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The AMICA BULLETINAUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENT COLLECTORS’ ASSOCIATION

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2005 VOLUME 42, NUMBER 1

Entire contents © 2005 AMICA International Printed by Engler Printing Co., Fremont, OH • [email protected] 1

VOLUME 42, Number 1 January/February 2005

FEATURESAMICA 2005 Minneapolis — 5Piped In Music of 1914 — 10Collecting Piano Advertisements — 12Synopsis of “Mechanical Music” — 13A Pilgrimage to the Kring van Draaiorgelvrienden’s — 14Bruderless Jerry No More — 22An Evening with Leo Ornstein’s Family — 23There’s Nothing Mechanical About It — 23Welte Covered — 25

DEPARTMENTSAMICA International — 2

President’s Message — 3

Publisher’s Message — 3Letters — 4

Tech Tips — 4He Shall Be Remembered — 26New Piano Rolls & Recuts — 27Chapter News — 30Classified Ads — 39

Front Cover: Foshay Tower

Inside Front: AMICA Minneapolis 2005

Back Cover: Welte-Mignon, (story on page 25)

Inside Back Cover: Maurice Chevalier’s Marshall and Wendell Ampico, an MGM photo contributed by Robin Pratt

THE AMICA BULLETINAUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENT COLLECTORS' ASSOCIATION

Published by the Automatic Musical Instrument Collectors’ Association, a non-profit, tax exempt group devoted to the restoration, distributionand enjoyment of musical instruments using perforated paper music rolls and perforated music books. AMICA was founded in San Francisco, California in 1963.

PROFESSOR MICHAEL A. KUKRAL, PUBLISHER, 216 MADISON BLVD., TERRE HAUTE, IN 47803-1912 -- Phone 812-238-9656, E-mail: [email protected] the AMICA Web page at: http://www.amica.org

Associate Editor: Mr. Larry Givens

AMICA BULLETINDisplay and Classified AdsArticles for PublicationLetters to the PublisherChapter News

UPCOMING PUBLICATIONDEADLINESThe ads and articles must be receivedby the Publisher on the 1st of theOdd number months:

January JulyMarch SeptemberMay November

Bulletins will be mailed on the 1st weekof the even months.

Dr. Michael A. Kukral, Publisher216 Madison Blvd.Terre Haute, Indiana 47803-1912Phone: 812-238-9656e-mail: [email protected]

MEMBERSHIP SERVICES

New Memberships . . . . . . . . . . $42.00

Renewals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $42.00Additional $5.00 due if renewed

past the Jan. 31 deadline

Address changes and corrections

Directory information updates

Additional copies ofMember Directory . . . . $25.00

Single copies of back issues($10.00 per issue - basedupon availability)

William Chapman (Bill)53685 Avenida BermudasLa Quinta, CA 92253-3586(760) 564-2951e-mail: [email protected]

To ensure timely delivery of yourBULLETIN, please allow 6-weeksadvance notice of address changes.

AMICA Publications reserves the right to accept, reject, or edit any and all submitted articles and advertising.

ISSN #1533-9726

2

AMICA INTERNATIONAL

INTERNATIONAL OFFICERSPRESIDENT Mike Walter

65 Running Brook Dr.Lancaster, NY 14086-3314

716-656-9583e-mail: [email protected]

PAST PRESIDENT Dan C. BrownN. 4828 Monroe Street

Spokane, WA 99205-5354509-325-2626

e-mail: [email protected] PRESIDENT John Motto-Ros

P.O. Box 908Sutter Creek, CA 95685-0908


SECRETARY Florie Hirsch8917 Wooden Bridge Rd., Potomac, MD 20854-2448


TREASURER Wesley Neff128 Church Hill Drive, Findlay, Ohio 45840


PUBLISHER Dr. Michael A. Kukral216 Madison Blvd., Terre Haute, IN 47803-1912


MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY William Chapman (Bill)53685 Avenida Bermudas, La Quinta, CA 92253-3586

760-564-2951 – Fax 775-923-7117e-mail: [email protected]

— COMMITTEES —AMICA ARCHIVES Tom Hutchinson

15361 Hopper Rd., Sturgeon, MO [email protected]

AMICA MEMORIAL FUND Halie Dodrill4488 W. Mercer Way, Mercer Island, WA 98040-3934

206-236-0067, e-mail: [email protected]

AUDIO-VISUAL & TECHNICAL Harold Malakinian2345 Forest Trail Dr., Troy, MI 48098

CONVENTION COORDINATOR Frank Nix6030 Oakdale Ave., Woodland Hills, CA 91367, 818-884-6849

HONORARY MEMBERS Jay Albert904-A West Victoria Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101-4745

805-966-9602 - e-mail: [email protected]

WEB MASTER Karl B. Ellison6 Lions Lane, Salem, MA 01970-1784

e-mail: [email protected]

BOSTON AREAPres. Bill Koenigsburg - 978-369-8523Vice Pres: Bob TempestSec: Ginger ChristiansenTreas: Karl EllisonReporter: Don BrownBoard Rep: Karl Ellison

CHICAGO AREAPres: Curt Clifford - 630-279-0872Vice Pres: John MuellerSec: Thad KochannyTreas: Joe PekarekReporter: Kathy StoneBoard Rep: George Wilder

FOUNDING CHAPTERPres: Bing Gibbs - 408-253-1866Vice Pres: Karen Ann SimonsSec: Lyle Merithew & Sandy SwirskyTreas: Richard ReutlingerReporter: Tom McWayBoard Rep: Richard Reutlinger

GATEWAY CHAPTERPres: Yousuf WilsonVice Pres: Gary Craig - 314-771-1244Sec: Mary WilsonTreas: Cynthia CraigReporter/Bd.Rep: Gary Craig

[email protected]

HEART OF AMERICAPres: Tom McAuleyVice Pres: Robbie TubbsSec/Treas: Kay BodeBoard Rep: Ron Connor

LADY LIBERTYPres: Vincent Morgan - 718-479-2562Vice Pres: Aris John DousmanisRecording Sec: Bill MaguireCorresponding Sec: Richard KarlssonReporter:Buzz RosaBoard Reps: Marvin & Dianne Polan

631-673-0388Newsletter Editor: Bill Maguire

MIDWEST (OH, MI, IN, KY)Pres: Stuart Grigg - 248-356-5005Vice Pres: Liz BarnhartSec: Sharon NeffTreas: Alvin WulfekuhlReporter: Christy CountermanBoard Rep: Liz Barnhart

NORTHERN LIGHTSPres: Phil BairdVice Pres: Sec: Jason E. Beyer - 507-454-3124Treas: Donald B. JonesReporter: Dorothy OldsBoard Rep: Dorothy Olds

PACIFIC CAN-AMPres: Halie Dodrill [email protected] Pres: Troy TaylorSec: Brian TateTreas: Jack & Mary Lou BecvarReporter: Ron Babb Bd. Rep: Carl Dodrill - 206-236-0067

SIERRA NEVADAPres: John Motto-Ros - 209-267-9252Vice Pres: Sonja LemonSec/Treas: Doug & Vicki MahrReporter: Nadine Motto-RosBoard Rep: John Motto-Ros

SOWNY (Southern Ontario,Western New York)

Pres: Mike Walter - 716-656-9583Vice Pres: Daniel TenerowiczSec: Garry LemonTreas: Holly Walter

[email protected]: Garry & Anne LemonBoard Rep: Audrey CannizzaroPhotographer: Nancy Group & AnneLemmon

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIAPres: Frank Nix - 818-884-6849Vice Pres: Richard IngramSec./Reporter. Shirley NixTreas: Ken HodgeBoard Rep: Frank Nix

TEXASPres: Jerry Bacon - 214-328-9369Vice Pres: Bill BoruffTreas: Vicki BradySec: Janet TonnesenBoard Rep: Dick MerchantBulletin Reporter: Haden Vandiver

CHAPTER OFFICERS

AFFILIATED SOCIETIES AND ORGANIZATIONSATOSPresident - Fr. Gus Franklin6508 Willow Springs RoadSpringfield, IL 62707-9500Phone: 217-585-1770 Fax: 217-585-0835E-Mail: [email protected] - Dale BakerP. O. Box 51450Indianapolis, IN 46251-0450Phone: 317-838-9345E-Mail: [email protected]

AUSTRALIAN COLLECTORS OFMECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS19 Waipori StreetSt. Ives NSW 2075, Australia

DUTCH PIANOLA ASSOC.Nederlandse Pianola VerenigingEikendreef 245342 HR Oss, Netherlands

FRIENDS OF SCOTT JOPLIN1217 St. Croix Ct.Kirkwood, MO 63122-2326

website: http//stlouis.missouri.org/[email protected]

INTERNATIONAL PIANOARCHIVES AT MARYLANDPerforming Arts Library,University of Maryland2511 Clarice Smith Performing Arts CenterCollege Park, MD 20742Phone: 301-405-9224Fax: 301-314-7170E-Mail: [email protected]

INT. VINTAGE PHONO & MECH.MUSIC SOCIETYC.G. Nijsen, Secretaire General19 Mackaylaan5631 NM Eindhoven, Netherlands

MUSICAL BOX SOCIETY OF GREATBRITAINAlan Pratt, EditorP. O. Box 299Waterbeach, Cambridge CB4 4PJEngland

MUSICAL BOX SOCIETYINTERNATIONALRosanna Harris, Editor5815 West 52nd AvenueDenver, CO 80212Phone: 303-431-9033 Fax: 303-431-6978E-Mail: [email protected]

NETHERLANDS MECHANICALORGAN SOCIETY - KDVA. T. MeijerWilgenstraat 24NL-4462 VS Goes, Netherlands

NORTHWEST PLAYER PIANOASSOCIATIONEverson Whittle, Secretary11 Smiths Road, Darcy Lever,Bolton BL3 2PP, Gt. Manchester, EnglandHome Phone: 01204 529939Business Phone: 01772 208003

PIANOLA INSTITUTEClair Cavanagh, Secretary

43 Great Percy St., London WC1X 9RAEngland

PLAYER PIANO GROUPJulian Dyer, Bulletin Editor5 Richmond Rise, Workingham,Berkshire RG41 3XH, United KingdomPhone: 0118 977 1057Email: [email protected]

SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTIONDivision of Musical HistoryWashington, D.C. 20560

SOCIETY FOR SELF-PLAYINGMUSICAL INSTRUMENTSGesellschaft für Selbstspielende Musikinstrumente (GSM) E.V.Ralf SmolneEmmastr. 56D-45130 Essen, GermanyPhone:**49-201-784927Fax:**49-201-7266240Email: [email protected]

Dear friends, Winter is with us and most of us look outside our windows and wish that there were some way to make the white

stuff disappear, except for the skiers who are busy riding those chair lifts…Yahoo!! But, being a member of the former group, I am beginning to long for green grass, green leaves and multicolored flowers. Since I can’t have that quite yet, I do the next best thing, which is to go through past issues of the bulletin and refresh my memory about things past, especially those items on the “To Do” list. In a recent look-through the Nov/Dec issue I didn’t have too far to go when I came across a small reminder from the Board Meeting in Denver this past August.

For the past two annual Board Meetings individual members suggested that a Publications Committee be formed. This committee would assist the publisher by soliciting diverse articles of interest for inclusion in our bulletin and also might help in the editorial process. Members of the committee should be fairly conversant with a particular area of interest (eg: Welte, Duo-Art, Ampico, Nickelodeons, Organ Players, Midi, etc.) and be willing to urge others to put into print: histories, how-tos, why-nots?, new thingies, “How I almost burned the garage down when I…” and all other manner of interestingand informative articles.

If you yourself are interested in being a part of this committee, or know of someone with a good working knowledge in at least one area of automatic music, please contact me by e-mail: [email protected] or by phone 716-656-9583.

On another musical note, have you marked your calendar for the Minneapolis convention, June 29th through July 3rd? The tentative schedule listed on the inside cover of the Nov/Dec bulletin looks very exciting. I’m looking forward to seeing you there!

AMICAbly yours, Mike Walter

As some instruments in our collections reach the century mark they may be termed 'antique.' Thisreminds me of the importance of quality preservation and conservation of these fine and valuable instruments.Every effort should be made by all AMICAns to not only educate the public on the historical significance ofour pianos and other instruments, but also to employ careful restoration and conservation techniques that willensure the original integrity of design and function of these instruments to the delight of all! Nothing hasgiven me more pleasure throughout my 30 years as a member of AMICA than seeing, hearing, and playing abeautifully rebuilt roll operated instrument. They sure are fun and amazing things.

Please be sure to read all about our upcoming convention taking place at the end of June in the TwinCities of Minnesota. I'm sure there will be something for everyone who participates. The conventions are truly a great benefit forbeing a member of our club.

As always, I look forward to your articles and especially suggestions for the bulletin. I received more wonderful responses aboutthe cover of the last issue (the Ampico Christmas roll leader) than any previously and plan on doing a series of interesting rolls leadersas bulletin covers. If you have a roll leader that you feel should be on our cover please send it to me for scanning.

Yours,Mike Kukral

3

President’s Message

From the Publisher’s Desk

AMICA – CONVENTION DATES –

2005 Minneapolis, Minnesota June 29 - July 3

2006 Chicago, Illinois July 25 - July 30

2007 Germany/Holland July 5 - July 20(This is not set in stone yet. Hotels and buses are unable to commit this early, but it looks like this is.)

Dear Dr. Kukral;Being a new member of AMICA, I

have enjoyed the publication very much.In the Sep/Oct issue, there is a paragraphin the President's Message whichintrigues me. I have been a long timepiano and organ teacher in my community. I have in our residence a1931 Knabe Ampico B grand, a 1931Steinway Duo Art grand, a 1927 KnabeAmpico A grand and a 3/16 Aeolian Duo Art pipe organ. As a teacher, I makecontinual use of the Ampico B and theDuo Art with my students. They are veryvaluable teaching aids. My young students sit spellbound listening to them.My older more accomplished studentscan hear interpretations of pieces they arelearning. I keep the protective belly clothoff of the Knabe Ampico A so that mykids can “peek under the hood” to seehow it works. No other teacher in thecommunity has that capability. If you

think it would be of interest as an articlefor AMICA, I would like to write a briefone complete with a black and whitephoto or two. Having served as associateeditor of ATOS THEATRE ORGANmagazine many years ago, I do havesome writing experience. Please let meknow at your convenience.

Thanks,Ray Brubacher

To the Editor,In response to the request for ideas

to increase membership in AMICA. Following are a couple of ideas.

As I mentioned at the Denver convention, when rebuilders/collectorsrebuild or sell an instrument over a certainprice, they could buy the customer a one-year membership. Considering that a rebuild/purchase runs between $5,000-$10,000, this is a fairly small price to payfor promoting the industry.

The hand writing is on the wall, andelectronic CD player systems are here

to stay. We could ask QRS/Pianomationand Piano Disc to include one of our brochures along with the owner’smanual. Although 95% of my customershave pneumatic player pianos, the onesthat own Pianomation player pianos play them considerably more. One(Pianomation) owner had the lyrics todozens of songs printed so people cansing along with the piano.

Although dropping copies of the bulletin in waiting rooms is a good idea, I feel we have to be more proactive.

Don Barton, Mpls.

Dear Mike,My copy of the Christmas issue of theAMICA Bulletin has just arrived and I'mdelighted with the manner in which youhave displayed my article. It looks great!Very much appreciated.Regards and best wishes of the season.

Terry Smythe, Canada

ETTERS

4

No, this isn't the title of one of LarryNorman's great piano rolls, but it is acommon problem for those of us whoenjoy mechanical music. We have allexperienced the frustration of melting,rotting or breaking rubber bands aroundour piano rolls, thus either damaging the rolls or leaving them unprotected.Sometimes, over a period of time a rubber band will literally melt and adhereitself to the paper, making it difficult toremove without damaging the roll. Evennew rubber bands tend to disintegrate inthe box, often, after only a few weeks ormonths. Some people have just given upand decided to not use them at all.

But fear no more. There is a solutionavailable. The Velcro Company, whomwe have grown to both love and loathe at times, has come out with a terrificproduct that seems tailor made in solvingthis problem. The only difficulty mightbe if you hate the color green. But theVelcro Company has developed a greatnew product called “Plant Ties”. It can bepurchased at any garden supply, HomeDepot or through those countless throwaway catalogs that have the solution toeverything in your life. We purchased a75-foot roll from one of those catalogs.Our local Home Depot carries only the50-ft rolls. In both cases the price seems

to be about the same, approx. $6.00 perroll. This product has the soft part onone side and the burr part on the otherside. Simply wrap the "tie" around yourroll so that it overlaps about an inch and cut a piece specifically to fit that particular roll. Now you have a wonderful 1/2” wide tie for your roll that will not rot, melt, dissolve, crack,blister or in any other way self-destructor damage your roll that is tailor-madefor that particular roll. Continue buyinggreat Blues rolls from Larry, but protectthem with Velcro plant ties.

TECH TIPS:The Rubber Band Blues

Sent in by Vincent Morgan

The Northern Lights

Chapter of AMICA cordially invites you

to the AMICA Minneapolis Convention

June 29 through July 3, 2005. We have

put together an exciting convention

with wonderful sightseeing (in both

Minneapolis and St. Paul), entertainment,

and workshops, some of which are

described in following articles.

Our convention hotel is the

Minneapolis Marriott City Center which

is connected to City Center Mall and

56 city blocks via skywalks. It is located

a half-block off of the 15 block long

Nicollet pedestrian and shopping mall.

You will be within blocks of the famous

Tyron Gutherie Theater, the Warehouse

entertainment district, and scores of

restaurants ranging from fast-food

to Murray’s 1950’s style fine steak

restaurant. In addition, the Marriott is

two blocks from our new transit line that

is connected to the airport and the Mall

of America. During off-peak hours, $1.25

will take you to and from the

airport as well as to the Mall of America.

Besides the 100 or so stores in the

Mall of America, downtown is home to

Marshall Fields and Neiman Marcus.

Minnesota is a great place to do your

clothes shopping since we do not have a

sales tax on clothing.

For more information contact:

AMICA Mpls. 2005, c/o Don Barton,

2715 Fourth St. S.E., Mpls, MN 55414,

612-378-1102, [email protected]

MICA 2005– MINNEAPOLIS –

FOSHAY TOWERTheme for

AMICA - Minneapolis Convention 2005

Until 1971, shortly before Mary Tyler

Moore threw her hat into the air, the

Foshay Tower was clearly the dominant

feature of the Minneapolis skyline.

Today, although in the shadows of

many taller skyscrapers, it is still the

most interesting structure in downtown

Minneapolis, both architecturally

and historically. The Foshay Tower

observation deck and museum are on

our Thursday itinerary.

The Foshay Tower was the first

skyscraper built west of the Mississippi

and remained the tallest building

in Minneapolis from 1929-1971.

The Foshay Tower is significant to

Minneapolis not only as a unique

example of architectural design and

engineering, but as a prominent

reminder of the taste and expression

of “conspicuous consumption” which

was felt throughout the United States

during the economic boom years of the

1920s.

Foshay Facts• It was modeled after the Washington

Monument.

• Height is 447 feet.

• The Tower is faced with Indiana Bedford Limestone and has 750 window bays.

• The Tower and observation deck are located on the 31st floor.

• One of a half dozen open air observations decks in the U.S.

• The “Foshay” lights are 10 feet high and 44 feet across. They are lit by 976 60-watt bulbs.

continue. . .

5

INTRODUCTION

6

Miss Jane’s Parlor and Organ Concert at the Historic Heights Theater

Thursday afternoon we will spend

two hours at the Heights Theater

enjoying a silent film, organ concert,

and turn of the last century songs

sung by Jane Romanos,

accompanied by QRS’s own

Bob Berkman on the Pianola

Push-Up. This production by

Pianola Enterprises has not

been performed since the New

Orleans Convention and we are

very excited to be able to present

this program to our fellow

AMICAns.

The Heights Theater was

constructed in 1926 by Gluek

Brewery heir Arthur Gluek.

Built in the Beaux Arts style, the

Heights was a simple neighborhood

house running film full time and show

casing local talent in stage plays. By the

1980’s, succumbing to the onslaught of

suburban theaters, the Heights became

home to 99-cent movies.

In 1998, the theater was purchased by

Dave Holmgren and Tom Letness, who

lovingly restored it to it’s original glory.

Suspended from the ceiling are restored

antique chandeliers with 2600 Egyptian

lead crystals. An 8’ by 26’ orchestra pit

was uncovered.

The crowning touch of the restoration

was the installation of the

former WCCO Radio Wurlitzer

Pipe Organ. Originally installed

in 1929 at the Nicollet Hotel

Studios, the organ was moved to

WCCO’s at 625 Second Ave.,

then removed and installed in a

residence on the East Coast. The

organ was then purchased by the

Land O’ Lakes Theater Organ

Society. A.T.O.S. members have

volunteered 100’s of hours

installing 14 ranks of pipes,

assorted percussion stops, and

organ lift. Eleven to eighteen additional

ranks are planned for future installation.

Cafesjian’s Carousel was built in 1914

by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company.

This carousel, with its 68 hand-carved

wooden horses, graced the Minnesota

State Fair for 75 years. In 1934 it was

saved from a severe fire that burned part

of the building in which it was housed.

In 1988 a massive community effort,

and a generous financial donation (from

Mr. Cafesjian) saved the carousel from

being auctioned off piecemeal. It was

purchased for 1.2 million dollars,

carefully restored and placed in St.

Paul’s Town Square Park. After several

years it was decided that a better home

with more public visibility was needed.

A new home was

built for 1.1 million

dollars in Como Park.

It was moved, and

remains there for the

public to enjoy.

You will have the

opportunity to enjoy

this historic carousel

with its Wutlitzer

153 Band Organ on

Friday, July 1, 2005

when you attend the

AMICA Convention in Minneapolis next

summer.

Cafesjian’s Carousel - Como ParkSt. Paul, Minnesota

www.ourfaircarousel.org

continue. . .

Minnesota Transportation Museum

The Minnesota Transportation

Museum was started by a small group of

dedicated volunteers who wanted to

restore a wooden streetcar to original

condition. In 1962 the museum was

formally incorporated as a non-profit

organization.

Northern Lights Chapter member Bob

Dumas volunteered hundreds of hours

helping to restore streetcars, a steam

powered boat and train engines which

makes this museum even more special to

our chapter.

Today, MTM’s guests can ride fully

restored streetcars at two locations in the

Twin City area, cruise Lake Minnetonka

on a steam powered boat, charter a

classic city bus, travel the beautiful St.

Croix Valley aboard a vintage train, and

explore full-size railroad cars at an

historic roundhouse. This variety serves

to define MTM’s mission: To preserve

Minnesota’s rich transportation history.

On Thursday, June 30, 2005 you will

be shuttled by one of MTM’s classic city

buses from the hotel to the Foshay Tower

and the Mill City Museum in downtown

Minneapolis.

The Jackson Street Roundhouse will

be toured on Friday, July 1, 2005. It was

built by the Great Northern Railroad in

1907 to service their passenger-steam

locomotives. You will see steam and

diesel engines being restored, experience

unique modes of rail transportation,

explore restored railcars, railroad exhibits

and model railroads. Even the turntable

has been restored. Also, time permitting

that day, we will stop and ride the

Como-Harriet streetcar between Lakes

Harriet and Calhoun.

www.mtmuseum.org

The 2005 AMICA Convention in

Minneapolis and St. Paul will include a

step back in time with a tour and dinner

reception in the St. Paul JAMES J.

HILL MANSION and DOVE HILL

MANSION of AMICA members Richard

and Nancy Nicholson.

The Great Northern Railroad had its

inception in St. Paul, Minnesota, under

the guidance of James J. Hill. Mr. Hill

and his son Louis, built fabulous

mansions on St. Paul’s Summit Avenue.

After our tour of St. Paul Railway

Museum, we will gather at the first Hill

Mansion for a tour and dinner reception.

Within a short walk we will gather at the

home of the Nicholson’s for dessert,

a concert on the ballroom Aeolian

pipe organ by Northern Lights chapter

president, Phillip Baird and David

Mertesdorf concert pianist. After the

concert and tour of the Hill/Nicholson

Mansion, we will gather for the best

fireworks display of Taste of Minnesota

on the gallery of the mansion.

The James J. Hill House symbolized

the success of a railroad tycoon also

known as the EMPIRE BUILDER, a

passenger train which runs between St.

Paul and the west coast. The home is

A Step Back in Time

continue. . .

7

8

on a grand scale of any major city

railway station built in 1891 which is the

largest and most expensive on St. Paul’s

Summit Avenue. Included in the home,

made up of 36,000 square feet, of which

we may take a ramble before dinner of

Scandinavian fare is served. Ample

are the 13 bathrooms, of course which

AMICAns may avail themselves.

After our dinner, AMICAns will stroll

through the gardens to the home of the

son of James J. Hill, Louis W. Hill, who

followed his father as president of the

Great Northern Railroad. Louis Hill built

his home in two phases. The main house

was built in 1902, and an addition was

added in 1912, which included the grand

entrance and a ballroom with a 2000 pipe

organ. Many guests, world leaders, and

royalty passed through the entrance and

were engaged in some of the most lavish

parties ever held in St. Paul.

Fortunately, Richard and his wife

Nancy have restored this beautiful

home and have graciously offered an

opportunity for a concert on the house

organ and again step back in time for us

all to recapture a little of the past of what

St. Paul once was. We of the Northern

Lights Chapter invite our fellow

AMICAns to come and taste a little

Minnesota. No snow will be forecast.

James J. Hill HouseRugged stone, massive scale, fine

detail and ingenious mechanical systems

recall the powerful presence of James

J. Hill, builder of the Great Railway.

This was a family of the Gilded Age.

Completed in 1891, the red sandstone

residence was the setting of the public

and private lives of the Hill family. Mr.

Hill oversaw the massive Richardsonian

Romanesque style. Completed in 1891,

the mansion was the largest and

most expensive home in Minnesota. It

contained 36,000 square feet on

five floors including 13 bathrooms, 22

fireplaces, 16 crystal chandeliers, and

two-story skylit art gallery, a 100-foot

reception hall, and a profusion of

elaborately carved oak and mahogany

woodwork. The final cost of this massive

undertaking was $931,275.01 including

construction, furnishings and landscaping

for the three-acre estate.

Louis W. Hill HouseSt. Paul family reclaims old

house/Richard Nicholson and his family

reside in the historic Summit Avenue

mansion where his great-grandparents

once socialized with the brightest lights

of St. Paul society.

The home at 260 Summit Avenue,

built for the second son of railroad

tycoon James H. Hill, now is the

residence of Richard Nicholson, great-

grandson of Lucius Pond Ordway, one of

the early investors of 3M, a partner in the

wholesale plumbing company of Crane

and Ordway, and the man instrumental

in building of the St. Paul Hotel.

Nicholson’s lineage isn’t the only trait

making him a perfect fit for the house.

“I love history,” he says.

The house offers plenty of it. Built in

two phases, 1902 and 1912, the latter half

containing, among other features, an

entrance hall, a second-floor ballroom

with baronial fireplace and 2000 pipe

organ, and a basement swimming pool.

Since Nicholson bought the house - for

$1.7 million, he’s been digging around

documents and diaries at the James

J. Hill Library for connection between

the Hills and Ordways. Richard and

his wife Nancy have been involved

in total restoration of the home and

its pipe organ.

The 2005 AMICA Minneapolis -

St. Paul Convention will include dinner

in the first mansion and a concert and

dessert reception in the Hill-Nicholson

DOVE HILL home.

For more information on these homes go tohttp://www.mnhs.org/places/sites/jjhh/house.html

continued. . .

continue. . .

The Pavek Museum of Broadcasting

houses one of the world’s finest

collections of antique radio, television,

and broadcast equipment. The Pavek

has gained international recognition for

its continuing efforts in preserving and

documenting the history of an industry

that has made monumental changes in the

fabric of modern life.

The foundation is the Joseph R.

Pavek Collection of more than one

thousand radio receivers, transmitters,

and televisions from the first half of

the Twentieth Century. Highlights

include a working 1912 rotary spark-gap

transmitter, similar to the one used

aboard the Titanic, crystal radios of the

early Twenties, a chronologically ordered

collection of vacuum tubes (including

several of the original deForest Audions),

and one of the most extensive treasuries

of radio literature ever assembled.

Other attractions include the Charles

Bradley Collection, representing more

than sixty radio manufacturers from the

Twin Cities area, and the Jack Mullin

Collection, documenting one hundred

twenty-five years of audio recording

technology. From the earliest days of

the phonograph to talking pictures to

the revolution of magnetic recording,

the Mullin Collection preserves the

entertainment technology that has

forged the cultural achievements of

the modern era.

Some of the items include one of

the first RCA Theremins ever made, the

actual record lather used to cut the discs

for “The Jazz Singer,” and a replica of

Edison’s very first phonograph. (Text

adapted from Pavek Museum website.)

Pavek Museum of Broadcasting

9

Person with Experience in the Advertising Field to Solicit Advertisers for the AMICA Bulletin.

Candidates should be Energetic and Enthusiastic.

Direct monetary compensation is poor but long-term rewards are good.

More advertisements in the bulletin mean fewer increases (and possibly decreases)

in annual dues for our members.

For more information, or to apply for the position, please contact our publisher, Mike Kukral,

at [email protected] by phone at (812) 238-9656

10

IPED IN MUSICBy Edward Copeland

OF 1914The Louis W. Hill mansion, located on

Summit Avenue in Saint Paul, Minnesota

is the location of a fine “untouched”

Aeolian residence pipe organ. This

marvelous instrument is a fine example

of Aeolian organs from the teens. Opus

number 1294, Rollin Smith’s Book, The

Aeolian Pipe Organ And Its Music lists

the organ in the opus list as being a

3 manual, 38 rank instrument, with the

original contract being signed January

10, 1914, and the organ being shipped

August 20, 1914. The organ originally

was equipped with 2 consoles, a 3

manual with 116 note roll box is located

in the ballroom on the second level,

and at one time a 2 manual console was

located in a corner of the dinning room.

The 2 manual console was later removed.

Louis Hill, son of railroad magnet

James J. Hill was an accomplished artist

and patron of the arts. His love for music

was a factor in choosing the organ for

his home. When he chose the Aeolian

Company to provide the organ, he

wanted an instrument that was capable of

reproducing the finest music available,

and this is one of the reasons for the size

of the instrument (38 ranks was a fairly

large organ by common residence organ

standards, with most being in the

12 to 15 rank size). The organs

pipes are located in 2 locations. The

majority of the organ is located in

a large case at the north end of the

ballroom, opposite of the 3 manual

console, and there is also an Echo

division located in a chamber, which

speaks out over the grand staircase.

The organ features the Aeolian

simplified stop names (String MF,

String P, Flute MF etc), and has a

“blind” but adjustable combination

action, with the setter board located

inside the main organ case. Manual I

(great) and Manual III

(choir) are on a

duplexed chest on the

right side of the case

(as one looks at the

case) and Manual II

(swell) is located to

the left center of

the case, with the

pedal pipes to the

left side inside the

case. All of the

divisions are enclosed

except for the

main pedal, which

is unenclosed.

The current owners of the house, the

Nicholson family has spent considerable

time and effort in the restoration of the

rest of the house, and as they consider the

organ to be part of the house, they have

allocated funds to restore the organ to

playable condition. Special attention has

been paid to keeping the organ as original

as possible, and several builders have

been turned away when they suggested

adding a solid-state relay system to the

organ. One factor has lead to solid-state

components being installed so that MIDI

files of the Aeolian Duo-Art 176 note

rolls that provide complete control of

the organ could be played back. The

installation of the MIDI playback

system is done in such a way that it is

completely reversible so that with ease

the organ can be returned to it original

state. Mike Ames has provided

much information about using MIDI

with Aeolian organs, as well as being

a source for the 176 note MIDI files.

Midiator Systems of California built

the Midi interface. All the playback

equipment is located in the console. The

reasoning behind this was so that the

organ could be left unattended while

playing. The original 116-note system

has been restored, but due to the

nature of the system, it requires

constant attention. This is because

the Aeolian 116 note rolls have no

provision for stop or expression

changes, so someone must change

the stops (suggestions are printed on

the roll). The roll mechanism also

does not have any sort of automatic

tracking (someone must guide the roll

by means of a small “steering wheel”

located below Manual III (the lowest

keyboard).

Here is the case containing the main organ. The case is finishedwith fumed oak. The grandfather clock stands 9 1/2 feet tall.

The console of op. 1294. Finished in fumed oak, andequipped with horizontally rocking tablets for stop control. The roll box is located in the top center,

with the glass door closed.

11

The restoration began in 2000 with

local builder and organist Karl

Eilers restoring the console and it’s

components, as well as the regulators and

swell engines. Work paused for a short

time due to some major health issues

both in the Nicholson family and with

Mr. Eilers. Work resumed in the summer

of 2004 when Barton Player Pianos of

Minneapolis took on the job of restoring

the harp and installing the MIDI system.

As an organ builder of 20 plus years

I assisted Don Barton with various

facets of the project. Being familiar with

working on historic organs in the area,

one of which had been the Minneapolis

Auditorium Kimball (5-4/123), and I

knew what it would take to keep this

organ in original condition.

The organ still has cone tuned treble

pipes, and is completely straight

(there are no unit stops anywhere in the

instrument). It has several interesting

ranks, the ever popular free reed clarinet

and English horn, but also an orchestral

oboe, a pair of fine trumpets (one is

capped) and a couple of other reeds

which are built in the traditional style

of organ reeds. Work still continues

on the MIDI playback at the time of

writing this article, and is expected to

be completed shortly. All concerned with

the restoration are looking forward to

having the work completed in advance of

the convention next summer.

continued. . .

Stop List for Aeolian Pipe Organ 1294 Louis W. Hill of Saint Paul, Minnesota

Manual I & III Manual II Echo PedalDiapason F Horn Diapason Diapason MF Deep Diapason 16*Diapason MF Vibrato String F String MF* Deep String 16String F String F String P Deep Flute F 16String MF Mixture String P Flute P Deep Flute P 16Flute F Flute MF High Flute 4* Deep Bassoon 16Flute P Flute P* Clarinet* Flute*String P High Flute 4 Trumpet* (Echo) Deep Flute 16String PP * Vibrato String P Vox Humana*Quintadena Flute * String PP TremoloHigh Flute 4 Deep Flute 16Piccolo 2 Trumpet ** Echo to Manual IClarinet English Horn Echo to Manual IITrumpet Oboe **Orchestral Oboe ** TremoloTremolo Vox Humana F

Vox Humana P*

BOUND BULLETINSDear Friends,We are in the process of reducing the over stock of bound AMICA bulletins. These volumes

cover the years 1971 to 2003. If anyone is interested in acquiring a single volume or a

complete set of these bound volumes for the cost of postage and packing please contact

Tom Hutchinson by e-mail at [email protected] or by US mail.

Tom Hutchinson15361 Hopper Rd

Sturgeon MO 65284

There are a limited number of bound bulletins available and will be distributed on a first

come, first served basis. Get your order in early so you won’t be disappointed!

12

Collecting can be a form of a disease .It can consume houses and families, bothyoung and old. Belonging to AMICAputs you in the collecting category—pianos, rolls and other music-relateditems. That’s OK; it gives us somethingto look for on vacations, weekend outings; and now, eBay. I call all of thethings that we all look for “stuff.” Mostof us have friends with “stuff.” Somehave entire houses full of it, and othershave had to add on a room or rooms for the additional “stuff.” I fall into the“all of the above” category.

For the last 20 years, I have collectedsmall piano advertising items. Photosshown are advertising mirrors with the piano name and the dealer that soldthem on the back. They were produced in various sizes, but were usually about three inches in diameter. Otheradvertising items included celluloidbookmarks, stamp holders, tape measures, toy tops, celluloid calendars,and more. Some may ask how manysmall advertising items for pianos are out there? Quite a few; between 1900 and1940, there were 1,200+ stencil pianonames in America. Pianos were very popular and there were many dealersthroughout the country.

It appears the lady of the house wasthe target of most piano dealers, but somemen must have gone piano shopping as asmall percentage of the mirrors havebeautiful women on them (see photos).The salesman had something for eithersex. As individuals shopped for pianos inthe showroom, the salesman wouldreward them with a small purse mirrorwith the piano name and dealer name and address. Some piano manufacturersmust have had big advertising budgets.Schaeffer for one; I have one mirror thatreads “over 140,000 sold,” and a laterone reads “over 200,000 sold.” Anotheritem given out was a token good for $10in trade if a new piano was purchased.

Some of the mirrors are beveled.Today most are in poor condition on themirror side as they were originally donewith the mercury silvering process, but it is the advertising side that is the collectible.

Pump organ companies did the sameas I have a few mirrors that advertiseorgans. A very early organ advertisementfrom Bridgeport Organ Co. is a pen wipe in the shape of an Irish setter. It isfolded celluloid with blotter materialinside (see photos). I have several glass paperweights advertising pianos. One isfor Wurlitzer.

How many are out there? I don’tknow, but I have 200+ small items withpiano ads with different brand names invarious configurations. How to display?I have some in deep picture frames usingfoam core as a spacer and a dab of RTVto hold them. Most are on small woodeneasels (made myself) in eye level wallcases. I like to take them out, touch them,and look at different ones from time totime.

A word about collecting: If you cansee and touch the item, that is the best. Ifthe item is in a drawer or closet where itcannot be seen, it is no fun owning it.

OLLECTINGBy John Motto-Ros

PIANO ADVERTISEMENTS

Here are a few examples of mirrors and other advertisement items. The dog

(back side) is a pen wipe. The coin is good for $10.00 at the time of purchase

on any piano or player piano at Krausgill Piano Co., Louisville, KY.

The Kimball is a cloth tape measure. The Packard Co. is a stamp holder; yes,

the same as Packard car company . The dog (front side) is a pen wipe.

How to Display

The sound of a street “barrel organ” ora fairground organ may revive distantmemories for older folk or stir an interest in younger people. Wealthierfamilies may have possessed their ownautomatic musical machines in the formof a player piano, a Polyphone, Regina,or cylinder music box. If well treated,these instruments may still be in workingorder. This book covers the history,development, use, and fall from favor of many types of exotic instruments,from pocket-sized musical boxes to roll-playing pipe organs, and everythingelse in between. It describes pianolas,organettes, roller organs, orchestrions,carillons, and many more. It introduces a complex subject in a way that willencourage readers to visit collectionsopen to the public or join one of the societies that encourage restoration ofinstruments to their former glory.

ANNOUNCEMENTAs an AMICA project, the Midwest

Chapter has available copies of the book“Mechanical Music” by Kevin McElhone

for a very reasonable cost. The 4”x 8”paperback book is an excellent introduction to all aspects of automaticmusical instruments including history,descriptions, and basic principles of operation. The book has 48 pages withover 100 color photographs including aphotograph of J. Lawrence Cook at hisarranging piano. The book is ideal toacquaint individuals to automatic musicand encourage prospective collectors toparticipate in AMICA. AMICA memberswho host groups and individuals for display and demonstration of their instruments should have a number ofcopies on hand to make available to people that wish to learn more and/orhave a memento of their visit. Each bookwill be provided with a large AMICAlabel on the inside front cover and an AMICA membership pamphlet insert.The book is to be provided at cost including postage within the continentalUS for $6.00 each for 1 to 9 copies and$5.00 each for 10 or more copies.Payable by cash or personal check madeout to Michael Barnhart.

Contact: Mike Barnhart 919 Lantern Glow Trail

Dayton, OH 45431 Phone 937 254-5580

e-mail [email protected]

“MECHANICAL MUSIC”

13

YNOPSIS OFSent in by Christy Counterman & Michael Barnhart

by Kevin McElhone

HHEELLPP WWAANNTTEEDDWe are looking for a FEW GOOD MEN (OR WOMEN) with a certain amount of unbiased knowledge in a

particular area to act as agents for the bulletin, urging others with knowledge or expertise...TO SHARE THEIR KNOWLEDGE IN THE FORM OF AN ARTICLE, OR WRITING ARTICLES THEMSELVES. A certain amount of minor editing may be required.

Areas of expertise could be in areas such as Duo-Art, Ampico, Welte, Recordo, Other Reproducing Systems, Midi, Nickelodeons, Bigger Instruments, Perforators, Refinishing, Crosswords, etc. THERE WOULDBE NO PRESSURE TO “PUBLISH OR PERISH”.

If you feel that you have time to spare and share in acquiring articles, please contact our publisher, Mike Kukral [email protected], telling him that you would like to help make our bulletin even better than what it is.

Carousel Organ, Issue No. 22 — January, 2005

The KDV is a Dutch society for the preservation of fair

organs, street-organs, dance hall organs, orchestrions and

other automatic musical instruments as well as their his-

tory and development.

We (Mike and Liz Barnhart) arrived in Amsterdam on

Friday, May 28th, 2004. We were traveling with Frank and

Shirley Nix for the purpose of attending the Kring van

Draaiorgelvrienden’s (KDV) 50th Anniversary. Our base for the

10 days in Holland was the small family operated Ouwi Hotel

in Utrecht. From there we could easily drive to all the cities that

were holding organ festivals. Parking is very expensive and

almost impossible to find in Utrecht.

We had very little detailed information on the KDV activi-

ties and discovered early on that the KDV members familiar

with their country already know where their organ festivals are

always held so there are no maps or directions to the various

venues. When asked for specific locations the answer was in

general terms, such as, “across from the train station” or “in the

park along the canal.”

On Sunday May 30th, we drove to the northern city of

Leeuwarden for the Great Organ Event. After driving around

for awhile, we saw a circus sign and followed it hoping some-

one there might know something. At the circus booth was a fel-

low buying tickets for his family to attend the circus later that

day. As luck would have it, he had traveled to the US several

times and spoke good English. He used his cell phone to call his

sister who happened to know about the organ rally, so he got in

his car and led us to the park. Several hours later, we saw him

there with his family. He had decided to find out what it was all

about.

In Leeuwarden there were about a dozen organs, including

De Grote Gavioli (Figure 1) situated in a grassy park along a

canal. Several canal boats would pull up to the bank and people

would come into the park to hear the music. The street, dance,

and fairground organs and one Raffin trumpet monkey organ

were fully enjoyed by the many people in the park on a beauti-

ful sunny day. We spent the afternoon admiring and listening to

the organs. Our conversations with the friendly organ people

were mostly limited to smiles, nods, and hand gestures.

On Monday we went to Haarlem where we met up with

Hans van Oost (Figure 2), the General Secretary of the KDV,

and Maartin Van Der Vlugt whom many Americans know. The

organ festival was held in a long narrow park between a busy

street and a canal. About 17 organs were present representing

many different European organ builders. Again, it was another

warm and sunny day and we had a good time taking photo-

graphs of the organs and listening to them. At the conclusion of

the day, we were invited over to the Kunkle Museum, now in its

new building, where the playing of many organs continued.

A Pilgrimage to the Kring van Draaiorgelvrienden’s (KDV) 50th Anniversary

Liz Barnhart

Figure 2. Hans van Oost, Frank Nix and Ron Schmuck in a lively discussion

invoving organs.

Figure 1. De Grote Gavioli as it appeared in Amsterdam on Dom Square

next to the palace.

Figure 3. The 52-key Veronica playing at the new Kunkle Museum

building.

14

Sent in by Ron Bopp


The museum has large dance organs and Dutch street

organs arranged around the three sides of a single room with the

middle filled with tables and chairs. In all there were about 10

organs in the museum. A well-stocked snack bar with a grill was

enjoyed by everyone. The De Grote Gavoli brought over from

York, England played in front of the building through a large

open bay door. After De Grote Gavioli played for about an hour

the relatively small street organ, the 52-key Veronica, was

wheeled in by its young owner with the help of friends. Then

the party really got rolling with singing and dancing to the

music. It was great to see the line of people waiting to have their

chance at turning the wheel, especially since so many were

young people. They were having a good time with the small

organ surrounded by a room full of larger organs standing

silent. We are sure their fun was increased by the large amount

of beer available.

On Tuesday morn-

ing we met with the

new museum conserva-

tor, Bob van Wely, who

will be officially taking

the place of the retiring

Jan-Jaap Haspels at the

Nationaal Museum van

Speelklok tot Pierement

in Utrecht. Jan-Jaap

Haspels is being

replaced by two posi-

tions, an administrator

and Bob van Wely as

technical director. Bob

is a very personable

young man and among

his many talents, he can

play the carillon. Bob

told us that he played a

carillon somewhere

north of Cincinnati,

Ohio, while on tour in

the US. He was not sure exactly where it was. The only carillon

that we know of is in the Deeds Carillon Park in Dayton Ohio.

On Thursday we took the train to Amsterdam where there

was to be organ playing in the square in front of the Royal

Palace from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Only De Grote Gavioli was there.

Many people were around to enjoy the music as well as the

street mimes that pretend to be statues. They were having a

good day collecting coins from the onlookers. We also had the

pleasure of talking with Andrew Pilmer and his wife who had

come over to Holland from England.

Thursday we drove to Doesburg, a small town east of

Arnhem that was having a street festival with the help of four

organs, one of which was De Grote Gavioli. Even there we had

to drive around to find the festivities. Rain showers dampened

the activities; however, every one had a good time.

Friday afternoon we drove to Tilburg and found it was

much larger than we expected. We drove around and around

with the windows down trying to hear music. We finally, in

A history currently accompanying the organ is as follows.

The organ, an original 89-key G4 Scale Gavioli, built in

Waldkirch circa 1906, is now owned by Nigel Myers and family from

Rufforth, York. The organ was supplied new to Dresden Showman Carl

Patty and sometime during the 1920’s the organ was purchased by

Dutch Showman, Reinhard Dirks, and was taken to Holland. Dirks

used the organ in his Lunapark attraction and later in a set of dodgems.

It was he who sent the organ to Carl Frei to have it rebuilt and extend-

ed.

After the war the organ was no longer used and it was purchased

for preservation by Henri Bank and Theo van Zutphen who tried to

interest the town of Haarlem in adopting it as a municipal organ. This

plan failed and the organ passed into the hands of A & J Waerts of

Assendelft who then sent it to the Perlee family for restoration. It was

at this time that the organ acquired the name De Grote Gavioli, mean-

ing The Great Gavioli. Further alterations were made and the front was

decorated by Gils Perlee in his characteristic style. The Waerts brothers

enjoyed great success with their newly restored instrument touring not

only the Netherlands but also as far as Fountainbleu, France and

Bremen, Germany.

The surprise sale in 1963 of de Grote Gavioli to England, follow-

ing an advertisement in the showman’s newspaper, The World’s Fair,

by enthusiast Derrick Londrigan, aroused strong feelings amongst the

Dutch organ fraternity, many of who called for greater protection

against the export of organs from their country.

When the organ was initially offered for sale within the

Netherlands, a plan was formulated to buy it within a foundation or

trust. Unfortunately the payment terms could not be met quickly

enough, and the organ was sold to Arthur Mason, of Burnham Market,

Norfolk. Even while the Gavioli was being loaded at the docks in

Rotterdam, legal attempts were being made to prevent its leaving Dutch

soil. Although unsuccessful, these efforts sowed the seeds for the sub-

sequent protection which the Dutch Government affords today to a

selection of historic mechanical organs in the Netherlands. The organ

became the centerpiece of Arthur Mason’s private collection, soon win-

ning the hearts of British enthusiasts and a new circle of devotees was

quickly formed. Shortly before Mr. Mason’s death, the organ was sold

to the Bygone Village at Fleggburgh, where it became one of the many

attractions at this unique venue. However, its future became uncertain

again in 1996 when the instrument was put up for sale.

Quick action enabled Nigel Myers to acquire it in July of that year.

Following extensive restoration by A.C. Pilmer Automatic Music

(Leasing) LTD and the building of a purpose built display, which was

all completed in 1999, the organ has been heard at events all over

England, including the famous Great Dorset Steam Fair. One highlight

occurred in June, 2002, when the organ made a historic journey to the

town of its birth, Waldkirch in the Black Forest, to attend the 7th

International Organ Festival. For a short while the organ was played

directly outside the former Gavioli factory, premises in Lange Strasse,

the first time that it had been there in more than ninety years.

Figure 4. A 1960s photo of De Grote Gavioli showing the Waerts

brothers in front of the organ. Photo: Maartin Van Der Vlugt

Figure 5. Bob van Wely, the future tech-

nical director of the National Museum

van Speelklok tot Pierement in Utrecht.

15

16


frustration, decided to give up looking for organs and go eat

lunch. On the way to lunch we came across De Grote Gavioli in

a little town square. Some people just have lucky streaks.

Maartin Van Der Vlugt was also there since his home is in

Tilburg. He told us he would not be in Arnhem on Sunday

because there was an organ festival in Switzerland that same

weekend and he would be there with Fredy Kuenzle. We have

met with Maartin on many occasions, but we have never seen

or heard his organ.

Friday evening

was the KDV cele-

bration at the

National Museum in

Utrecht. Many

speeches were given

and enjoyed by the

large crowd, but we

just smiled politely

since every word was

in Dutch. Several

people were inter-

viewed for a radio

broadcast about their work with organs and also four young

men who had composed new music for organs. Each piece was

played on the very large Carl Frei 105 key dance organ, DeSchuyt, through a MIDI interface and the winners were

announced. The competition was so close that the winners were

awarded 2nd and 3rd places only. Evidently, in Holland they

don't give a first place when the results are that close. De Schuytwas formerly a Mortier that has recently been restored and

placed on display. The bass of the organ was awesome to say

the least. Even when no music was being played the thumping

and breathing sound of the feeders was intimidating.

Ron Schmuck of Canada gave a short talk in English,

which most of them didn’t understand and he presented Hans

van Oost, the KDV Secretary, the congratulatory plaque from

COAA. Hans was chosen as the recipient since the KDV

President doesn't speak English. Hans was somewhat caught off

guard by his sudden appointment as the KDV representative.

Following the ceremonies, everyone toured the museum where

guides were available to play the many instruments, particular-

ly the organs.

Sunday found us at the Openluchtmuseum (Open Air

Museum) in Arnhem. The Openluchtmuseum is the Netherlands

equivalent to the U.S. Henry Ford Greenfield Village in

Michigan. It is a huge park with more than 80 buildings includ-

ing houses, farm build-

ings, blacksmiths, a

trolley barn, and wind-

mills brought in from

different parts of the

country. The park has a

collection of vintage

trolleys that operate on

a track that runs the

length of the park. The

park also has a vintage

1920 style carnival

setup (Figure 8) complete with rides, games, fairground organs,

attractions, gypsy wagons (Figure 9), and food stands. The park

represents a unique view of daily life and work in the

Netherlands over the past 250 years. The occasion was the

National Draaiorgeldag the premier KDV Organ Rally held at

the park every year. Liz spent her time taking pictures of the

many Dutch windmills on the property. The rest were busy

checking out the more than two dozen organs from all over

Holland, and of course, De Grote Gavioli from York, England.

The organs were scattered all over the Park. The day was again

beautiful and sunny. The other time we were at the park with

Bopp’s Bumbling Bruder Tour, it was pouring down rain with a

few organs bravely playing under their protective tarps.

Figure 6. Maartin Van Der Vlugt of Tilburg.

Figure 7. De Schuyt, a 105-key Carl Frei

dance organ premiered at the KDV celebra-

tion in Utrecht.

Figure 8.

Figure 9. Mike and Liz Barnhart pose

with a horse-drawn gypsy wagon.

17


One may wonder what is uniquely a Dutch street

organ. The answer is obvious. Holland, being mostly

reclaimed ocean

bottom land, has

the only cities

with streets level

enough for one or

two men to push

the heavily

loaded organ

carts around.

Many of the

Dutch street

organs started out

originally made

in Germany and

elsewhere by

w e l l - k n o w n

builders as carni-

val style organs

designed to

attract large

crowds. These organs were too loud to play in narrow city

streets. The organs were, by necessity, customized and

soft-voiced by Dutch and Belgium organ builders to play

sweetly, suitable for city dweller's enjoyment. Dutch

street organs are characterized by their compact size for

conveyance on a three-wheel pushcart or small open two-

wheel trailer. A few trailers even had a small auxiliary

gasoline engine attached to a steer-able wheel that could

move the trailer around without being towed. The top and

side panels of a Dutch street organ façade can be folded

down and back to facilitate storage and covering by a

water proof tarp. The tarp is kept handy on top of the

organ where it can be quickly unfolded to cover the organ

in case of inclement weather, which happens quite often.

The organs with figurines have brass rails to hold the tarp

away from the fragile carvings. Dutch street organs are

book-operated, pumped by a hand crank on a large fly-

wheel. Most organs mounted on small trailers have a large

auxiliary battery operated DC motor that can be belted to

the flywheel. When the batteries are discharged, the belt

is slipped off the

flywheel and the

organ continues

to be played by

the proven

“ A r m s t r o n g ”

method.

The reader

may be disap-

pointed by the

lack of detailed

information on

individual organs

participating in

the KDV 50th

anniversary cele-

bration. Neither

of us is qualified

to evaluate indi-

vidual organs.

We were there to look, listen, and enjoy the organs

(Figures 10 - 16). Small, medium, or large each organ,

vintage or new, in its own way was fantastic. The façades

with their shapes, colors, and figurines were spectacular.

Black and white photographs do not do them justice. With

individually arranged book music each organ had its own

personality that we could listen to for hours, but there was

only time to take quick digital photographs and a short lis-

ten. Almost every organ operator offered CD and tape

recordings. There were so many that we could only pur-

chase a small sample.

Dutch street organs arecharacterized by their compact

size for conveyance on a three-wheel pushcart or small

open two-wheel trailer.

Figure 10. A Limonaire Dutch street organ.

Figure 11. A newer Gijs Perlee Dutch street organ with brilliant carving and colors.

18


On Monday we had an appointment to

meet with the GSM (Gesellschaft fur

Selbstspielende Musikinstrumente e.v.)

President, Ralf Smolne and their representa-

tive Walter Tenten in Germany so it was time

to bid farewell to Holland and the KDV with

its many Dutch street organs.

Photos by Mike Barnhart

Figure 12. Splinter, a Decap dance organ

Figure 13. A German Wrede fair organ.

Figure 14. Het Schip, a Dutch street organ. Figure 16. A Bursens street organ, now residing in Haarlem,

Netherlands.

Figure 15. A Model 36A

Ruth fairground organ.

19

Cannal boats in Leeuwarden

Leaning Tower of Leeuwarden

Veronica’s Owner & Friends

Openluchtmuseum Windmills

Openluchtmuseum Trolley & Trolley Barn

Liz Barnhart and Shirley & Frank NixThree gypsies going Dutch treat.

22

Late last year Frank and I were invited

to accompany Jerry Pell to look at a

Bruder Organ Bob Gilson had for sale.

Jerry hates to fly, and was hoping for

company on a “sightseeing” trip. (Jerry

usually signed his email to us as “Bruderless

Jerry”, so you can see that he was ready!)

Now, it isn’t hard to convince us to go,

especially since Frank had missed seeing

Bob Gilsons place the last time the

Convention was in the area, due to the

fact Frank had to attend a trustees

meeting while I went on the tour to

the Gilson collection. (That hurt..)

As we planned our trip, Jerry

called and said Mike Argain had told

him about another Bruder for sale by

Steve and Jean Lanick. Mike had

owned this organ at one time, and

said it was a good one, so of course

that altered our trip considerably.

We went first to Bob Gilson’s,

and what a treat that is, whether you

are in the market for an organ or

not! There we saw the first Bruder,

and Jerry was quite surprised to see

how much music there was for this

organ. It was a small Bruder, in the right

price range, and Jerry was excited as we

left.

We flew from Wisconsin to Boston,

where we visited the Ken and Sandy

Goldman collection. Again, what a treat!

We had never seen this magnificent

collection, and it was really a thrill for

the three of us to enjoy the automata and

the great orchestrion collection. The

Goldmans were wonderful hosts, and we

appreciated their hospitality, since we

just called and asked them if it were

convenient for us to visit.

When we left Boston by rented car we

drove, sort of, towards the Lanicks. As

you can imagine, no true collector ever

drives from point A to point B, but rather

from point A to point M, or even to point

Z, with many stops along the way. We

visited several spots and saw some lovely

organs enroute, some for sale, some not.

When we got to the Lanicks and went

out to his garage there stood the Bruder,

and I swear Jerry’s eyes lit up the whole

place. This was a large, beautiful organ,

just the size Jerry was hoping for but had

been afraid he couldn’t afford. (Of

course, that is a minor problem most of

us run into from time to time, but it’s

amazing how we can do creative

financing to convince ourselves we can,

indeed, afford another instrument, or at

least that we have to have it.)

This organ had been on a carousel in

New Jersey which was owned and

operated by M. D. Borrelli at the Sunset

Beach Club. Jim Wells purchased the

carousel and attendant organs and the

whole package was broken up. Haning

and White bought the organs from Wells,

and then in 1982 Mike Argain bought the

Bruder from Haning and White. The

façade was redone by a well known sign

painter who worked on Indianapolis Race

Cars. It was beautifully done, true to the

original colors and design.

Mike rebuilt the chest and cleaned up

the pipe chest. The pump had been

rebuilt previously. As he worked on the

organ he found tickets from the Sunset

Beach Club carousel, proving the loca-

tion correct.

This organ is a Gebruder Bruder

Bruder 67-key, model 103, and was listed

in the Gebruder Bruder catalog as a

“large symphonic orchestral organ.” It

has automatic soft and loud registers and

Mike says it has tri-mixture.

In 1984 Mike traded this organ to

Steve Lanick, and it stayed there

until Jerry bought it. The façade is

still in wonderful condition, and

Jerry has had it out to a couple of

organ rallies in Southern California

already, much to the delight of those

who see and hear it.

When we got back to California

we mentioned at a meeting that there

was a good deal on another Bruder

with tons of music available from

Bob Gilson. Lo and behold Lloyd

Osmundson checked into it, found it

to be the perfect size for his needs

and bought it, so we will soon have two

fine Bruder organs at our rallies. (Lloyd’s

talented, artistic wife Brooke is restoring

the façade.)

By the way, Jerry no longer signs his

emails “Bruderless Jerry” of course. He

has gone from “no longer Bruderless

Jerry” to various signatures sort of

implying he is broke and nearly

homeless, but no long Bruderless. What

is important, after all?

This was a super adventure, and it’s

always great to see someone achieve a

dream, and to see something this great

come out to Southern California is a real

thrill. Next April at our Descanso Garden

rally the organ should have all the minor

things done, and it will be in top-notch

shape.

RUDERLESSBy Shirley Nix

JERRY NO MORE

Jerry Pell’s Bruder

Player pianos hammer the heartstrings of Alamo

Square collector

Richard Reutlinger lives in the past, and it's a splendid

place to visit.

Walking into his beautifully restored1886 Italianate Victorian in San Francisco's historic Alamo Square sector, one is overwhelmed by the ornateplushness of the place. Stained-glassCleopatras and stuffed peacocks,

mint- green brocade wallpaper and fauxmarble Corinthian columns. There's aformal portrait of a stern-faced womanwho brings Gertrude Stein to mind, awhite marble and walnut hall mirroradorned with carved wolf heads and tophats on pegs, a rose-dotted yellow silksofa once owned by fabled San Franciscomadame Sally Stanford.

In the downstairs ballroom, built bythe local German architect Heinrich Geilfuss for liquormaker-merchant Henry Brune, Reutlinger sits at a 1910foot- powered player piano, pumping outa Spanish-flavored version of ScottJoplin's "Maple Leaf Rag.'' An old sign

on top of the piano says: "Modern Dancing and Immodest Dress Stir SexDesire: Leading to Lustful Flirting, Fornication, Adultery, Divorce, Disease,Destruction and Judgment.''

"That's what they said about ragtime,too, that it was evil music,' ' says Reutlinger, 68, a ragtime connoisseurwhose high-ceilinged home often echoeswith the jaunty sound of syncopated early20th century American music.

A retired Arthur Andersen office manager who pioneered the Victorianrevival in San Francisco's Western Addition, he has a marvelous collectionof vintage player pianos and other

HERE’S NOTHINGSubmitted by Terry Smythe,

Wayne Wolf, & John Motto-Ros

San Francisco Chronicle Oct 7, 2004 - by Jesse HamlinMECHANICAL ABOUT IT:

This past Sunday evening, October

24th, my wife Pam and I enjoyed a most

interesting event in our home, the subject

of which I believe most AMICA

members would have an interest in.

Leo Ornstein’s daughter, Edith

Valentine along with her daughter Kyra

and son-in-law Michael Grimm and their

daughter Emily were guests of ours to

hear and enjoy several of the Ornstein

AMPICO rolls played on our Mason &

Hamlin. We were delighted to have the

opportunity for this visit and for them to

be able to experience these AMPICO

recordings first-hand.

We served dessert a little later-on and

had a chance to visit over cake, ice cream

and coffee. Edith recalled a number of

very interesting anecdotes about her

famous parents and times past. As many

know, Edith’s mother, Pauline Prevost

Ornstein was also a highly regarded

pianist and educator. The Ornsteins both

made enormous contributions to the

music world throughout most of the 20th

Century, and both lived long lives with

Leo Ornstein reaching the age of 109.

We feel very fortunate to have

Edith and her family living

nearby, and look forward to other

visits in the future. And I might

add the granddaughter Emily is

presently a sophomore here at

Sturgeon Bay High School, and

has quickly become a very accomplished

pianist. It may be that she has inherited

a good deal of her famous Great

grandparents’ talent.

N EVENING WITHBy Doug McGee

LEO ORNSTEIN’S FAMILY

Emily, Kyra Grimm & Edith Valentine

Edith Valentine

continue. . .

23

24

mechanical instruments -- nickelodeons,Orchestrions and a pair of reproducingpianos of the kind Rachmaninoff andGershwin recorded their music on. Theyonce rang out in barrooms, cafes and bordellos, silent-movie houses and private homes.

"I really like good syncopation,'' saysReutlinger, whose automaticinstrument collection will be onpublic view, along with everythingelse in his opulent Victorian, from10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday as partof the San Francisco Museum andHistorical Society's annual AlamoSquare tour.

Reutlinger, a compact chap witha shaved head and amused blueeyes looking out through rimlessspecs, got hooked on ragtime as a kid growing up in the littleNebraska town of Lexington. Hisfavorite aunt, fun-loving Louise,played the lively music in movietheaters and dime stores.

In the late '40s, Reutlinger's parentstook him on vacation to San Francisco.He fell in love with the city, its historyand the player pianos he heard at theCliff House.

"I thought, 'Geez, these sound just likeAunt Louise,' '' says Reutlinger, who purchased his first player piano when he got back to Nebraska. He was playing accordion at a Rotary Club meeting when he asked a furniture salesman in attendance if he ever cameacross player pianos. The guy just happened to have one, a simple pedal-pumped Auto piano that thenascent 13-year-old collector scored for $50 after selling his Lionel train to get the cash.

Reutlinger doesn't know what everhappened to that instrument, which camewith only one roll that played the oldsalon tune "Robin's Return.''

"I still can't stand to listen to it,'' saysReutlinger, who owns about 5,000 pianorolls, including classics by Zez Confrey,Roy Bargy and other once-famous musicians who made the music thatplayed in parlors across America.

Reutlinger allows that he dug ElvisPresley a little in high school, and, likeany right-minded, Victorian-owning, liberated San Franciscan in the '60s,spent some time hanging out in the

Haight and grooving to the GratefulDead. But he much prefers the sound ofConfrey's "Kitten on the Keys'' or PeteWendling's version of "Darktown Strutter's Ball'' playing on one of hisnickelodeons (so named because patrons put a nickel in the slot to play aselection).

There's the 1917 Coinola that gracedan Oakland barroom until the mid-1940s,when it was replaced with a jukebox.Powered by an electric motor that runsthe pneumatic vacuum system that playsit, the piano also contains snare and bassdrums, cymbal, bells, tambourine andwood block.

Reutlinger, a gay man who'd"escaped'' Nebraska in '56 and moved toSan Francisco, where he later came out,didn't have a lot of money but was able tobuy an instrument every so often. Hepicked up the Coinola at the estate auc-tion of Charlie Smallwood, a noted SanFrancisco history buff and collectorwho'd got it from the Oakland bar.

"After World War II, when jukeboxeswere available again, the bartenders were just throwing things out on thestreet,'' Reutlinger says. When he begancollecting nickelodeons, "nobody caredthat much about them. They'd practicallygive 'em to you to get rid of them.''

Of course, Reutlinger, who foundedthe Automatic Music Instrument Collector's Association here in '63 andhosts ragtime and stride-piano concerts inhis parlor, has spent thousands of dollarsrestoring these instruments, many of which are intricately adorned withcarvings and stained-glass images.Although they're products of post-Victorian culture, he sees these ornate

machines -- collectively valued at around$250,000 -- as part of the Victorian heritage.

Howard Goldman of Oakland hasrepaired some of Reutlinger's 15 pianosand another craftsman named BingGibbs, who lives in the Gold Countrytown of Volcano, has cared for others.

A friend in New Orleans flies up to work on Reutlinger's 1920 Mills Violano Virtuoso, anelectromagnetic contraption that,in addition to a 44-note piano,actually plays a violin. The stringsare sounded by a set of celluloidrollers attached to steel rods.

The costliest piece in the house is a rare 1916 Seeburg GOrchestrion, a beautifully carvedand stained-glass-decorated instrument billed as the equivalentof a six-piece band. In addition to piano and various percussioninstruments, it also features a set

of pipes mimicking the sounds of violin,mandolin and flute.

"I wanted a G for about 40 years. Ipractically had to take a second mortgageon the house to get that one,' ' says Reutlinger, who paid a Menlo Park collector $75,000 for it. The other day, it was playing a bouncing tune that suggested the circus or a merry-go-roundor an English music-hall bit on a Beatlesrecord. It's the kind of high-volumeOrchestrion that was used in dance hallsand cabarets.

Across Reutlinger's ballroom sits his other favorite player piano, a 1911American Fotoplayer, built in Oakland.Used to accompany silent movies, it features an array of percussion and brassand reed pipes. The operator yanks on a series of pulls dangling above the keyboard to set off the sound of sleighbells and pistol shots, Indian tom-tomand train whistles.

"It 's a fun instrument,' ' says Reutlinger, who paid $800 to a collectorfor a machine that cost a whopping$4,500 when it was new. It was in pieceswhen he got it and had to be completelyrestored.

Two grand pianos sit upstairs: a 1928Knabe with an Ampico reproducingmechanism, and a 1929 Steinway riggedwith the competing Duo Art system.

continued. . .

Richard Reutlinger keeps his collection of mechanical instruments in his Alamo Square home.

continue. . .

25

These were the kind of sophisticated,precomputer player pianos prized fortheir ability to not only reproduce thenotes but the "expression'' of the artistwho recorded the roll -- the changes oftempo, volume and phrasing that mark aparticular performance.

"They play all the expression, they'renot just hammering stuff out,' ' says Reutlinger, listening to the Knabe playRachmaninoff's stately Prelude in C-Sharp Minor. The composer recordedthe roll in the 1920s.

"This is how he played it, this is him,''says Reutlinger, who has a CD player inthe kitchen, but uses it primarily to playOriental fox trots and other ragtime-eramusic.

"At the time, these pianos producedfar better renditions that the phonographrecordings of the piano. So all the bigartists recorded on them.''

Some big names have also performedlive in Reutlinger's front room, amongthem ragtime specialists Max Morath andthe Norwegian master Morten GunnarLarsen. The late, great Eubie Blake, whodied in 1983 at the age of 100, playedReutlinger's Steinway in '77.

"He was only in his 90s then, and hesounded wonderful,'' says Reutlinger,who loves to show people his collectionand his home.

"I don't understand these collectorsthat buy stuff and never let anybody seeit. There's a big collection of mechanical

instruments in the city (besides the one atthe Musee Mecanique at Pier 45) and theguy won't let anybody in. It's fun to shareit,'' says Reutlinger, a history buff forwhom the past is very much alive.

"I have to admit, this is my escapefrom the 21st century.''

The Brune-Reutlinger House, with its collection of player pianos, is

one of seven historic homes around San Francisco's Alamo Square

that will be open for public tours 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.

Tickets, $20-$25.

(415) 775-1111www.sfhistory.org.

continued. . .

ELTE COVEREDBy Denis Condon

Inspired by the front cover photographof the September 2003 AMICA bulletin(Volume 40 Number 5), I decided to photograph the Welte Mignon ‘set-up’ inmy collection with the thought that itmay interest other AMICAns. I like tothink that this is the complete WelteMignon for the simple reason that it, orin reality, they play T100 red rolls, T98green rolls and, with the movement ofone lever, Licensee rolls.

At the back of the set-up pictured is a Steinway upright Model ‘K’, serialnumber 212142, which plays red rolls.Michel’s Piano Atlas dates the instrumentat circa 1922 and there is an interestingtale as to how it came to Australia. Theoriginal owner was Sir Norman Kater, awealthy businessman who was one of thefounders of the Myer department storechain based in Melbourne that still existsthroughout Australia.

Sir Norman probably bought the pianoat the Steinway showrooms in ConduitStreet, London, when he visited the United Kingdom in 1924 or thereaboutsfor what may have been his honeymoon.It would appear that he ordered a copy ofevery roll in the showroom at the time,since of the156 T100 rolls in his collection none was dated later than

1925. It is a wonderful selection of concert music and includes six dancerolls from 1924. The piano and rolls wereshipped to Sir Norman and his bride’snew home in the southern highlands ofNew South Wales. The climate of thatarea may have accounted for the rolls’exceptionally good condition. Indeedmany of them seemed never to have beenplayed before I acquired the instrument.

I first came across the instrument inthe early 1960s when it was listed in theSydney Morning Herald as a ‘Steinwayplayer piano’ for auction along with theby then late Sir Norman’s house and itsother contents. Having been told it wasan ordinary player piano, I neverthelesswas curious to see it and attended theauction. When I realized it was a veryunusual reproducer my interest grew butI was outbid by a local dairy farmer and his wife, Joyce and Sam Airey. I introduced myself to the Aireys andkept in touch, visiting them in FitzroyFalls occasionally, until about 15 yearslater the phone rang one day. It was Joyceoffering me the Steinway Welte. Afterseveral years of painstaking restorationof both piano and player, with the help ofJim Nicholson, the piano stands as in thephotograph and sounding magnificent.

In front of the Steinway stands a mostunusual Welte vorsetzer that plays greenrolls. It was found in Wales (UK) by aSydney antique dealer and shipped toAustralia in the 1970s. Having sat in thedealer’s laundry for more than 10 years,it was offered to me unrestored. It seemsto be about the same vintage as the Steinway upright, which makes it mostunusual. By the mid ‘20s it appears thatWelte was only making vorsetzers toorder. In its austere Brazilian Rosewoodcase, it is a sensational machine. As can be seen in the photograph, it has asimilar stack to that of the T100 and both of these players have no trackingmechanism. So beautifully engineeredare they that neither of them ever mistracks.

Inspired by my ever-increasing collection of wonderful Licensee rolls,when restoring the vorsetzer I had long discussions with my friend JimNicholson, who is a genius when itcomes to pneumatic problems, and I decided to see if we could convert the vorsetzer to a dual system. We experimented with pieces from my collection of discarded player items andsucceeded with basically six Weltelicensee lock valves and an Aeolian

continue. . .

– SEE BACK COVER

26

transposing bar. It was the bar that madethe job fairly simple. Yes, a good deal ofluck was involved but the fact that thetest rolls (mine are all original) registerperfectly made adjusting the two systemseasy and the musical results worthwhile.It is just so fortunate that the ports in theT98 bar do the job perfectly – even thereroll is fine. The US Welte catalogue has

exceptional items that are not to be foundin any other collection and it has been acontinuing joy to be able to play myLicensee rolls.

PostscriptFor those of you with Licensee

players and access to green rolls, theGreen to Licensee conversion does not

work in reverse. I have tried it but theLicensee tracker bar is not sympathetic to the process. Its ports are all the samesize and in line, where on the green barthree ports at either end are a differentsize and in some cases fractionally out ofline with the others.

continued. . .

ERVIN CANADABorn April 28, 1929

Died December 18, 2004

AMICA in general, and the SouthernCalifornia Chapter in particular, lost agood friend and loyal member whenErvin Canada passed away from lungcancer.

Ervin had been a mechanic, a carsalesman, and had leased and rented cars.His mechanical ability made the world ofmechanical music a natural for him, andwhether he was working on orchestrions,music boxes or clocks he could solvemost any problem, and tackled each one with enthusiasm. He was a real “go-getter” in all phases of his life.

He was, along with his wife BettySue, a member of AMICA, MBSI, andNAWCC for many years. He always had

a smile, and was ready any time wecalled him for a meeting at their home orto bring out an organ to an organ rally.He was a familiar figure, with his pianokeyboard suspenders and red vest.

He and Betty Sue were married 55years, and the recurring theme at hisfuneral was his loyalty and honesty,whether in marriage, family, or business.Our sincere thoughts go out to Betty Sueand the family, although we know thereare so many happy memories of the loveshared that will keep him alive in theirhearts, and ours as well.

Ervin and wife Betty

Please Keep Your MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION

CURRENT!Other Members are counting on your contact information to be up-to-date.

If your email address or any other information changes, please remember to email the change to our

MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY - Bill Chapman at [email protected]

27

New from QRS Music Technologies1026 Niagara Street, Buffalo, NY 14213-2099 • Phone: (800) 247-6557 • Fax: 1-716-885-7510 • www.qrsmusic.com

XMAS-2003 Limited Edition 2003 Christmas Roll - Silent Night; Christmas Time Is Here; Silver Bells; The Most Wonderful Timeof the Year. Played by Michael T. Jones

XMAS-2004 Limited Edition 2004 Christmas Roll - Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire); Have Yourself A MerryLittle Christmas; O Christmas Tree. Played by Michael T. Jones

11057 The Simpsons Theme - played by Christopher T. Sierzchula (instrumental)

11058 Georgia On My Mind - in the style of Ray Charles; played by Jim Beishline

XP515C Best Witches For Halloween - Bewitched (Bothered and Bewildered); Witchcraft; That Old Black Magic - played by J.Lawrence Cook

XP516C Nora Jones Hits - Come Away With Me; Don't Know Why - played by Charles Czarnecki

XP517C Dixie Chicks Hits - Landslide; Wide Open Spaces - played by Christopher T. Sierzchula

EW PIANOROLLS & RECUTS

88-NOTE NEW QRS PIANO ROLLS

DA-036 Mazurka No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 21 (Saint-Saëns) $13 played by the Composer Camille Saint-Saëns (originally issued onDuo-Art 5945 / November 1917)

DA-037 Chaconne - Andante Maestoso, Op. 21 (Bach - Busoni) $24 played by the Composer Ferruccio Busoni (originally issuedon Duo-Art 6928-5 / November 1925)

DA-038 Rhapsody in B Minor, Op. 79 No. 1 (Brahms) $18 played by Arthur Rubinstein (originally issued on Duo-Art 6744-4 /April 1924)

NEW BLUESTONE DUO-ART ROLL REISSUES

New from Rob Deland - BluesTone RollsPhone: (847) 548-6416 • www.bluesrolls.com • [email protected]

NEW BLUESTONE 88-NOTE ROLL REISSUES

137381 Midnight Blues (A Wee Hour Chang) (S. Williams)- lyric sheet included with roll $11 played by Clarence Johnson(originally issued on Mel-O-Dee 5099 / 1923)

137382 Arkansas Blues (Spencer Williams)- lyric sheet included with roll $11 played by James P. Johnson(originally issued on QRS 1670 / October 1921)

137383 Down Home Blues (Tom Delaney) - lyric sheet included with roll $11 played by James P. Johnson(originally issued on QRS 1797 / February 1922)

137384 Buzz Mirandy (Creamer - Franklin) - lyric sheet included with roll $11 played by James P. Johnson(originally issued on QRS 1952 / August 1922)

137385 Mamma's Got The Blues (Clarence Williams) - lyric sheet included with roll $11 played by Thomas "Fats" Waller(originally issued on QRS 2322 / August 1923)

continue. . .

28

DA-039 Andante Spianato and Polonaise, Op. 22 (Chopin - Liszt) $24 played by Alfred Cortot (originally issued onDuo-Art 6365 / November 1920)

DA-040 Etude, Op. 25, No. 9 in Gb Major ("Butterfly") (Chopin) $10 played by Ignace Paderewski (originally issued onDuo-Art 6097 / ca. April 1919)

DA-041 Fantasie Impromptu, Op. 66 in C# Minor (Chopin) $16 played by Harold Bauer (originally issued onDuo-Art 6058-4 / October 1918)

DA-042 Nocturne, Op. 32, No. 2 in Ab Major (Chopin) $14 played by Rudolph Ganz (originally issued onDuo-Art 6966-4 / February 1926)

DA-043 Nocturne, Op. 9, No. 2 in Eb Major (Chopin) $14 played by Leopold Godowsky (originally issued onDuo-Art 5771 / May 1916)

DA-044 "Military" Polonaise, Op. 40, No. 1 in A Major (Chopin) $15 played by Ignace Paderewski (originally issued onDuo-Art 6140 / December 1919)

DA-045 "Don Juan" Variations, Op. 2 (Mozart - Chopin) $26 played by Robert Goldsand (originally issued onDuo-Art 7440-3 / December 1931)

DA-046 Andaluza - Danza Espanolas, No. 5 (Granados) $14 played by the Composer Enrique Granados (originally issued onDuo-Art 5758 / May 1916)

DA-047 Sonata in D, No. 37 - Allegro Con Brio (Haydn) $18 played by Rudolph Ganz (originally issued onDuo-Art 6835-4 / January 1925)

DA-048 La Campanella - Paganini Etude No. 3 in G Sharp Minor (Liszt) $15 played by Ferruccio Busoni (originally issued onDuo-Art 5698 / November 1915)

DA-049 Gondoliera - Annes de Pelerinage, Venezia a Napoli (Liszt) $15 played by Rudolph Ganz (originally issued onDuo-Art 6571 / November 1922)

DA-050 La Chasse ("The Chase") - Paganini Etude No. 5 in E Major (Liszt) $13 played by Ferruccio Busoni (originally issuedon Duo-Art 5671 / July 1915)

DA-051 Rondo Capriccioso, Op. 14 in E Major (Mendelssohn) $15 played by Josef Hofmann (originally issued onDuo-Art 6119 / April 1919)

DA-052 Finlandia Overture, Op. 26, No. 7 (Sibelius) $16 played by Ganz and Hutcheson (originally issued onDuo-Art 539-4 / April 1928)

DA-053 Sapphire, A Musical Gem (Bloom) $13 played by the Composer Rube Bloom (originally issued onDuo-Art 72488 / July 1928)

DA-054 An Operatic Nightmare - Desecration No. 2 (Arndt) $13 played by the Composer Felix Arndt (originally issued onDuo-Art 5811 / September 1916)

DA-055 Blue Hoosier Blues - lyric sheet included with roll $13 played by Edythe Baker (originally issued onDuo-Art 18855 / July 1923)

DA-056 Kickin' The Clouds Away (Gershwin) $13 played by the Composer George Gershwin (originally issued onDuo-Art 713122 / July 1925)

Continued. . .NEW BLUESTONE DUO-ART ROLL REISSUES

NEW BLUESTONE WELTE (LICENSEE) ROLL REISSUES

Welte-071 Somebody's Wrong - lyric sheet included with roll $12 played by Howard Lutter (originally issued onWelte Y-6575 / November 1923)

Welte-072 Me and the Boy Friend - lyric sheet included with roll $12 played by Malcolm (Johnny) Johnson (originally issued onWelte Y-6972 / January 1925)

Welte-073 So Am I - lyric sheet included with roll $12 played by Vee Lawnhurst (originally issued on Welte Y-7042 / April 1925)

Welte-074 Yearning (Just For You) - lyric sheet included with roll $12 played by Vee Lawnhurst (originally issued onWelte Y-7066 / May 1925)

Welte-075 Red Hot Henry Brown - lyric sheet included with roll $12 played by Johnny Johnson (originally issued onWelte Y-7214 / November 1925)

continue. . .

29

Continued. . .NEW BLUESTONE WELTE (LICENSEE) ROLL REISSUES

Welte-076 Who? - lyric sheet included with roll $12 played by Vee Lawnhurst and Howard Lutter (originally issued onWelte Y-7285 / February 1926)

Welte-077 All Alone Monday / You Smile At Me - lyric sheet included with roll $12 played by Howard Lutter (originally issued onWelte Y-75219 / January 1927)

Welte-078 Here Or There, As Long As I'm With You - lyric sheet included with roll $12 played by Howard Lutter (originallyissued on Welte Y-75235 / March 1927)

Welte-079 Positively - Absolutely - lyric sheet included with roll $12 played by Heyward Headden (originally issued onWelte Y-75258 / May 1927)

Welte-080 Rosy Cheeks - lyric sheet included with roll $12 played by Melvin Jenkins (originally issued onWelte Y-75265 / June 1927)

Welte-081 Somebody And Me! - lyric sheet included with roll $12 played by Johnny Johnson (originally issued onWelte Y-75282 / August 1927)

Welte-082 Under The Moon - lyric sheet included with roll $12 played by Julian Rodney (originally issued onWelte Y-75287 / January 1928)

Welte-083 Together, We Two - lyric sheet included with roll $12 played by Vee Lawnhurst (originally issued onWelte Y-75312 / December 1927)

Welte-084 Intermezzo from "Pagliacci" (Leoncavallo) played by the Composer Ruggero Leoncavallo $13 (originally issued onWelte X-1020 / March 1926)

Welte-085 Barcarolle, Op. 39, No. 1 (Leschetizky) $16 played by the Composer Theodor Leschetizky (originally issued onWelte C-1196 / March 1926)

Welte-086 Canzonetta Toscana all'antica, Op. 25 (Leschetizky) $13 played by the Composer Theodor Leschetizky (originallyissued on Welte B-1202 / March 1926)

Rob Deland: Blues Tone Rollswww.bluesrolls.com

[email protected]: (847) 548-6416

David Saul: Precision Music Rolls1043 Eastside Road

El Cajon, CA [email protected]

David Caldwell400 Lincoln Lake Ave., N.E.

Lowell, MI 49331Phone: (616) 897-5609

DavidWFrom [email protected]

Magic Melodies & Keystone360 Lawless Road

Jamestown, KY 42629Phone: (270) 343-2061

Robin Pratt: Artist Choice Music Rollswww.wiscasset.net/artcraft/pratt.htm


Tim Baxter: Meliora Music Rollswww.members.aol.com/meliorarol/index.htm

[email protected]

Joyce Brite: Player Piano & Musical Music Exchange

http://mmd.foxtail.com/Exchange/http://mmd.foxtail.com/Exchange/rollpage.htm

Larry Norman: Rollertuneswww.home.earthlink.net/~rollertunes


Leedy Brothers Music Rolls4660 Hagar Shore Road

Coloma, MI 49038www.leedyrolls.com

Phone: (269) 468-5986Fax: (269) 468-0019

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30

CHICAGO CHAPTERReporter: Kathy Stone

President: Curt Clifford - (630) 279-0872

Our fall chapter meeting was held September 18th at thehome of Wayne and Connie Wolf. The Wolf’s have a diversecollection that includes orchestrions, phonographs, and musicboxes. Among the roll operated pianos are a very raremahogany Seeburg “G” orchestrion, a Coinola C-2 “O” rollnickelodeon with two ranks of pipes and full percussion, anda Link style “A” that plays the fascinating Link endless roll.Our hosts provided a delicious assortment of deli meats andmembers pitched in bringing appetizers, salads, side dishesand deserts. Needless to say, no one went home hungry.

After socializing and catching up with old friends we settled into our business meeting. Plans for the 2006 AMICAconvention were discussed. Our hotel will be the HyattRegency Woodfield where we were able to get a room rate of$85.00 per night. The convention will include trips to the Sanfilippos, Kkrughoffs, Choffnes’s and others. There will bean attendance limit of 300 people. The possibility of creatinga Chicago AMICA website was also discussed.

We had a a great time on a beautiful fall day and in addition to enjoying Connie and Wayne’s collection, we hadthe pleasure of viewing the beautiful gardens surroundingtheir home. Kudos Connie on your “green thumb”.

NewsFrom

The Chapters

December 5, 2004 The meeting was held at Dorothy Bromage’s home

in Billerica, MA. Bill Koenigsburg opened the meeting. 13 people were in attendance, 1 guest – Bill Johnson. Minutes: The minutes were read. Treasurers Report: No treasures report – Karl was absent.

Old Business: Status for the ongoing project for the Charles River

Museum of Industry was discussed.

New Business:1) Do we want to change our fiscal year/membership year

to April 1? Majority of members in attendance had no objection.

2) There will be no Xmas dinner this year. Suggestions were given for new location.

3) Bylaws - copies

4) Progress on Sandy Libman; stories and update on estate auction at Skinners Speaker – Bob Hunt discussed software and transferring files for player pianos. The meeting was adjourned.

BOSTON CHAPTERReporter: Ginger Christiansen

President: Bill Koenigsburg - (978) 369-8523

Elsa and JoePekarek examinethe Wolf’s photoalbum.

Marcie Plankand Carol

Veome.

31

Some of the interesting phonographs in the Wolf’s collection.

Beautiful Style 35 Regina

disc changer music box.

Wayne and Connie with their Link model “A”.

Margaret Bisberg andRichard Van Metreand the mahogany

Seeburg “G”.

Margaret Bisberg listens toa keywind cylinder musicbox.

A diverse andinterestingcollection.

Wayne Wolf andFred Plank watch as Curt Clifford conducts the business meeting.

Tim Trager shows a ClarkOrchestra Roll Co. photo

assemblage.

MIDWEST CHAPTERReporter: Christy Counterman

President: Stuart Grigg- (248) 356-5505

Our last meeting of the year began in the Livonia, Michigan home of Nan and John Flint on Saturday, Novem-ber 13. Entering the living room, we were greeted by their leaded glass window with the coat of arms motif, and miniature carousel horses ringed the ceiling. Ceilings seemedto be their specialty, as the ceiling tiles in the music room

32

Mike Barnhart and Karl Theilcheck out Kevin MeElhone’sbook on Mechanical Musicavailable from our chapter.

were replaced by giant enlargements of roll box labels. Piano rolls are everywhere, as special storage cabinets were overhead, in the hallway and in the garage, and all of the rolls were organized neatly and indexed in notebooks. The surprise came when walking into the vintage phone booth- the back wall opened into a secret roll room with floor toceiling storage. After listening to the Mills Violano, and a fewpiano rolls, the entertainment turned to live music. MikeMontgomery on the upright and Damon Atchison on thegrand combined for impromptu duets and tunes requested byour members. We enjoyed refreshments while shopping for rolls in the garage and listening to more music on theirChickering Ampico and Weber Duo-Art. But it was soon timefor dinner and we carpooled to the Pik-A-Bone restaurant fortheir delicious barbecued ribs, chicken and more.

Next was a trip into Detroit to visit the historic 1928Redford Theatre. The program that night was the annualVaudeville show presented by the Redford Harmony Club. Itwas a night full of acts including music, unicycle performers,and a former Miss Michigan and her ventriloquist mouse.They were accompanied by Don Haller at the Barton theatreorgan and the Detroit Fire Department Band.

Sunday morning we were on the road again to Wally andMarlene Donoghue's home on the outskirts of Plymouth,originally part of the Saddle Ridge Club founded by HenryFord and Harry Bennett in 1937. The many adjacent buildingsincluded a dance hall and horse corral where they hostedrodeos in the 1940's. The Donoghue's house was the formercaretaker's home, built in 1941. We had our business meetingwhere Liz Barnhart summarized the Denver convention andbrought us up-to-date on the upcoming events. Mike Barnhart reviewed a book that the Hartwells brought to theDenver Convention - Mechanical Music by Kevin McElhone.

It is a great introduction to many kinds of automaticmusical instruments with many photos and is available at areasonable price. The chapter voted to purchase 200 books tomake them available in the United States for our members togive to friends that may be interested in AMICA. We also dis-cussed future meetings and plan to meet at Bennett Leedy'sin March as well as meeting in Ohio and Indiana later in2005. The meeting adjourned so we could enjoy the musicfrom the Donoghue's music boxes and the Steinway Duo-ArtXR.

We'd like to thank our hosts, Nan and John Flint andMarlene and Wally Donoghue for a weekend filled with funfriends and wonderful instruments.

Damon Atchison awaits his cue for his next duet with Mike Montgomery.

Karl Theil enters the Flints’secret roll room where BennettLeedy is already picking outsongs.

Host John Flint demonstrates the Mills Violano for Vince Ricca.

The ceiling tiles atthe Flint’s are giantpiano roll labels.

Carousel animalsmarched across theFlints’ living room.

33

Hilda and Warren Merchant wait for the next selection on the Regina Corona Changer.

The rustic setting of the Sadde Ridge Club.

A patriotic introduction at the Redford by seven branches of U. S.servicemen, accompanied by the Detroit Fire Dept. Band.

The original Japanese décor of the Redford Theatre surrounds DonHalter at the organ.

Wally Donoghuechanges the

ReginaphoneCalaoo from

disc to record.

NORTHERN LIGHTS CHAPTERReporter: Dorothy Olds

President: Phil Baird

On December 5, 2004 we met for our annual ChristmasParty. It's been a while since the chapter has held a regularmeeting. However, the convention planning committee hasbeen meeting monthly.

We had a nice winter day, no snow in sight, for which thisreporter was grateful, because of my long commute fromGrand Rapids to St. Paul.

Our president, Phil Baird hosted the event at his recentlyacquired 1912 home. It is of the Arts and Craft Style, which isvery homey and comfortable. What a great place to socialize.....and we did!

Phil is also the proud owner of a Welte/Kimball grandplayer which he purchased from Dick Kroeckel. (Phil fell inlove with it during the open house tours in Denver.) Needlessto say IT entertained us during our party.

A brief meeting was held. Chairman Don Barton broughtus up to date on the convention planning.

Following the sumptuous dinner with a variety of delcious, delectable foods, weall settled into opening the great "white elephant" giftseach received. Most everyoneenjoyed theirs.

Phil Baird – Host with his dog Willa.

34

Randy Hammond, JerrilynBoehland & Phil’s new piano.

Phil’s mother,Margaret.

Jeremy, Ed Copeland, Randy Hammond, Terry Goepel, Craig Remmen,

Todd Reuhaus.

Tom Wurdeman, Phil Baird, Howie O’Neill, Don Barton, Barb Watkins.

Someone’s in the kitchen.

Tom Wurdeman, Barb Watkins, Paul Watkins.

Donald Jones (Styrofoam inmouth) Karl Eilers, Tedd N.,Howie O’Neill.

Party’s Over. . .Margaret, Tom, Tim

Wheat, Willa, Phil.

PACIFIC CAN-AM CHAPTERReporter: Mark Smithberg

President: Halie Dodrill - [email protected]

MarchMarch 20th, 2004 was a first for the Pacific Can-Am

Chapter of AMICA. We all went on a field trip. We journeyedabout 2 hours north to the small city of Bellingham near theCanadian border to visit the American Museum of Radio andElectricity. The museum is downtown in a 6000 square foot

35

storefront, and will soon be expanding to 23,000 square feet.It contains over 1200 items, including radios, televisions,recording devices, early electrical devices, test equipment andquack medical equipment from the beginning of the electricalage. Most of them are operable. Some of them can be handledby the public. It is truly an interactive museum. Our chapterwill be rebuilding a foot operated player piano that will beused and displayed in their recreation of a 1920’s living room.We will furnish rolls and a roll cabinet so that they candemonstrate how to use it and visitors can learn what it is liketo pump a player piano. We then headed south to Larry andJackie Slossen’s house for the business meeting, show andtell, and pizza. We added 2 new members at that time. Plansfor the future include the Band Organ Rally at Ocean Shores,WA on June 6th and our next meeting in Spokane to be heldthe 26th of June.

Larry Slosson accompanying his talented feet at the piano while playing the harmonica.

Our business meeting with lots of pizza.

JUNE

The Pacific Can-Am Chapter of AMICA met Saturday,June 26th, in Spokane, Washington at the home of DanBrown, our international president. It was a warm day withthunder and lightening all around the north end of Spokane,but we managed to stay dry. Dan’s huge collection is actuallymany smaller collections, and would take weeks to describe.The main floor of his modest house is packed with two grandpianos, an upright Fischer Art Case Studio Ampico, and anickelodeon. Did you happen to see the nice article in theMarch/April issue of the AMICA Bulletin? The entire houseis full of Radios, Phonographs, Music Boxes, Spokane memorabilia, antiques, and there are a couple pianos in fosterplacement with good friends. It has been said that if the contents of the house were emptied onto the lawn, they wouldnever fit back into the house. We enjoyed many stories of

Spokane history, full access to the house, except the basement, and also the garage, which cotains a vintage Nash automobile. Instead of a potluck that would not havebeen feasible for the four hour drive from Seattle, we had a deli luncheon that Dan put together himself. Thanks for a great time from a great host. It was truly a treat to see all of the wonderful things Dan has collected for so many years.

SEPTEMBER

Saturday, September 18th, the Pacific Can-Am Chapterof AMICA met in Carbonado, WA at the home of Peg Kehret.Her custom log home was built with music in mind. There is aRegent player piano, Nickelodeons, an Aeolian OrchestrelleModel V, a Raffin crank organ, and many small organettes.We had many long absent members attend and one new mem-ber that contacted us from the AMICA website and joined usat the meeting. Kurt Morrison, Troy Taylor, and Ron Babbheld a workshop on pneumatic recoverings. Several membersgot their fingers sticky while working on the Milton playerour chapter will be donating to the American Museum ofRadio and Electricity in Bellingham, WA. It is fitted with aStandard Pneumatic Action which will serve their purposesvery well and hopefully not require many service calls. Alarge mart was held in the garage with many tools, rolls, andsupplies. Our business meeting followed with an update onthe Knabe APMICO that is located in downtown Seattle at theParamount Theater, its original location. It was made to matchthe Wurlitzer organ console and was placed on the mezzanineabove the lobby for use before shows and during intermission.Sold in the 1960’s, it has been leased from its current ownerand placed where it had originally intended to be. Our chapterwill be restoring it so that the public can see and enjoy it. Wehope it generates new AMICA members and demonstrates theremarkable capabilities of the AMPICO system. They haveshown great interest in having it operable. Our usual potluckwas a big hit. After that we enjoyed old-fashioned milkshakesmade by Mark Smithberg on Kurt Morrison’s 1940’s triplespindle Hamilton Beach machine.

Left to Right: Sally Gibson, Halie Dodrill, Jackie Slosson. In thebackground, the wall is filled with cover art from

Peg Kehret’s Children’s books.

36

Left to Right: Ted and Aileen Miholovich, Jack Becvar, Bernice Powell, Ward Folsom, Fran Willyard, Mary Lou Becvar, Carl Dodrill, Brian Tate.

Mike Wallacepumping the“Regent”.

Left to Right: Ron Babb, Dan Brown, Peg Kehret (Our Hostess), Larry Karp reclining.

SIERRA NEVADA CHAPTERReporter: Nadine Motto-Ros

President: John Motto-Ros - (209) 267-9252

The Sierra-Nevada Chapter’s Christmas Extravaganzawas held Sunday, December 19, at the home of Tom and Virginia Hawthorn in Roseville, CA. The Hawthorn’s run an

auction of records, cylinders, phonographs, and related items;and their personal collection of these items is one of the best.

In lieu of the usual Christmas gift exchange, our hostsrequested members bring an unwrapped children’s toy to bedonated, in AMICA’s name, to a children’s charity.

John Motto-Ros purchased several copies of KevinMcElhone’s book MECHANICAL MUSIC from the AMICAMidwest Chapter and sold some to our chapter members.

Tom and Virginia planned some really fun and interestingactivities. Attendees were asked to bring their favorite and worst Christmas music selections—LP, old record, CD, or Ampico roll. After the music was played and voted on,outrageous prizes were awarded to participants.

It was great to see some long-time members, and most ofthe usual suspects were present. For those who could notattend, you missed a gala affair.

Alex Thompson loading Xmas rolls on the 1928 Fischer Ampico Grand.

Our hosts, Tom & Virginia

Hawthorn, with Xmas Nipper.

Is this AMICA partylaid back--you bet.

Sonja Lemon and DaveMareno enjoying the

Ampico Christmasmusic.

37

Fred's friend Debbie, Fred Deal,Nadine Motto-Ros

and Doug Mahrenjoying food

and drink.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CHAPTERReporter: Shirley Nix

President: Frank Nix- (818) 884-6849

September 18th found AMICA and their invited guests,MBSI, at the Griffith Park Merry-Go-Round for our meeting.It’s the first time we’ve been there for a meeting in a longtime, and it was a very enjoyable evening.

Our host and hostess, Warren Deasy and RosemaryWest kept the carousel open for us after hours, so we couldride to our hearts content and listen to the great music of theStinson organ. They have always been great hosts for us, fur-nishing the crew to run the merry-go-round and offering softdrinks. We love having our meetings there, and it’s a great opportunity for members to bring their children or grandchildren and introduce them to the music and fun.

Several of us brought monkey organs, too, so we couldlet the Stinson have a rest now and then and provide our ownmusic. It’s always interesting to hear the different sounds of the organs, and of course we all love to bring out ourinstruments.

It’s always nice to have children attend the meetings at the carousel, and this time Darrell Whitney and his family were there. The kids seemed to have a good time, and we enjoyed watching them. Bill and Barbara Whitneycouldn’t attend due to Barbara not feeling well, but the family was well represented.

It was a great evening, and we owe a great big vote ofthanks to Warren and Rosemary.

Shortly after that meeting we were asked by KathleenEric if we could have a few AMICA members bring out monkey organs to the city of Costs Mesa for a sidewalk art festival on October 30. She and Chris were setting things up and generally running the event. We called around, and as usual our members were more than willing to make the effort.

This was a first for Costa Mesa, and Kathleen hadarranged for a very well know sidewalk chalk artist to be there. (This took place on a basketball court, so the surface wasn’t the smoothest canvas.) It was fascinating

to watch this man, from the original outline to the finishedproduct of a lady on a couch holding her daughter. The detail and depth of the finished picture was really amazing.

Squares were offered for $5 to anyone who wanted to try their hand, including a full set of chalk, rags, and all the things an aspiring artists might need. A lot of kids had alot of fun, and quite a few adults as well.

The sounds of the monkey organs made a real atmosphere for the event, and hopefully it will become anannual thing.

Those bringing instruments were Jack Conway, Bill Klinger, Peter Breede, Jerry Pell, Frank Nix, and Bill Blair, who brought out a Regina music box with a lot of discs for people to enjoy. We really appreciate the cooperation shown by our members when we call them to put on an organ rally. Several of our members came out without instruments just to support the event and enjoy the festivities.

Another one who came out to enjoy the day was Andrew Barrett, who has been coming to our band organ rallies for the last nine years. We have watched him grow and develop into a really fine ragtime pianist. The first time he came out he was all of 9 years old, and he could tell everyone about their organ. He had actually read the Encyclopedia of Mechanical Music from cover to cover a couple of times. We were privileged to have him come out and crank the organs for most of the day.

Our next meeting will be the Christmas party at the home of Frank and Shirley Nix.

Jerry Pell and MaggieRichardson enjoying

the Stinson organ.

Kelly Peters,Ardis Prescott,Robin Biggins and Don Henry.

Our Host & Hostess –Rosemary West andWarren Deasy.

Ed, Daniel and Mike in the kitchen.

38

S.O.W.N.Y. CHAPTERReporter: Garry Lemon

President: Mike Walter- (716) 656-9583

SOWNY Chapter of AMICA InternationalWinter 2004

Photography by Nancy Group and Anne Lemon

“The sun is shining, the grass is green, The orange andpalm trees sway…’But it’s December, the twenty-fourth, andI am longing to be up North!” …Irving Berlin in WhiteChristmas

Well, it was really December 11th. The moon was shining, the grass was white from snow cover. Our footprintscrunched on the snow and ice and the fir tree was brightlydecorated for Christmas.

For several years, Mike and Holly Walter have hosted our annual Christmas gift exchange. The exchange is lively.The rules are straight forward and must be respected--youdraw a number and take your turn to select a present, youhave the opportunity to select a wrapped present from underthe tree OR to choose one that has been unwrapped and is inthe possession of another SOWNY member. After three

Bill Klenger plays for thecrowd.

attempts of rescuing the present you are the lucky owner!!The prized gift was a commemorative souvenir booklet fromthe Pan American Exposition in Buffalo and included a com-pact disc featuring pianist Bob Berkman. Nancy and EdGroup did some fancy ‘trading’ of gifts to add this unique giftto their collection of Pan American memorabilia-a feast toboth read and hear! Buffalo has a long and celebrated historyas the Queen City of trade and commerce and QRS is stillbased near the famed Erie Barge Canal.

Our Christmas meal featured treats and reminded us of the truly cosmopolitan diversity of America. We had tastyperogies, two kinds of cabbage rolls, Kaiser buns with roast beef, a delicious corn soufflé pudding, cream cheese andcranberry chutney rolls, lots of shrimp and a warm cinnamoncake.

Mike conducted a brief business meeting and thanked theclub executive of 2004 and introduced the new executive. Ourformer vice president, Stan Aldridge, has offered to share hiscollection of test rolls while our newly elected vice president,Daniel Tenerowicz, suggested a bowling party and visit to acollection of automatic playing instruments. Farewells werebid to Frank and Joan Warbis who are moving and wishesof good health to long time member Howard Root. The clubwould like to continue with the rebuilding of the Weber duoart grand piano that Harrold Hodgkins has so ably andpatiently mentored. We are so fortunate to have talented members.

All the best for 2005!

Bob Berkman dictates therecipe for hisaunt’s deliciouscorn soufflé while Audreyanticipates hearing theChristmas roll.

Stan opens his gift while Nancy, Joan, Frank and Bob look on.

Frank Nix watches as Andrew Barrettcranks the organ.

BENNET LEEDY ROLLSTHE PIANO ROLL CENTER4660 HAGAR SHORE ROAD

COLOMA MI 49038Phone 269-468-5986

Fax 269-468-0019email: [email protected]

Bob Berkman playing theChickering B with his

interp retations ofBalcom 'sGraceful Ghos t and

Joplin 's Magnetic Ray. Bobis music director at QRS.

Garry select ing Ampico rolls forthe Chickering.Mike ana the gift

exchange.

Stan, Mike, Edand Noe l andMyrna Blairlistening toMike 's j ukebox.

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Specializing in:Player Grands , Nickel odeons & Orchestrions

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Reproducing, 88 note, 65 note, rolls.Musical related publications and othercollectibles for sale by mail auctions.

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39

40

ADVERTISING GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT

ALL ADVERTISING IN THE AMICA BULLETINAll advertising should be directed to:

Mike Kukral216 Madison Blvd.Terre Haute, Indiana 47803Phone: 812-238-9656e-mail: [email protected]

Ad copy must contain text directly related to the product/servicebeing offered. Extraneous text will be deleted at the Publisher’sdiscretion. All advertising must be accompanied by payment inU.S. funds. No telephone ads or written ads without payment willbe accepted. This policy was established by a unanimous vote ofthe AMICA Board at the 1991 Board Meeting and reaffirmed atthe 1992 meeting. AMICA reserves the right to edit or toreject any ad deemed inappropriate or not in keeping withAMICA’s objectives.

The BULLETIN accepts advertising without endorsement,implied or otherwise, of the products or services being offered.Publication of business advertising in no way implies AMICA’sendorsement of any commercial operation.

AMICA PUBLICATIONS RESERVES THE RIGHT TOACCEPT, REJECT, OR EDIT ANY AND ALL SUBMITTED ARTICLES AND ADVERTISING.

All items for publication must be submitted directly to thePublisher for consideration.

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING: $.20 per word, $5.00 minimumfor AMICA members. Non-members may advertise double themember rates ($10.00 minimum). Because of the low cost ofadvertising, we are unable to provide proof copies or “tear sheets”.

Non-member rates are double for all advertising. DISPLAY ADVERTISING

Full Page — 71/2 " x 10" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $150.00Half Page — 71/2 " x 43/4" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 80.00Quarter Page —35/8 " x 43/4" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 45.00Business Card — 31/2 " x 2" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 30.00

Special 6 for 5 Ad Offer - Place any ad, with no changes, for afull year (6 issues), and pay for only 5 issues. Payable in advance.Photographs or halftones $15.00 eachLoose Sheet or Insert Advertising: InquireWe recommend that display advertisers supply camera-readycopy. Copy that is oversized or undersized will be changed tocorrect size at your cost. We can prepare advertisements fromyour suggested layout at cost.PAYMENT: U.S. funds must accompany ad order. Make checkpayable to AMICA INTERNATIONAL. Typesetting and layout size alterations charges will be billed.DEADLINES: Submissions must be received no later than thefirst of the odd months (January, March, May, July, September,November). The Bulletin will be mailed the first week of theeven months.

(Rev. 6-98)

FOR SALE5 FREE PLAYER PIANOS and many parts, all unrestored. Call J. Couture 419-877-5390 evenings. (1-05)

APOLLO GRAND PLAYER, LYON & HEALY ARTECHOGRAND, AEOLIAN AND STROUD DUO-ART UPRIGHT, all inunrestored condition. Beautiful Gothic cased wing player, rare art case,Lauter Humana player and cable upright player, electrified, all restoredby Thomas McClury. Jim Harvey 304-645-6579, 304-667-9564, [email protected] (1-05)

ROLL CABINET, 2-door serpentine mahogany, VGC, 20" x 32" x 52"high, holds approximately 130 rolls, price $1500. Paul Ottenheimer 856-468-8995.(1-05)

Positions open for the "Bumbling Bruder Tour" June 14 - 28, 2005;tour includes Germany, Switzerland and Holland; information may beobtained from Ron Bopp, 918-786-4988 or [email protected]. (1-05)

1914 STECK DUO-ART 5’2” Ivory keys, rebuilt but requires somerepair work from 2 years of storage, bench, 67 large and 42 small Duo-Art rolls included for $5200. Contact: Yale H. Crandall, 5329 FountainPalm St., Las Vegas, NV 89130, phone (702) 396-8305. (1-05)

AEOLIAN ORCHESTRELLE STYLE V, beautiful dark oak case,playing well with pedals or blower, 24 rolls, $5,800. Howard Sanford,Miami, FL 305-932-7972 (1-05)

STEINWAY DUO-ART GRAND PIANO. 1925 model XR (6’1”),mahogany, unrestored condition. $5,500. Mel Septon 847-679-3455email: [email protected] (1-05)

HANDMADE BARREL AND PNEUMATIC ORGANS made inGermany. With moving figurines and a lot of humorous surprises. See: www.magic-mechanical-music.de Musik & Spiel Automaten Geratebau, Ing. Hansjorg Leible, D-79400 Kandern/Holzen, Kirchstr. 2;Tel: 07626-7613, Fax 07626-971009 (6-05)

NEW REPRODUCING ROLLS FOR SALE – Magic Melodies isnow the Exclusive Dealer for new Keystone Ampico and Duo-Art rolls.For periodic Catalogs and other listings, write or call us. MagicMelodies, 360 Lawless Road, Jamestown, KY 42629 or phone 270-343-2061. (1-05)

WELTE-MIGNON PIANO 1927 – Seiler upright, Oak, T-98 greensystem, made in Germany. Complete and original, perfect ivories, brassinlay, restrung. Asking Only $1,900 Mike Kukral, 812-238-9656 [email protected] (6-05)

1924 STEINWAY OR Duo-Art walnut Art case w/veneer damage from fire on one side, rebuilt player, in crates, w/new Ivory keys$11,500 Condition: D; 1995 BALDWIN 4’7” red polish Mah.W/Pianodisc $8,900 Cond.: A; 1987 YAMAHA G2 Ivory polishs/Pianomation $8,900 Cond.: A; 1920 FRANKLIN 56” Ampico Mah.$3,500 Cond.: B+; MARIONETTE AMPICO GRAND original complete w/matching bench $2,500 Cond.: C-; 1995 STORY &CLARK 42” Wal. $2,500; AMERICAN PLAYER PIANO 48”Studio, $2,900. Contact: Schroeder’s Pianos 562-923-2311 (1-05)

NEW PIANO ROLL BOXES-Duo-Art Audiographic series-Exactlylike the originals! Maroon with Gold Printing, all 3 sizes available!(small & medium are “Top Hat” style) $7.00 ea. Quantities are limited,so get them before they are all gone! AMPICO “Top Hat” boxes-BlackLeather with Gold Printing and False Bottom, Exactly like the originals,$4.00 ea. 88 note roll boxes in two sizes-Large (fits 2 3/4 flange) covered with Black Alligator paper (Top), Black Leather (Bottom). OrBrown Leather Paper (Top & Bottom) $3.00 ea. Small (fits 2” flange)Covered with Black or Tan Leather Paper (Top), White Litho (Bottom)$1.50 ea. Other repair supplies available-Parchment Leaders, Tabs,Tubes, Flanges, Repair Tissue. Quantity discounts available. RichIngram [email protected] (760) 244-ROLL (7655) (4-05)

STEINWAY RED WELTE GRAND (T-100), Hamburg Model O,with original rolls. Please contact [email protected] for additionalinformation. Alejandro Radchik, Av. Mexico 37-507, Condesa 06100,Mexico, DF. [Mexico City] Tel.: 011- 52-555-419-5374 (4-05)

WANTEDDUO ART guts for Weber Grand. NICKELODEONS. Unrestored.AEOLIAN ORCHESTRELLES, Finders fees offered for productiveleads. Jim Harvey 304-645-6579, 304-667-9564,[email protected] (1-05)

“A” ROLL CONTAINING RAILROAD SONGS. Purchase or loan for AMICA Mpls. Convention. Don Barton, c/o AMICA MINNEAPOLIS 2005, 2715-4th St. S.E., Mpls., MN 55414 (2-05)

“Those pianos of yours are only worth what somebody will give

you for them.”

~ Clarence Kukral

AMICA MEMBER TO PRESENT WORKSHOP ON "RE PRODUCING SYSTEMS FOR DUMMIES". A~ basic introduction toAmpico, Welte, and Duo Art pianos... a comparison of the three systemswithout getting too technical. Don Barton, c/o AMICA MINNEAPOLIS

.. <; 2005, 2715-4th St. S.E., Mpls. MN 55414 (2-05)

!( -" :'lillD WELTE MI GNON piano rolls (T- IOO) . Paying top dollar. Mike~ukra l 812-238-9656 or [email protected] (6-05)

WANTED: 88-NOTE ETHNIC ROLLS, especially Russian, Greek,Jewish, Hungarian, and Syrian. Happy to buy, trade, or borrow rollsfor copying. Excellent references. Help spread diversity! Contact BobBerkman at [email protected] or 716-882-1826 (3-05)

ANY AND ALL CASSETTES FOR MARANTZ SUPERSCOPEPIANOCORDER SYSTEM. Call Peter Funk 201-836-0357, leavemessage. (I -OS)

STEINWAY AR DUO-ART in unrestored condition contact 315-858-2164 (2-05)

BENNET LEEDY RESTORATIONS4660HAGAR SHORE ROAD

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pianos, and other automatic instruments.

(4-05)Web Page: www.leedyrolls.com(6-05)

Complete pianos and player systems restored using factoryoriginal techniques by an experienced professional. Complete

or partial systems can be sent to my shop for restorations.I supply special UPS cartons for this unique service .

Ben Gottfried464 Dugan Rd.• Richfield Springs, NY 13439

315-858-2164

n~\ {l\a~er VianI) terti\j~ A Complete Restoration Service Ce

For The Pneumatic Piano

www.BluesRolls.com** Since 1988 **

Rare vintage player piano rolls reissued - over 400 great ragtime, blues and popular 88-Note musicrolls; Ampico, Duo-Art, and Welte Licensee rolls of popular and classical music are available, as wellas IIAII roll recuts for your nickelodeon piano.

A NEW LIST af fine Duo-Art classical (and some pop) music and Welte popular (and some classical)rolls is now IN STOCK and READY TO SHIP! Twenty of each, plus new 88-note BLUES recuts bysuch greats as James P. Johnson and "Fats" Waller. Browse to www.bluesrolls.com or email fordetails: robdelandcabluesrolls.com. You can also call or write for a list - please specify which type ofroll interests you!

Blues'Tone Music RollsRob DeLand / 485 Gatewood Lane

Grayslake,IL 60030 / 847-548-6416(6-05)

41

AMPICO - DUO-ARTWELTE - RECORDO

88 NOTEIncluding, Jumbo, Program and Medley Rolls

Offering listings of new recut and original rollsof above for direct purchasing, without bidding.

Also buying small and large collections

Write or e-mail for listings and prices.Include P.O. address

and type you're interested in.

http://www.revealer.com/caldwell/

Dave Caldwell400 lincoln Lake Ave., N.E.

Lowell, MI 49331

[email protected] (6-05)

Barrel organs for collectors and enthusiasts.Complex moving figures with various sounds,delightful music and a lot of surprises.

Musik & Spiellng. Hansjorg Leible, Kirchstr, 2 • 79400 Holzen/GermanyPhone ++49 7626-7613 Fax ++49 [email protected] www-magic-mechanical-music.de

'~

, I

" " 'I Ir-\"dI, ,i .

LEEDY BROTHERS MUSIC ROLLS4660 HAGAR SHORE ROAD

COLOMA MI 49038Phone 269-468-5986


Welte LicenseeDUO-ARTAMPICO

88 NOTELimited edition reissues and new music rolls.

Contact us or check our web page for our latest list of music rolls. !r - \Web page www.leedyrolls.com

(4-05)

42

43

MARTY PERSKYAutomatic Musical Instrument Specialist

Serving Collectors and the Trade WorldwideInstrument Brokering & Locating

Collections / Estates / Individual InstrumentsAppraisals / Inspections / Free Consultation

Some Great Instruments Offered – Call for Images & Videos

Also Regina 27” Changer 23,000, Mills Single Violano unrestored 18,750, Regina Desk 14,500, Wurlitzer 146 A with bells, Polyphon Mikado 16,000, other Music Boxes, Automata, Books, etc.

Website: www.MechMusic.com

Tel. 847-675-6144 6514 N. Trumbull Ave.Fax. 847-675-6160 Lincolnwood, IL 60712 USA

E-mail: [email protected]

6’2” RAA Mason&Hamlin AMPICO Asuper piano must sell 12,000

Knabe Ampico Bw / Ampichron

Link E with xylophoneand torch glass 17,000

Nat’l Dog Race w / Selector 23,000 Big Bruder Playing 165 rolls 18,500 Paillard 31cyls 22,500

44

REPLACEMENT LEADERSThese 11 1/4” x 17” reprints, not trimmed and without tabs, are excellent replicas of the more popular types ofreproducing piano roll leaders. While intended for roll repairs, they may also be used for decorative purposes.To splice, overlay new leader on old roll, lay a straightedge on an angle, cut through both papers with a sharpknife, discard scrap, and butt-join with magic mending tape on top surface.

A. Brown on buff (For early red label boxes)

B. Black on ivory (Area for reusable artist photo)

C. Black on ivory (Most common)

D. Black on ivory (Very late rolls by combined Aeolian/American)

E. Green on ivory (Most common)

F. Green on ivory (Favorite Fifty & Selected Roll Service)

G. Welte Brown on buff (Most common)

Note: Early Welte’swith blue leaders maybe repaired with thisbrown leader. Many ofthese when reissuedhad brown leaders.

Please make checks payable toAMICA INTERNATIONAL, And send to:

BRIAN K. MEEDER904A West Victoria StreetSanta Barbara, CA 93101-4745

e-mail address for orders:[email protected]

Checks or moneyorders from foreign

countries must be drawn on U.S. bank.

Style QuantityA ______________

B ______________

C ______________

D ______________

E ______________

F ______________

G ______________

Total Quantity ______________

Price: $ 1.00 eachMinimum Order: $10.00

Postage and Handling $ 5.50

Roll Order $ ________

Total Amount (U.S. $) $ ________

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