Bronson
Knowles Little, Web Secretary
Special Exhibits Committee
Chair Mary Ellen Myers, Trustee,
Southeast
David Corkrum, President,
Golden Gate
Donald Caine, Southern California
Jack Hostetler, Southeast
Knowles Little, National Capital
Judy Miller, Piedmont
Aaron Muller, Lake Michigan
Wayne Myers, Southeast
Rick Swaney, Northwest IntÕl
MBSI Editorial Office:
Iron Dog Media
130 Coral Court
Pismo Beach, CA 93449
editor@mbsi.org
SPECIAL ACTIVITIES
Publications Back Issues:
Jacque Beeman
Regina Certificates:
B Bronson
MBSI Pins and Seals:
Jacque Beeman
Librarian:
Jerry Maler
Historian:
Bob Yates
MBSI FUNDS
Members can donate to these funds at any time.
Send donations to:
MBSI Administrator,
PO Box 10196,
Springfield, MO 65808-0196.
General Fund (unrestricted)
Endowment Fund (promotes the purposes of MBSI, restricted)
Ralph Heintz Publications Fund (special literary projects)
Museum Fund (supports museum operations)
All manuscripts will be subject to editorial review. Articles submitted for publication may be edited or rejected at the discretion of the Publications Committee and the Editorial Staff.
The article will not be published with significant changes without the authorÕs approval. All articles are considered to be the authorÕs personal opinion. The author may be asked to substantiate his/her statements.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Date
Event
Location
Sponsor
May 20-21 2023
Mid-Am Chapter meeting & 46th Annual Band Organ Rally
Urbana, OH
Mid-America Chapter
May 27, 2023
SoirŽe at the Sanfilippo Estate
Barrington Hills, IL
Lake Michigan Chapter
Aug 29-Sept 3, 2023
MBSI Annual Meeting
St. Paul, MN
Snowbelt Chapter
Send in your information by Aug. 1, 2023, for the September/October 2023 issue.
Ask your questions on our Facebook discussion group Ñ the Music Box Society Forum.
Please send dates for the Calendar of Events to 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) 576-4280
jbeeman.mbsi@att.net
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
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
treasurer.eccmbsi@gmail.com
Golden Gate
Chair: Judy Caletti
jeeperjudy@gmail.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: Mark Pichla
(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
Snowbelt
Chair: Tracy Tolzmann
(651) 674-5149
Dues $5 to Bill Nunn
2825 Willow Drive
Hamel, MN 55340
Southeast
Chair: Wayne Myers
(407) 333-9095
Dues $5 to Bob Yates
1973 Crestview Way Unit 147
Naples, FL 34119
Southern California
Chair: Robin Biggins
(310) 377-1472
Dues $10 to Diane Lloyd
1201 Edgeview Drive
Cowan Hgts, CA 92705
Sunbelt
Chair: Vacant
Dues $10 to Diane Caudill
14015 Spindle Arbor Road
Cypress, TX. 77429
CHAPTERS
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