CONVENTION 2004

The AMICA BULLETIN AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENT COLLECTORS’ ASSOCIATION JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2004 VOLUME 41, NUMBER 1 " Automatic Joud r., ~·It)1l!'·"".lq~~ pedal lever Bracket for Jf/Jr".1LtlLJi1lJ '-.I Transposing f tipping spOOl box cf~vice lever Plaljer,'kri"II.J (or tuning r!~!~l~~~

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~t~~ Player treadles .. It fold to standard opening • THE AMICA BULLETIN AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENT COLLECTORS' ASSOCIATION Published by the Automatic Musical Instrument Collectors’ Association, a non-profit, tax exempt group devoted to the restoration, distribution and 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] Visit the AMICA Web page at: http://www.amica.org Associate Editors: Mr. Larry Givens & Robin Pratt

VOLUME 41, Number 1 January/February 2004 AMICA BULLETIN

Display and Classified Ads FEATURES Articles for Publication Letters to the Publisher The Song “Trudy” — 6 Chapter News Len Luscombe — 7 UPCOMING PUBLICATION Steinway-Welte Comes to Life — 7 DEADLINES The ads and articles must be received Reviews of New Rolls — 9 by the Publisher on the 1st of the Odd number months: For a Medieval Cathedral. . . — 10 January July Personality of the Times — March September 12 May November Put Another Nickel In. . . — 14 Bulletins will be mailed on the 1st week of the even months. To B or Not to B — 16 Dr. Michael A. Kukral, Publisher Recording the Soul of Piano Playing — 39 216 Madison Blvd. Player Pianos and Adopt A Piano Campaign — Terre Haute, Indiana 47803-1912 41 Phone: 812-238-9656 Stamp Collecting — 45 e-mail: [email protected] 2004 AMICA International Convention — 47 DEPARTMENTS MEMBERSHIP SERVICES AMICA International — 2 New Memberships ...... $42.00 President’s Message — 3 Renewals ...... $42.00 Additional $5.00 due if renewed From the Publisher’s Desk — 3 past the Jan. 31 deadline Announcement — 4 Address changes and corrections Letters —4 Directory information updates He Shall Be Remembered —51 Additional copies of Member Directory . . . . $25.00 Chapter News — 52 Single copies of back issues Classified Ads — 58 ($10.00 per issue - based upon availability) Front Cover: Denver Convention 2004 William Chapman (Bill) 53685 Avenida Bermudas Inside Front: “The Peerless Player Piano”, Peerless Pneumatic Action Co., New York, La Quinta, CA 92253-3586 1922, courtesy of Mike Kukral (760) 564-2951 Back Cover: Top postcard is from Managua, Nicaragua. Bottom postcard is from Cuba, e-mail: [email protected] see inside article courtesy of Roy Powlan To ensure timely delivery of your BULLETIN, please allow 6-weeks Inside Back Cover: Munsey’s Magazine - Advertising Section, May 1899, advance notice of address changes. “The Pianola”, courtesy of Keith Bigger

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

Entire contents © 2004 AMICA International 1 AMICA INTERNATIONAL

INTERNATIONAL OFFICERS CHAPTER OFFICERS PRESIDENT Dan C. Brown BOSTON AREA NORTHERN LIGHTS N. 4828 Monroe Street Pres. Bill Koenigsburg -(978) 369-8523 Pres: Phil Baird Spokane, WA 99205-5354 Vice Pres: Bob Tempest Vice Pres: 509-325-2626 Sec: Ginger Christiansen Sec: Jason E. Beyer - (507) 454-3124 e-mail: [email protected] Treas: Karl Ellison Treas: Howie O’Neill PAST PRESIDENT Linda Bird Reporter: Don Brown Reporter: Dorothy Olds 3300 Robinson Pike Board Rep: Karl Ellison Board Rep: Dorothy Olds Grandview, MO 64030-2275 CHICAGO AREA PACIFIC CAN-AM Phone/Fax 816-767-8246 Pres: Carl Kehret - (360) 892-3161 e-mail: OGM [email protected] Pres: Curt Clifford - (630) 279-0872 Vice Pres: John Mueller Vice Pres: Peg Kehret VICE PRESIDENT Mike Walter Sec: Thad Kochanny Sec: Halie Dodrill 65 Running Brook Dr., Treas: Bev Spore Treas: Joe Pekarek Lancaster, NY 14086-3314 Reporter: Mark Smithberg Reporter: Kathy Stone 716-656-9583 Board Rep: Carl Dodrill e-mail: [email protected] Board Rep: George Wilder SIERRA NEVADA SECRETARY Christy Counterman FOUNDING CHAPTER Pres: John Motto-Ros - (209) 267-9252 544 Sunset View Drive, Akron, Ohio 44320 Pres: Bing Gibbs - (408) 253-1866 Vice Pres: Sonja Lemon 330-864-4864 Vice Pres: Karen Ann Simons Sec/Treas: Doug & Vicki Mahr e-mail: [email protected] Sec: Lyle Merithew & Sandy Swirsky Reporter: Nadine Motto-Ros TREASURER Wesley Neff Treas: Richard Reutlinger Board Rep: John Motto-Ros Reporter: Tom McWay 128 Church Hill Drive, Findlay, Ohio 45840 SOWNY (Southern Ontario, Board Rep: Richard Reutlinger 419-423-4827 Western New York) e-mail: [email protected] GATEWAY CHAPTER Pres: Mike Walter - (716) 656-9583 PUBLISHER Dr. Michael A. Kukral Pres: Tom Novak - Vice Pres: Stan Aldridge 216 Madison Blvd., Terre Haute, IN 47803-1912 Vice Pres: Bob Crowley Sec/Mem. Sec: Gary & Anne Lemon 812-238-9656 Sec,/Treas: Jane Novak Treas: Holly Walter e-mail: [email protected] Reporter: Mary Wilson Reporter: Frank Warbis MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY William Chapman (Bill) Board Rep: Gary Craig Board Rep: 53685 Avenida Bermudas, La Quinta, CA 92253-3586 760-564-2951 – Fax 775-923-7117 HEART OF AMERICA SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA e-mail: [email protected] Pres: Tom McAuley Pres: Frank Nix - (818) 884-6849 Vice Pres: Robbie Tubbs Vice Pres: Richard Ingram — COMMITTEES — Sec/Treas: Kay Bode Sec./Reporter. Shirley Nix AMICA ARCHIVES Stuart Grigg Reporter: Treas: Ken Hodge 20982 Bridge St., Southfield, MI 48034 - Fax: (248) 356-5636 Board Rep: Ron Connor Board Rep: Frank Nix AMICA MEMORIAL FUND John Motto-Ros LADY LIBERTY TEXAS P.O. Box 908, Sutter Creek, CA 95685-0908 209-267-9252 Pres: Vincent Morgan (718) 479-2562 Pres: Jerry Bacon - (214) 328-9369 Vice Pres: Keith Bigger Vice Pres: Bill Boruff AUDIO-VISUAL & TECHNICAL Harold Malakinian Treas: Vicki Brady 2345 Forest Trail Dr., Troy, MI 48098 Sec: Richard Karlsson Treas: Ira Malek Sec: Janet Tonnesen CONVENTION COORDINATOR Frank Nix Reporter:Marty Rosa Board Rep: Dick Merchant 6030 Oakdale Ave., Woodland Hills, CA 91367 818-884-6849 Board Reps: Marvin & Dianne Polan Bulletin Reporter: Haden Vandiver HONORARY MEMBERS Jay Albert MIDWEST (OH, MI, IN, KY) 904-A West Victoria Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101-4745 Pres: Stuart Grigg - (248) 356-5005 (805) 966-9602 - e-mail: [email protected] Vice Pres: Liz Barnhart PUBLICATIONS Robin Pratt Sec: Sharon Neff 630 E. Monroe St., Sandusky, OH 44870-3708 Treas: Alvin Wulfekuhl WEB MASTER Meta Brown Reporter: Christy Counterman 400 East Randolph Street, Apt. 3117, Chicago, IL 60601 Board Rep: Liz Barnhart 312-946-8417 — Fax 312-946-8419 AFFILIATED SOCIETIES AND ORGANIZATIONS ATOS website: http//stlouis.missouri.org/fsjoplin MUSICAL BOX SOCIETY 43 Great Percy St., London WC1X 9RA President - Nelson Page [email protected] INTERNATIONAL England The Galaxy Theatre INTERNATIONAL PIANO Rosanna Harris, Editor PLAYER PIANO GROUP 7000 Blvd East, Guttenberg, NJ 07093 ARCHIVES AT MARYLAND 5815 West 52nd Avenue Julian Dyer, Bulletin Editor Phone: (201) 854-7847 Fax: (201) 854-1477 Performing Arts Library,University of Maryland Denver, CO 80212 5 Richmond Rise, Workingham, E-Mail: [email protected] 2511 Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center Phone: (303) 431-9033 Fax: (303) 431-6978 Berkshire RG41 3XH, United Kingdom Editor - Vernon P. Bickel E-Mail: [email protected] 786 Palomino Court College Park, MD 20742 Phone: 0118 977 1057 San Marcos, CA 92069-2102 Phone: (301) 405-9224 NETHERLANDS MECHANICAL Email: [email protected] Phone: (760) 471-6194 Fax: (760) 471-9194 Fax: (301) 314-7170 ORGAN SOCIETY - KDV E-Mail: [email protected] SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION E-Mail: [email protected] A. T. Meijer Division of Musical History AUSTRALIAN COLLECTORS OF INT. VINTAGE PHONO & MECH. Wilgenstraat 24 Washington, D.C. 20560 MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS MUSIC SOCIETY NL-4462 VS Goes, Netherlands SOCIETY FOR SELF-PLAYING 19 Waipori Street C.G. Nijsen, Secretaire General NORTHWEST PLAYER PIANO MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS St. Ives NSW 2075, Australia 19 Mackaylaan ASSOCIATION Gesellschaft für Selbstspielende 5631 NM Eindhoven, Netherlands DUTCH PIANOLA ASSOC. Everson Whittle, Secretary Musikinstrumente (GSM) E.V. Nederlandse Pianola Vereniging MUSICAL BOX SOCIETY OF GREAT 11 Smiths Road, Darcy Lever, Ralf Smolne Eikendreef 24 BRITAIN Bolton BL3 2PP, Gt. Manchester, England Emmastr. 56 5342 HR Oss, Netherlands Alan Pratt, Editor Home Phone: 01204 529939 D-45130 Essen, Germany FRIENDS OF SCOTT JOPLIN P. O. Box 299 Business Phone: 01772 208003 Phone:**49-201-784927 1217 St. Croix Ct. Waterbeach, Cambridge CB4 4PJ Fax:**49-201-7266240 PIANOLA INSTITUTE Email: [email protected] Kirkwood, MO 63122-2326 England Clair Cavanagh, Secretary 2 President’s Message The first thing which should be on everyone’s New Year resolution list should be renewing AMICA membership and making sure that the personal information listed is correct. Remember that the Bulletins will stop coming if the payment isn’t sent in soon. The next suggestion to get things off to a good start is to review pages 308 and 309 of the past Bulletin. This lists the membership growth ideas which were discussed at the Board meeting last summer. The committee studying growth suggestions consists of myself, John Motto-Ros, Bill Chapman, and Bing Gibbs. We want comments and suggestions from members which can be brought to the Board for discussion this year. Some, but not all could require AMICA International funding to be implemented and if this is the case, some pre-planning before the meeting is appropriate. Some recent activities have really brought into focus for me how much work we have to do to educate the public about our collecting to generate growth in our association. As a result of the newspaper article in the Portland newspaper about our last convention, the local newspaper contacted me about doing an article. None of the people involved had any prior experience with player or reproducing pianos, but they were eager learners and I rather bombarded them with information and roll performances. An extensive article resulted, which has been followed up with a commercial TV feature and a public TV profile. So far, I’ve heard from over 40 people wanting more information on players and have distributed AMICA brochures to all. I’ve gotten information requests from as far away as the Midwest and Madrid, Spain. I made sure that AMICA was mentioned prominently and several people have expressed excitement that there is such an organization. I’ll see how many new memberships are generated, but this shows that getting the word out about our interests doesn’t have to cost anything. I hope you’re all making plans for Denver in August. The convention committee is getting a website up and running and have great activities in the works. Amicably, Dan Brown

From the Publisher’s Desk

A new and special year is upon us as we are celebrating the 100th birthday of the reproducing piano! Although various prototypes of reproducing pianos emerged before, it was the formal introduction of Edwin Welte and Karl Bockisch’s “Mignon” in 1904 that would change forever our ability to hear recorded performances of legendary and great artists. Because of the Welte-Mignon library of recordings, today we are privileged to listen to performances made by pianists who walked the earth with the immortal Beethoven or performed for Chopin himself. The early “Red” Welte technology may appear crude when compared to the Ampico B or late Duo-Art, but I challenge anyone to deny the superior results obtained by the early Welte system in reproducing classical music. Amicans are truly fortunate if they can hear an accurately regulated and fully rebuilt T-100 Welte-Mignon piano or Vorsetzer. When I joined AMICA in the mid 1970s there was hardly a mention, let alone any articles, about the Welte-Mignon in the Bulletin (that has fortunately changed). Yes, all reproducing pianos give wonderful results when rebuilt, tuned, and regulated, but as we celebrate 100 years of the reproducing piano, credit must be given to Edwin Welte for leading the way, setting a standard, and enabling the development of the Ampico, Duo-Art, and other music systems that we continue to enjoy and appreciate.

Happy 100th Birthday to the Reproducing Piano! Mike Kukral, Publisher

3 Announcements REQUESTS FROM YOUR PUBLISHER

Several issues from the membership and from the board require some feedback from everyone in Amicaland. Please take a moment and respond.

1. Upcoming bulletins will devote a page to NEW MUSIC ROLL RELEASES! All people issuing new paper music rolls (including QRS), whether new reissues or new music rolls entirely, should submit to me roll titles, artists, numbers and information on ordering. I do not want the names of rolls previously found in your catalogues, but only new releases please. Be sure to remember our publishing deadlines. This is free advertising folks.

2. The big purple book by the late Charles Davis Smith, The Welte-Mignon, Its Music and Musicians, was published by AMICA in 1994 and has now been out of print for several years. This is a fantastic book (without a doubt the best ever issued on any reproducing piano system) which includes a detailed history of the company, listings of all known Welte-Mignon rolls issued, biographies of artists and composers of both popular and classical music, and much more. Please let me know if you are interested in obtaining a copy of this book. If there is enough interest AMICA will endorse another printing of this work and it will be available for purchase.

3. Please respond to me at [email protected] or by calling 812-238-9656 or in writing to me at 216 Madison Blvd., Terre Haute, IN 47803. Until next time, Mike Kukral Letters Leo Ornstein Award

“I wish to thank AMICA Interna- research on mechanical musi- tional for honoring me with the Leo cal items has always been fun Ornstein Award. In particular, I thank for me, and using the written my own Heart of America Chapter bulletin or journal as well as members for thinking of me and organizing the material into making the initial nomination. I have audio/visual format also has enjoyed writing articles; publishing its rewards. my book, The American Carousel Although unnecessary to Organ; producing audio/visual continue to write and publish, programs; and now, editing and the Leo Ornstein Award is the publishing of a mechanical musical “icing on the cake.” I again Past President Linda Bird giving me the Leo Ornstein journal (COAA’s Carousel Organ) thank you.” over the years. This has allowed me Award at our recent Heart of America Chapter Thanks meeting in Branson, Missouri. to “get in and get close” to a lot of Ron Bopp mechanical music that otherwise was prohibitive to personally own. Doing

4 Letters continued. . . Dear President Dan Brown & those issues. Examples: Mar- AMICA Members: Apr 1999 — Aeolian Pipe I would like to take a moment to thank Organ book, Aeolian Artist you Dan for presenting me with the Archer Gibson, Reginald President’s Award this year. I am sorry Reynolds memoirs, AMICA I could not be there in person to accept. Boston. May-Jun 2000 — I will hang it with the other awards and PLAYER PIANO COMPANY acknowledgments that I have received history, Ampico Rolls and Disc from AMICA in the past. Counterparts, Mortier Dance I am pleased that everyone has been Organs, S. CA Band Organ so welcoming to the new Publisher, Rally, Piano Patents, Bird Mike Kukral. I think he is doing a super Repertoires on Duo-Art Rolls job now and will continue into the (Archie Mumma), Disc Reviews future for AMICA. His success (once of the 1920s. Nov-Dec 2002 — again folks) depends on the members Percy Grainger, Late Duo-Art Piano. WHEW!!! Looks like variety of AMICA to submit articles. If you Fan Accordions, Repetition Tester — to me! complain of not enough variety nor Tech Tip, British Music Roll Well, Mike will continue and with nothing of interest to you then isn’t it up Making, Mike Barnhart MMICI your help the AMICA Bulletin will grow to you to 1. Contact Mike and let article, Keystone Music Rolls. and progress into the new century while him know what your interests are, and 2. May-Jun 2003 — Edison Artist Anna continuing to be a reliable resource of Contact people who are knowledgeable Case, Ethel Leginska, Canadian facts, quality and historic preservation. in the area of your interest and have them Piano Tuner, Reproducing Piano Thanks again for the President’s write something? It really is easy. Systems, Fundamental Differences Award Dan, I really appreciate it! Speaking of not enough variety, I was of the Model “B” Ampico, The Sincerely, looking through some past Bulletins and Autophone, Old Piano Photos, Tech tip Robin Pratt was AMAZED at the variety we put into 1911 Patent for Tracker, Self-Tuning

“Music Hath Charms to Soothe the Savage Breast”

THE XYLOPHONE PLAYER GOES ON A PICNIC

5 The song “trudy” Sent in by Eldon Schlundt

Dear Bulletin Editor, I am sending you this copy of an Associated Press release and thought it might interest AMICA readers in as much as Mr. Irving Berlin wrote a song in 1926 to honor her called “Trudy” – apparently her nickname as her name is Gertrude. I have a Vocalstyle piano roll #13896, and I see by Billings Rollography it was also on QRS roll #3693 but has a question mark for composer. The label on the Vocalstyle roll I have says -copyright Irving Berlin Inc. The arrangement of this roll is a good toe-tapping Foxtrot. Yours, Eldon Schlundt 1664 N 625E Michigan City, IN

First woman to swim English Channel Dies

From The News-Dispatch December 1, 2003

NEW YORK (AP) – Gertrude Ederle, When she returned to her native land, Ederle (pronounced ED-er-le) swam who was the toast of America and Europe there were celebrations, receptions and a the choppy, treacherous stretch under the in 1926 when she became the first roaring ticker-tape parade for her in New most adverse conditions, battling rip woman to swim the English Channel, York, where she was born in 1905. She tides, cross currents, driving rain and died Sunday. She was 98. met President Calvin Coolidge, was paid mountainous seas, as well as a constant Ederle had spent the last several years thousands to tour in vaudeville, played threat of floating debris, poisonous jelly- living at the Christian Health Care Center herself in a movie (“Swim, Girl, Swim”), fish and sharks. She left Cape Griz-Nez, in Wyckoff, NJ, about 25 miles northwest and had a song and dance step named for France, at 7:05 a.m. and stumbled ashore of New York City, said Martin Ward, her. at Kingsdown, England, 14 hours and 30 whose wife is one of Ederle’s ten surviv- Only five men had succeeded in minutes later. ing nieces and nephews. swimming the channel before her, and Because of the stormy weather, she In a roaring decade where Americans she beat the record by more than two had swum 35 miles in crossing the 21- cheered daredevils, few were as celebrat- hours. mile-wide channel. Yet her time for the ed as Ederle, who was 20 when she made “I though it was marvelous and I crossing stood for 24 years before it was her historic swim on August 6, 1926. thought only Gertrude could have done broken in 1950 by Florence Chadwick, who negotiated 23 miles in 13 hours and “People said women couldn’t swim it,” another top swimmer from the era, 20 minutes. the channel,” Ederle told The Associated Aileen Riggin Soule, said in a 1999 inter- Press in a 2001 interview marking the view with The Associated Press. “She 75th anniversary of her feat. “I proved had the stubbornness.” they could.”

6 en luscombe L By Barclay Wright - From Australian Collectors of Mechanical Musical Instruments - Bulletin No. 119, October 2003 Piano Roll Pianist Lennard Earl Max Luscombe, pianist post of musical director at the and piano-roll manufacturer, was born on Century Theatre, New York, 19th August, 1894 in East Melbourne, took lessons from the composer son of Max Luscombe, watchmaker from T.M. Tobani and visited Berlin and his Victorian born wife Elsie piano-roll factories, particularly (nee Drake). Living in Fitzroy, Max that of the Connor family in played the trumpet in theatre orchestras Chicago. Back in Melbourne, and Elsie taught music. Their son’s piano with the financial backing of his lessons began when he was age three. mother, Luscombe formed the Extremely shy and reserved, Len was Anglo-American Player Roll Co. dominated by his mother, with whom in 1921. It produced piano-rolls under he lived for most of his life. She was the “Broadway” label. He imported but soon works by the great pianists determined that he would become a machines for roll-production (including of the QRS Company were being child prodigy. He, however, preferred an electric cutter) from the Acme sent and issued on the Broadway label. popular dance music and by 1911 was Machine Co. in Newark, New Jersey. Luscombe was a committed artist, conductor-violinist and arranger for the In addition to running the company, whose work never lost its freshness. He Majestic Theatre (Melbourne) orchestra. Luscombe was the sole artist, recording probably made the best transition Fascinated by the new medium of in the quiet of the night. He used names to recording the new rhythms of popular piano-roll recording, about 1916 such as Dan Rawlings, Art Kaplan and music after WWII. Luscombe made some of the first to Earl Lester to create the impression of His rolls have survived, showing a be produced in Australia, using brown a larger staff of pianists. The Acme remarkable musicianship with the use of wrapping-paper carefully cut by hand Company later supplied him with few notes. Upon his death in 1957, the with a penknife. In 1917 he left for quantities of American masters. Initially Broadway label, plant and masters were the USA where he performed, held the these were rather plain and uninteresting, sold to his rival, George Harry Horton. Steinway - welte comes to life By Denis Condon - From Australian Collectors of Mechanical Musical Instruments - Bulletin No. 119, October 2003 Steinway & Sons upright – serial overseas holiday, penniless, but number 212142 [Model KW] – with nevertheless attended the Welte-Mignon action – serial number auction and watched, helpless, 1398 [Model 100er] – has been in Denis as it was sold for some £600 Condon’s collection, unrestored, for together with 165 Red Welte some fifteen years. The provenance of rolls. It was bought by dairy this piano is part fact and part guess farmers Sam and Joyce Airy of in the piano even to the extent of allowing work. I first knew of it when it was Fitzroy Falls to be used by their family me to borrow the precious test roll. advertised for auction as part of the estate for hand playing. I introduced myself to of the late Sir Norman Kater in the them and the whole family turned out to On subsequent visits to the dairy, I 1960s. I had just returned from an be very friendly, welcoming my interest noticed the lead tubing in the piano was continue. . . 7 Steinway - welte continued. . . deteriorating and the whole mechanism and puts no strain on the starting to look shabby. It did not rolls, even during the loudest improve as the years went by and the passages. rolls, although undamaged, looked I hope it will not be too forlorn sitting in an undignified pile long before visitors to Ampico in a cupboard under the stairs. Towers will be enjoying The circumstances of Sir Norman’s the exciting sound of this original purchase of the piano is open outstanding piano. to conjecture but it could have gone something like this: On business in London in 1925, Sir Norman, visiting wealthy friends, probably in the countryside, saw and heard a similar Welte-Mignon, or even a Steinway- Duo-Art, in a setting that reminded him of his own home. Returning to London, Front view of the Steinway-Welte. Sir Norman made his way to Steinway Hall at Conduit Street W1 and selected the Steinway-Welte upright, together with a copy of every Welte roll title in the shop and had them shipped to his mansion in the NSW Southern Highlands. This scenario rings true since all of the rolls with the piano are from the same period. The dozen or so dance rolls bear this out: they are all from 1925. The penciled dates at the ends of the rolls are also no later than 1925. The rolls Denis Condon playing are more or less the “pick of the crop” a Red Welte Piano roll ranging from Liszt Sonata through to on the Steinway. Beethoven’s Thirty-Two Variations. A superb collection! From time to time I expressed my interest in purchasing the piano from Sam and Joyce and in 1988 my wishes were granted. Having already restored two Welte instruments, I knew the challenges ahead and took some time to decide how I would go about it. In the long run I entrusted the bulk of the task to Jim Nicholson who has done Jim Nicholson admiring the brilliant work on player mechanism beautiful Steinway-Welte. and David Kinney on the piano action. The piano is responding splendidly and has turned out to be one of the exceptional player actions that maintains constant pressure at the tracker bar

8 Reviews of new rolls Supplement To The Gramophone, February 1924 - Reprinted in Player Piano Group Bulletin 168, September 2003 ANIMATIC My Player-piano is a Weber 58905. Nocturne, Op. 32, No. 11, Chopin. Duo-Art, from the Aeolian Co. I Played by B.V. Poznik. 8s. 6d. find that the Animatic rolls go 54475. Derniere. Esperance, Op. 16. very well on this instrument, but Gottschalk. 8s. 6d. the time in most cases has to be 58421. Valse Caprice, Op. 148. Huber altered, the pace increased from Hans. Played by Felix Wernow. 10s. 6d. ten to twenty degrees on the tempo indicator. The Artistyle 58931. Overture: Fingal’s Cave. a lovely thing and should be played with Mendelssohn. 10s. 6d. rolls go well on it too, of course. the soft pedal on all the time. Musetta’s 58875A. Exhibition Pictures. Promenade Of the above rolls I found the Song roll is very short rations, and hardly No. 1. 8s. 6d. Moussorgsky Exhibition Pictures very worth the trouble of recording or playing. 58875B. Exhibition Pictures. Promenade effective, and the second especially good. No. 2. Played by Walter Glessking. The Chopin Ballade and Valse are both A good deal of the subtlety of these weird 10s. 6d. splendid. little sketches is lost, but they are very 58418. Album for the Young. Schumann Of the Duo-Art rolls by far the best is “May,” “Spring Song,” amusing to play. Schumann’s children’s the Humperdinck Hansel and Gretel. “Romance.” 10s. 6d. each pieces are always delightful, but we have all played the Merry Peasant, and most Everyone ought to have that. It is beautifully played as well as lovely ARTISTYLE. of the others, and there does not seem to music. Trot de Cavalerie is very jolly to (Prices: A, 5s.; B, 7s. 6d.; C, 10s.) be much reason for reproducing anything 88014C. Ballade, Op. 23, No. 1, G Minor. so simple. Surely the pleasure of having a play, and the Dornroschen is effective Chopin. player-piano lies chiefly in performing drawing-room music. Voglein must have 88027B. Grande Valse, Op. 42, A Flat. impossible feats like concertos, and a light fluttering touch, and though I am Chopin. brilliant technical things that are beyond sure Uda Waldrop has it, it simply 88110C. Concerto, Op. 16, in A Minor. the reach of the average person. I play won’t come off on the Duo-Art, however Grieg. Merry Peasant much gently your foot presses. And as this C901F. Caprice in G (Genre Scarlatti). the much, better than the Animatic does. The Hebrides piece has no raison d’etre without it Paderewski. I wish something else had been chosen 89145A. La Boheme, Act II., Overture is well worth playing. A great to come before Danse Caprice which Valse di Musetta. deal of effect can be got out of this 88001. Hungarian Dance, No. 5, intensely Mendelssohnian music. The is charming. Der Rosencavalier is F Sharp Minor. Chopin Valse is quite desirable, though always attractive, and this is a good roll 93316A. Two Pierrot Pieces. C. Scott. that again is one that most of us have to play. And finally the Wedding March 88187C. Waltz, Op. 34, No. 1. Moskowski. played possibly nearly as effectively, and from Lohengrin, if you are not tired of it, 72344. Villanelle. E. dell’Aequa. the Valse Caprice of Huber Hans is very is a very satisfying roll. (Artist Song Roll.) amusing to play, if quite undistinguished. Just as we go to press a most 93315A. Spoon River. P.A. Grainger. Of Derniere Esperance the less said the wonderful electric-driven Steinway Welte better. It must have been. Upright has arrived at the office. First DUO-ART. impressions of it are enchanting, and 6580 Elegie. Massenet. I have always wanted to play Played by Huston Ray Moskowski’s Valse, Op. 34, but it didn’t I look forward to many happy hours 6587 Hansel and Gretel. Humperdinck. seem quite worth while to work at it hard with the rolls from the equally handsome Played by Mills and Brooks. enough to play it as brilliantly as it catalogue. Of course, it is fearfully 6604 Voglein. Danse Caprice. Greig. should be played. With a little practice it expensive, as it has every right to be; and Played by Uda Waldrop. is possible to get almost the necessary fearfully heavy, too – 1,270 lbs. – so that 6613 Dornroschen (Sleeping Beauty). swing into this excellent roll. The Grieg it would break most people either to buy F. Bendel. Concerto is most exciting, and several or to lift it. But what a perfect thing it is – Played by Charles G. Spross. a music Rolls Royce! 6630 Der Rosencavalier. R. Strauss. times I found myself backing violently Played by Frank Longo. into the vocalion some yards away in my 6643 Wedding March from efforts to do justice to the sweeping Lohengrin. Wagner. rhythm of it. The Paderewski Caprice is Played by Robert Summers.

9 For a medieval cathedral . . . By Mark Landler - From The New York Times, November 28, 2003 - Submitted by Vincent Morgan . . . A Made-in-America Organ

LAUSANNE, Switzerland, Nov. 25 ≈ after the “Nazi Gold affair” ≈ Jean-Christophe Geiser is not taking any a wintry period in Swiss- chances. When he inaugurates a new pipe American relations, when organ at the cathedral here next week, his the United States rebuked first piece will be a prelude by Bach, who Switzerland for not returning assets is to organ music what Verdi is to opera. that had been confiscated from Jews “We’ve got to show people that the by the Nazis and stashed in Swiss banks. instrument can play Bach,” said Mr. “For us, there was a lot of risk,” Mr. Geiser, a dapper, well-spoken man who Geiser said. “We worried that it would works as a lawyer when he is not playing end up hurting the instrument.” the organ in this 13th-century Gothic Now, though, the suspicion in this cathedral. genteel lakeside resort town has given Replacing a pipe organ is no small way to curiosity. Locals wander into the undertaking. These majestic instruments cathedral at all hours, craning to look at Fabrice Coffrini/Keystone, for The New York Times Jean-Christophe Geiser, the organist at are costly, difficult to build, and demand the organ, which unfolds like a pair of the 13th-century cathedral in Lausanne, months of tuning and tweaking to deliver angel’s wings over an archway at the Switzerland, at the console of the new organ a perfect sound. In Europe, birthplace back of the nave. They watch as the built by C. B. Fisk Inc. of Gloucester, Mass. of the organ and long the dominant American workers clamber over the founded by Charles B. Fisk, a physicist producer of them, they are also intensely organ’s 6,735 lead and tin pipes, calling who worked on the Manhattan Project political. out notes to test each one. but left science for the unlikely goal of When Lausanne decided in 1999 to “People have been quite warm to us,” developing a mechanically operated replace the cathedral’s aging Swiss organ said Steven Dieck, the president of organ in the United States that rivaled with a new one from an organ maker Fisk, who traveled from Gloucester those built in Europe. in Gloucester, Mass., it was viewed to oversee the finishing touches. “It will Since the late 1950’s, Americans have by many Swiss as an act of heresy. be interesting to see what happens when imported European pipe organs built like Never before had a European cathedral we leave, and we’re not here to defend those of Bach’s time ≈ instruments that entrusted such a sacred task to an ourselves. The organ will have to speak inspired Fisk and a handful of other American company. for itself.” American firms to go back to Baroque “People wrote letters saying, ‘This In the final frenzied days before principles. The Lausanne instrument, the huge, multinational American giant is the inauguration, Mr. Dieck and his most ambitious pipe organ ever exported coming in to steamroll the old European colleagues are still laboring over the from the United States to Europe, is a organ makers,’ ” Mr. Geiser recalled. A organ’s voice. It is a process, they striking reversal of the trend. local newspaper, straining for metaphors, explain, that is subtler and more complex “We know what we want,” Mr. Pike predicted that the American organ would than simply tuning the pipes. said, “but you have to be willing to go sound like a hamburger sizzling on the David Pike, a wiry Connecticut where the pipes and the space take you.” grill. native with a whimsical mustache, is In this case, the space is a soaring Never mind that Gloucester, a responsible for the sound. He is vaulted nave, framed with Gothic arches. barnacle-encrusted New England seaport, balancing several imperatives from his For a company whose best-known is known for fish, not meat. Or that patrons: the organ must be able to project before this was the organ for its local organ maker, C. B. Fisk Inc., play religious music for the Protestant the ultramodern Morton H. Meyerson has all of 30 employees and $2 million congregation with as much fervor as Symphony Center in Dallas, working in in annual sales. French Romantic pieces in a concert. an 800-year-old cathedral has been a It did not help that Lausanne awarded Fisk brings its own notions about pinch-yourself experience. the $2.4 million contract to Fisk soon organs. The 42-year-old company was continue. . . 10 For a medieval cathedral continued. . . Still, it was not without headaches. To lessen the sting of its The cathedral’s medieval builders did not decision, Lausanne asked Fisk leave enough room for a 40-ton organ to try to collaborate with Klais. with a forest of 32-foot pipes. The That proposal went nowhere. old organ had been stashed in the Then, to the quiet bafflement balcony, muffling much of its sound. of the people at Fisk, the city Fisk’s solution was to project its organ hired a celebrated Italian car out into the nave, using massive steel designer, Giorgetto Giugiaro, beams as a cantilever to anchor the pipes who is known for his exotic and the keyboard, known as a console. Maseratis and BMW’s, to Christophe Amsler, a Swiss architect oversee the design. who oversees the cathedral, still shakes “We sometimes felt like we his head at the audacity. “This is one of were just the organ builders ≈ the most important Gothic churches that they weren’t interested in in Switzerland,” he said. “It didn’t our artistic vision,” said Mr. happen easily.” Dieck, a gentle, bearded man who plays Fabrice Coffrini/Keystone, for The New York Times Altering the cathedral’s design may the organ at his own church. Some of the organ’s 6,735 pipes. have been easier than snubbing Europe’s In the end, though, Fisk’s vision “French organs are built in the French organ-making establishment, though. seems to have prevailed. Mr. Geiser, tradition; German organs are built in the Lausanne invited companies from who played the Fisk organ in Dallas German tradition,” Mr. Geiser said. “Fisk Switzerland, Austria, France, and before deciding which builder to choose, is open to new things. Perhaps they can Germany to bid for the project. said this new organ was unmistakably bring this thinking to European organ Among them was a respected German a product of Gloucester, exhibiting a building.” manufacturer, Klais, known for its daring musical ecumenism that mirrored its land organ in the Cologne cathedral, which is of origin. suspended from the ceiling by steel rods. e-releases 1960s R Sent in by Robert Ridgeway

Some of the artists from the 60’s are re-releasing their hits with new lyrics to accommodate us...good news, for those feeling a little older and missing those great old tunes... Herman’s Hermits - “Mrs. Brown, You’ve Got A Lovely Walker” The Bee Gees - “How Can You Mend A Broken Hip” The Temptations - “Papa’s Got A Kidney Stone” Ringo Starr - “I Get By With A Little Help From Depends” Marvin Gaye - “I Heard It Through The Grape Nuts” Procol Harem - “A Whiter Shade Of Hair” Roberta Flack - “The First Time I Ever Forgot Your Face” Johnny Nash - “I Can’t See Clearly Now” Commodores - “Once, Twice, Three Times To The Bathroom” Leo Sayer - “You Make Me Feel Like Napping” Rolling Stones - “You Can’t Always Pee When You Want” ABBA - “Denture Queen” Bobby Darin - “Splish, Splash, I Was Havin’A Flash” Paul Simon - “Fifty Ways To Lose Your Liver”

11 Personality of the times From The North Summit Times, Hudson, Ohio, March 20, 1964 John Morse Demonstrates Midas Touch With Hobbies & Inventions

Editor’s Note: The late John Morse was an Reserve Academy, he had the John F. Amica member and credited with saving the distinction of earning the highest grade Morse original Aeolian Company Roll Perforators ever given by that school for physics. from the dump. I worked for this fine old gentleman in the 1970’s and helped him “Didn’t do much else, though,” he organize his music roll collection. admits, “I got the lowest possible mark in French, and can’t extract square Most of us today are busy trying to orders decreased and Morse had to root even yet.” find ways to make our work enjoyable find another market for his product and interesting. John Morse, Board Following the wishes of his engineer or another product for an existing market. Chairman and founder of the Morse father, Morse gave college a try but For some time, he had been interested Instrument Co., approached this problem stayed only a year. He returned to his in power boating and had developed another way. He made a multi-million makeshift workshop – but didn’t stay several inventions for his own use. It dollar business out of doing things he long. was a natural step into producing enjoyed. It was shortly after Lindberg’s flight boating controls. His most widely-known Blessed with an imaginative that Morse wanted to fly. He joined invention, the Morse Single Lever and inventive mind, John Morse, the army and went to photographic Control created a new standard in boating engineer-inventor, turned such hobbies school at Chanute Field. Studying operation. He pioneered the single-lever as photography and boating into under then Lt. George W. Goddard, he control which is to boats what the profitable businesses with national soon became an instructor and worked automatic transmission is to a car. distribution in just a few years. in a cowshed at night inventing An educated estimate puts it that more photographic devices. He began his first experimental shop than 90 per cent of the world’s inboard in a neighbor’s garage in Hudson. Upon release from the army, Morse powered boats are Morse-equipped. He rented one-half of the garage for one went to B.F. Goodrich to work in Since January, 1961, Morse has dollar a month. their development labs. This brought entered a new field of manufacturing and him once again in touch with now Today, the shops and offices of the marketing – push-pull cables for Maj. Goddard who, seeing the war Morse Instrument Co. sprawl over many industrial remote control applications. coming, wanted more military camera acres in Hudson, and Morse holds more Finding no machines available to devices. Morse finally quit Goodrich than sixty patents. produce them, he simply designed and to devote all his time to development built his own machines. These are John Morse’s first inventions were in of military photography. His first the only of their kind in the world. the field of photography. government contract was for $16,000 Cameras are an old love for him. and came just a year before Pearl “It seems that every hobby I ever In 1930 he built a special camera for an Harbor. Many of those hired at that had became a business with me,” Morse aerial survey of Chicago. He believes this time are still with the company and said. “Now, though, I have become is the largest focal plane camera are close friends of John Morse. interested in the restoration of ever built. He still has that camera and Employees-old and new- address him player-reproducing pianos and Model cherishes it as a boy might a favorite toy. by his first name. “A” Fords. I haven’t found out yet how we can make a business out Morse is no ivory tower product. The plant thrived during the war, of them.” When he was graduated from Western but when the war ended, government continue. . . 12 Personality of the times continued. . .

On Friday, May 1, 1931, this photo feature appeared in the Chicago Express. Corporal John F. Morse’s photo experience in the army influenced many of his later inventions in the photographic industry.

rices have . . . P Sent in by Bill Chapman . . . Changed for Music Boxes The Portland AMICA Convention 2003 was a success for the lucky attendees. The bus tour to the Sellwood antique district was a boon to collectors. Found in one shop was an old newspaper classified ad on the back of a 19th century picture frame. The picture itself was one of the highly romanticized depictions of a saint tossing rose petals to a woman seated at a keyboard instrument. A picture of the ad was taken but it was unclear therefore it was re-typed as shown below. No date nor city could be seen without disassembly of the picture frame. The date is a reader’s guess!

LAST WEEK OF THE Big Bargain Sale OF BEAUTIFUL MUSIC BOXES A few splendid instruments still remain. And they will be closed out this week at GREATER REDUCTIONS than ever. Positively the LOWEST PRICES at which the music boxes have ever been offered. Come Monday: These wonderful bargains will go quickly. You don’t need much cash—just a small payment, then 50 cents to $1 a week. Among the bargains on sale tomorrow will be the following: A $50 Swiss Box, playing ten pretty tunes; sale price, $15. A $53 “Symphonion” double comb, mahogany, with eighteen tunes; now only $30. A pretty oak “Regina” was $35, with a dozen tunes, now only $30. An “Olympia,” fancy mahogany, takes large tune; was $75, now $30. A fine Swiss Box, latest style, like new; was $150, now $35. A magnificent “Reginaphone” music box and talking machine combined; plays either Regina tune sheet or Victor record; regular price $85, sale price, with a dozen tunes, only $53. Also a few other, equally attractive bargains. Any instrument selected may be exchanged if not satisfactory. Don’t miss this great opportunity to get a charming musical instrument for your home at a fraction of the original price. Grinnell Bros. Music House 221-223 WOODWARD AVE.

13 Put another nickel in. . . From the Wingfoot Clan, Akron, Ohio, July 19, 1961 In The Nickelodeon. Patience Above all search for machines . . . in that one never knows what will turn Unique Hobby Involves Many up next. Tedious and Persistent Hours Restoring the machines Nickelodeons and Automatic Music involves many varied arts . . . When first discovered near Toledo, Makers of the early 1900’s are fast woodworking, metal and gear machining, Ohio, the machine did not play. It becoming museum pieces and collector’s and the replacement of hundreds of had been partially under water. It was items. These remain alive today only in feet of dried out rubber tubing, and at completely rewired by the Moses. the hands of a dozen or so museums and times bits of old leather of various types. approximately a hundred collectors. The wiring diagram which they derived Unfortunately, many of the parts are has recently been loaded, upon Included among the collectors are no longer available but this poses request by the curator, to the Henry Ford Morris G. Moses, plant engineering, and no serious problem for Moses. The Museum, as the Museum is now in the his wife, Lucille, who live in Portsmouth. basement of his home is equipped with process of repairing a duplicate machine. About six years ago Mr. and Mrs. a small machine shop where he Moses were on vacation and their travels makes the needed repairs. Tangley Air Calliope took them to San Francisco, California. At the present time the Moses’ have This machine contains 43 whistles They visited one of the city’s museums six machines in working condition . . . and operates from a 10-tune roll. It was where many of the old music makers the Mills Violano-Virtuoso, Tangley Air built in 1923. were on display. Perhaps it was the visit Calliope, Link Piano-Mandolin-Xylo- The Calliope is a very popular to the museum or the fascination they felt phone, Marshall-Wendell Baby Grand machine for carnivals. It is often used for the “rinky-tink” music of an old foot Expression Reproducing Piano, the to attract crowds for political campaigns, pedal player piano; at any rate it was Wurlitzer Band Organ, and the Baldwin festivals, etc. the beginning of the Moses’ unique Player Piano. Another coin operated It is driven by a 1 1/2 horsepower hobby . . . that of collecting and restoring musical instrument, the Cremona, is motor-compressor. The machine can be to good condition player pianos and being restored. heard for several blocks and must be nickelodeons. Mills Violano-Virtuoso “regulated down” in volume to keep These music makers came into being peace in the neighborhood. This machine, invented around 1910, shortly after the turn of our present The term Calliope is Greek and means century. These were very popular until automatically plays a violin to the accompaniment of a 44-note piano “beautiful voice.” The sound is the late twenties. The Depression, familiar to southern Ohio residents coupled with the advent of the radio and was invented by Henry Sandell, an electrical engineer who had over 110 who occasionally hear the Calliope’s and phonograph, just about destroyed cousin . . . the steam Calliope. all vestiges of the old paper-roll patents to his credit. music makers. The basic principle is about the same The Moses purchased this machine as present day IBM machines. As the from an amusement park owner in “Without a doubt,” said Moses, “the Chicago, who was only too happy to most fascinating aspect to our hobby is paper roll in the bottom of the machine goes through a roller, little wires find take the money for what was, in his the search and restoration of the opinion, a pile of junk. machines. Locating some of the their way through the paper wherever a machines have involved months of effort hole appears and trigger electromagnets Link Piano-Mandolin-Xylophone which finger the violin and strike the and included many miles of travel. In The Lind machine plays fifteen tunes piano keys. Four rotating bow-wheels some instances we were just a step ahead from one continuous roll. It was built vibrate the G, D, A, and E strings. The of another collector.” about 1923. It requires a nickel every company which made this machine now time a tune is played. Historically, it Each machine requires a different type manufactures automatic coffee vending was made by the Link Piano Company, roll. These are no longer manufactured machines. and the search for rolls parallels the continue. . . 14 Put another nickel in. . . continued. . .

MUSIC . . . Music . . . Music . . . everywhere. When it comes to automatic music makers, Mr. and Mrs. Morris G. Moses can offer you several variations. The above photographs show some of the instruments they have acquired since beginning their unique hobby nearly seven years ago. Top row from left are: the Link Piano-Mandolin-Xylophone, Wurlitzer Band Organ, and the Baldwin Player Piano. Pictures in the lower group are l to r: the Cremona “Orchestra” Piano, Baby Grand Piano, the Mills Violano-Virtuoso, and the Tangley Air Calliope. Most of these instruments were in very poor condition when the Moses acquired them. After many hours of tedious labor the instruments are restored to as near original condition as possible. If it’s the music of the early twenties you want, they have it. forerunner to the present day Link merry-go-round. The Moses acquired this supply establishment in Philadelphia, Aviation Company, makers of the Link machine from an amusement park owner Pennsylvania. The Baby Grand (about Trainer. The early Link Trainers were in Detroit, Michigan. 1930) plays the music as the music pneumatically (air) operated in contrast artist originally played it . . . with all Baldwin Player Piano to the later electronic models. the crescendos, pianissimos, and Typical of most foot-pedaled player fortissimos, bringing about the term Wurlitzer Merry-Go-Round pianos, this instrument was built in the “expression reproducing piano.” The The Wurlitzer has about 75 organ 1920’s. Made by the Baldwin Piano expression effect was accomplished by pipes, 16 chimes, a bass drum, cymbal, Company, it has what is termed a ukulele cutting extra holes in the margins of the and a snare drum . . . all controlled attachment . . a “gimmick” to give it roll. With this type of piano, one can automatically from a paper roll inside a “rinky-tink tinny” sound. Moses has actually re-create the presence of the machine. This machine, built around converted it from a foot-pedaling Rachmaninoff playing his “Prelude in 1912, also had the extra feature of a machine to an electric playing one. C-sharp Minor,” or Gershwin playing his double roll . . . while one played, the Marshall-Wendell Baby Grand “Rhapsody in Blue.” other rewound. The idea was simple . . . Expression Reproducing Piano Cremona “Orchestra” Piano it saved the operator’s time and money. This machine was found among This allowed him to devote more The Cremona dates to 1919. It is an array of peanut, cigar, and attention to watching children on the currently in the process of restoration. It gumball machines in a vending continue. . . 15 Put another nickel in. . . continued. . . is currently in the process of restoration. Mr. Moses has been with It contains 79 organ pipes, a tambourine, Goodyear Atomic Corporation castanets, and a triangle. since April, 1954. His wife, When the Moses first acquired the Lucille, a graduate of Bellevue machine, it did not play a note. It has (New York) School of Nursing required about a year’s work getting it is an active Red Cross to the place of just playing. volunteer. She has accompanied the Huntington Regional Mr. and Mrs. Moses consider the Bloodmobile to plantsite on piano-violin combination the most several occasions. “Little did ingenious unit in their collection. It not I know,” she said, “when I only fingers the violin strings, but gave Morris that record for his by alternating the speed of the birthday seven years ago that it bow device can create the loud and would develop into the exciting soft variations that a violinist would hobby it has for both of us.” produce. We are all granted time for the things (The record is entitled “Ragtime we really ought to do; we leave them At times the search for the pieces has Piano Roll.”) undone because we waste our time or required more patience than the actual Her biggest worry now is . . . where spend it on unnecessary and trivial rebuilding processes. Locating the will she put the next nickelodeon her things. various machines has taken Mr. and husband locates. Mrs. Moses through many states and often the cost of shipment is greater than the price paid for the machines. o b or not to b? T By Jeffrey Morgan - Reprinted from July/August 1997 - AMICA Bulletin Now There’s a Question (Revised)

Nelson Barden’s 1969 interview with “The first thing we did was, Dr. Clarence Hickman (appearing instead of using that hinged in “The Ampico Reproducing Piano,” thing with the three bellows on edited by Richard J. Howe and it, we put a stack of diaphragms published by the Musical Box Society up and we actually reduced the International) has given rise to apparent inertia of the moving parts to confusion about the existence of an early 1/10th of what it was before. precursor to the Model B Ampico But you know even 1/10th was (referred to occasionally as the “Model not fast enough to suit him The Type 1A vacuum/expression 1”). This confusion may stem from [Stoddard].” regulator employs a stacked, three-staged Hickman’s statement which begins at There is no Model 1 Ampico (denoting cylindrical pneumatic (depicted in the top of page 68 of “The Ampico a Model B precursor). But, there is a the patent as a compound piston and Reproducing Piano.” Hickman says: “Type 1” Ampico (see box located in cylinder, the form it would take in the “Well, that isn’t the one you see. That footnote section). It is the introductory production model) acting against a coil is probably this first model I was telling production model. Type 1 is characterized spring of variable tension (see Fig. 1). As you about where we just took a board, by a “steamboat-type” pump. Within Type demonstrated in my previous article1 , the that board was about a quarter inch thick 1 exist several sub-types spawned as Type 1A regulator provided the afflatus and we drilled a hole in it, a big hole and Ampico evolution proceeded. Some of for the Model B pump spill system. In we put a pouch on each side of that.” these are more significant than others. For this article, the reader will discover that He is, of course, referring to an simplicity’s sake, the two most important the Type 1A also provided the inspiration experiment which he discussed earlier in sub-types are best designated “Type 1A” that interview (Howe, page 64): and “Type 1B.” continue. . . 16 To b or not to b? continued. . . for one of Hickman’s early experiments. There’s a whole series of The Type 1B regulator employs three expression mechanisms square pneumatics attached to a hinged which operate with a lever board, opposed by a pneumatic series of pouches built one spring of variable tension (see Figs. 2 & on top of another. 3). The pneumatic spring (used through H: Well that isn’t the one Type 8) is inaccurately referred to as a you see. [meaning – that “spring pneumatic” by Ampico service isn’t the C pouch – JM] literature. And, as we shall soon learn, That is probably this first the Type 1B introduced one of Charles model I was telling you Fuller Stoddard’s seminal conceptions. about [on page 64] where Taken out of context, various we just took a board, that interpretations are possible for the long board was about a quarter paragraph attributed to Hickman which inch thick and we drilled a appears on page 68 of Howe’s book. hole in it, a big hole and went to work on the C-pouch However, when one examines the we put a pouch on each side system. surrounding context at the top of page 64 of that. B: Had he said anything to you about (excerpted above), and the exchange B: Right. the original first Ampico model between Barden and Hickman beginning H: And in between that pouch on each which is mentioned in one of the on page 67 and ending at the top of page side was a disc and the diameter of instructor’s manuals that they 69 (reproduced below), only one correct that disc varied depending upon issued the pianos and then had to meaning becomes possible. what we wanted to do with it. And call them all back? B: Well, now then the first thing in then there was a space there and H: No I never heard of that. improving the Model A was right then you came to another board and B: No one apparently knows anything on the expression mechanism itself. I guess [emphasis mine – JM] what about this. Then came what H: That’s right, the C-pouch system. we had – three I guess it was. And was called the 1919 version of B: Right. Now did he patent this? they all were tied together and, if the Model A which was H: I don’t imagine it ever got issued you put suction in one of those bad engineering [Barden is because they probably cut off the pouches, you got a certain amount characterizing the Type 3 here – funds for the patent attorneys. Oh, of pressure. If you put suction in JM]. It did predominantly the same we spent a fortune with the patent another one, you got another and thing. And then of course in 1920, attorneys, you know, and they’d the third you got still something they switched over to what you have this, well you know how they different and the combinations immediately became familiar with. do it. It takes them a long time to gave you the seven expression What were your first impressions get everything ironed out and I levels the same as you had on the when you saw this piano playing didn’t even look at them as they Model A. What I am saying is that Rachmaninoff with an 8 [th] horse would send them back to him probably was patented. Although I power motor and whole mass of [Stoddard], and he would go over never saw it. But it never was used. rubber tubes? them. And I rather doubt that they And only one model was ever Barden is probing, trying to comprehend ever issued the patents, but they made. He [Stoddard] wasn’t something which he has never seen in certainly were written up. Now I satisfied with it and I stumbled actual hardware, “in the flesh.” He is trying told a friend of mine who has one onto this other business. Now to classify the three-staged cylindrical of those Model B’s that it might be there’s an interesting thing there. regulator (the basis of the Type 1A) possible if he got in touch with When I stumbled onto this, Mr. depicted in several of the patents he has some of the people who worked in Stoddard said, “You know I tried obtained. He’s doing this because he has the patent attorney’s office, I think this many, many years ago, and,” not seen (as of 1969) a surviving example Emery, Barney, Booth and Janney, he says, “it won’t work.” And he of any pre-Type 3 Ampico – Types 1A, 1B, were the ones we had. They might said, “The reason it won’t work, 2A, or 2B (see box located in footnote have kept some of those things. I it’ll vibrate. It’ll throb.” Now he section). don’t know. didn’t put the grids in with the In the first half of the long paragraph B: Well, we have all the patents. We holes in it, you know for it to roll reproduced above from page 68 of the got them from the patent office. over. And I explained that to him Howe book, Hickman is surely trying to Every patent that was ever listed. and he still was skeptical, but when describe the operation of a three-staged H: But nothing on that expression was we made it, it just worked stacked-pouch regulator applied in there? beautifully and then of course, he B: Well, that’s what I was wondering. just threw everything else aside and continue. . . 17 To b or not to b? continued. . . opposition to a pneumatic spring (see would be impractical and stem 2 Fig. 4). This stacked-pouch regulator would need to be connected to was similar in function (if not in form) to some sort of spring – either its inspiration, the cylindrical regulator of pneumatic or metallic. And, if the Type 1A. And, it was certainly the such a regulator was controlled configuration that Hickman and Stoddard like the Type 1A (most likely), were exploring just prior to the C pouch and applied to the Doman (see quote from page 64, Howe). In the design, it would merely become second half of the long paragraph, the equivalent of the second Hickman changes gears radically, and form mentioned in the previous brings up “this other business” (i.e., the C paragraph. Only one of pouch). He also mentions that Stoddard the above configurations had “tried this” (meaning the C pouch would have been a marked concept) earlier, without success. improvement over the Model A Clearly the stacked-pouch regulator Ampico, and that single before Hickman arrived on the Ampico and the C pouch are not related! configuration would be the one Research Laboratory scene. Hickman begins the long paragraph employing a pneumatic spring as In Hickman’s May 29th, 1965 letter to above discussing the former, but then depicted in Fig. 4. Larry Givens, the resemblance of his shifts to the latter about halfway through Yet none of the above was to be. sketch (see Fig. 7) to Doman’s valve is the paragraph. Although this experiment preceded those remarkable. According to Hickman, in In the first-mentioned experiment, a employing C pouches, its concept was Stoddard’s early trials (see Fig. 6b) three-staged stacked-pouch regulator abandoned because it “was not fast this device did not perform well as a was substituted for the three square enough to suit him” (i.e., Stoddard). The regulator, and it was not successfully pneumatics and lever board of the C pouch concept prevailed, and was incorporated into the prototype Model B Ampico type then in production. selected for further development. until Hickman equipped it with a grid in Hickman’s recollection of this At this point, and with the advantage the mid 1920s. Research, conducted by experiment is less than perfect; afforded by hindsight, one might be Ampico scholar Tom Kimble, indicates therefore, his description is flawed. The sorely tempted to pose several questions: that a grid is not essential for suppressing arrangement he describes on page 68 If one of the criteria for Model B C-pouch oscillation. The author has could not have functioned as well as he development was that it be faster than the determined that the stack spills (both says it did on page 64. As described by Model A, why was its superior speed switched and permanent) are much him, the diameter of the disc cannot in effectively negated by offsetting the more important to C-pouch oscillation and of itself determine the amount and intensity and cancel ports on its tracker suppression in the Model B than a grid. direction of force. Fig. 4 reveals that the bar? Might the selection of the C pouch But, for some reason, Hickman did not difference in pouch area exposed to for further development have been driven want attention drawn to this fact in his atmosphere is the determining factor. by a desire to eliminate the pneumatic interviews with latter-day Ampico But, it remains clear that he is referring spring (and its attendant crescendo)? scholars. to a regulator scheme similar to the kind During its development, the C pouch used in the Ampico Type 1A. Hickman or Doman Regulator? underwent two further revisions in form, Perhaps the experiment he describes The first C pouch had been adapted by both of which are significant. The first of took the form of a stacked three-staged Stoddard (certainly by early 1924) from a these occurred on January 6th, 1925 and regulator opposing a pneumatic spring. simple cut-out pouch valve first patented resulted in unsatisfactory Or, it might have opposed a coil or leaf in 1912 by Doman (see Figs. 6a & 6b). performance (see Fig. 6c). This revised spring. Still another possibility is a Doman’s patent had been assigned to form was abandoned for its predecessor stacked three-staged modification of the Amphion Piano Player Company of (i.e., Fig. 6b equipped with a grid) on prototype ArtEcho2 regulator depicted in Syracuse, New York. It therefore January 31st, 1925. On February 2nd, a a patent issued to Lewis B. Doman3 on became the property of American Piano mere two days after the first revision January 2nd, 1923 (see Fig. 5). Company when American purchased was abandoned, Hickman arrived at In any event, it is important to note Amphion in January of 1922. Stoddard what would essentially be the final that Hickman is clearly talking about would have had access to this patent after configuration of the C pouch (see Fig. three discrete pneumatic devices in his (if not before) the purchase, due to 6d). In its final form, the C pouch was description of this early experiment, and Amphion’s close relationship with incorporated into production hardware not the orifice-controlled single pouch of Ampico. Amphion had been a large- as a vacuum regulator and expression Doman’s ArtEcho design. If the Doman volume supplier of player action controller for the “new” Ampico (the design was equipped with a three-staged components to Ampico since 1917. Model B). stacked-pouch regulator, orifice control January, 1922 was at least two years continue. . . 18 To b or not to b? continued. . . On pages 76 and 77 of Howe’s book, Variation of such control is Hickman fully and clearly explains the accomplished by incrementally source of the “C pouch” terminology: increasing or decreasing the B: No. Now for the expression, you efficiency of the vacuum call it the C pouch? regulator which, in Types 1A H: Yes. through 8, is comprised of three B: Why? discrete regulator/intensity H: Well, because you have the chest pneumatics operated by part and then you have the little regulated stack suction. The valves that are lifted off to change amount of control available the pressure. I just merely took his is limited to the cumulative [Stoddard’s] nomenclature. I think effect (strength) of these three we had A, B, and C. I am not sure pneumatics. In pre-Model B that’s the way we had it . . . but Ampicos, the intensities are anyhow, one was the pump programmed by incrementally the name of a loyal subordinate, Guy pressure. That was underneath the increasing or decreasing the amount of Manly Russell (but that’s another story). grid. negative bias applied to the regulator B: Right. valve stem by engaging or disengaging Inverse Proportional H: The full pump pressure. And then various combinations of the three Feedback Explained the regulated pressure, he may have regulator/intensity pneumatics. The Inverse proportional feedback occurs called that an R and the C was increments employed above have a only in Ampicos equipped with a control pressure. And the control specific proportional relationship. This pneumatic spring and a crescendo driver pressure was determined by the relationship provides the seven (and one with a pallet valve. It is accomplished by manipulation of these little valves. alternate) steps/intensities used by the taking a small sampling of activity at the [emphasis mine – JM] Ampico. output of a closed-loop system operating This terminology, for the most part, In Ampicos equipped with a pneumatic a dynamic load (the stack), inverting the remains intact from the experimental spring (Types 1B through 8), feedback sample’s polarity, and inserting it at the stages on through to the descriptions is also employed for purposes of input. If the amount inserted is too great, in the 1929 Model B Ampico service stabilization. So employed, it delivers the system will not function. But, if the manual. There, the term “pouch” is superior performance at the low end of amount is just right, the result will be a retained as “regulator pouch” and the the dynamic range. In such types, the precise dampening (snubbing) action. term “C” is retained to designate the negative-bias control is supplied by three This produces the virtual elimination of control chamber. The term “curtain selectable square regulator/intensity hysteresis (bandwidth and time of duty valve” denoted a completely different pneumatics attached to a lever board as cycle), which lends exceptional stability thing to Hickman, and the term depicted in Figs. 2 & 3. As before, the and efficiency to the system. The stability “regulating curtain” was not normally more negative bias applied, the softer the provided by the snubbing effect used by him. playing. But, during soft playing in Types of inverse proportional feedback also 1B through 8, such application also virtually eliminates the likelihood of Ampico Concept and provides a signal pathway from the stack annoying oscillation. Because inverse Feedback Are Seminal to the expression regulator’s lever board proportional feedback drastically reduces No evidence has surfaced to indicate (and, in the case of the Model A, via its hysteresis, it is responsible for the that a Doman design formed the basis of valve stem) to the pneumatic spring and remarkable stability and efficiency of 4 the first Stoddard-Ampico (Type 1A), thence onward to crescendo driver Type 1B through 8 expression regulators shown in Fig. 1 – or, for that matter, the control, i.e., the pallet valve. at the low end of the Ampico’s dynamic Ampico concept, i.e., the combination This unique pathway delivers negative range. of steps (intensities) and smooth (inverse) feedback of stack suction Load variations are caused by note progression (crescendos). transients (load variations) to the activity during stack operation, and are Nor has any evidence surfaced to crescendo driver’s pallet valve (input). manifested as lever board movement indicate that Doman conceived Ampico’s The role of the pneumatic spring in such which is conveyed to the pneumatic unique employment of negative (inverse) a signal pathway is that of a transducer. spring. Here, this motion is converted by feedback for both control (biasing) And while Stoddard was certainly not the the pneumatic spring to either a vacuum and stabilization (dampening) purposes. first to conceive a pneumatic spring, he or pressure signal depending upon the Ampico’s feedback provides was assuredly the first to employ it as a modality of lever board motion. This negative-bias control of the regulator transducer. However, review of the modulated pneumatic signal is conveyed valve to achieve lower suction levels patents of the era indicates he concealed (hence softer playing) in the stack. his discovery by patent applications in continue. . . 19 To b or not to b? continued. . . to the pallet valve as a reduced pneumatic spring, thereby (compressed) movement that is opposite weakening its tension by slightly (inverted) to the motion of the pneumatic reducing its effective working spring prevailing at that moment in time. span (think of Model B note This action is virtually instantaneous. compensation here). Additionally, One analogy in electronics is the AC this motion (as converted by modulation of a DC circuit such as the transducing action of the occurs in a high-quality, direct-coupled, pneumatic spring) creates a spike solid-state audio amplifier. of reduced suction (i.e., pressure) Because the transducing action of the in the hose connecting the pneumatic spring does not effectively pneumatic spring with its convert a non-modulated signal (i.e., crescendo driver. This spike one producing no motion or AC), the inflates the crescendo driver proportional increments of negative-bias pneumatic and trips the pallet (DC) applied to the regulator valve valve. The pallet valve initiates a between the crescendo driver pneumatic stem for control purposes (i.e., for the crescendo, which collapses the driver and the pneumatic spring even when programming of intensities) do not pneumatic until its pallet reseats. These a single note is played. Truly, the normally affect the content of the (AC) events occur virtually instantaneously, with connecting hose is a two-way street. signal conveyed to the pallet valve . . . the effect that, as the pneumatic spring However, the effect of inverse only its amplitude. Moreover, the size is collapsing, its tension is actively proportional feedback is reduced when ratio between the Ampico’s crescendo maintained (“corrected”) and, thereby, is the efficiency of its signal pathway driver pneumatic and pneumatic-spring better able to retard (dampen) the regulator is diminished by the programming of pneumatic is critical in determining the valve’s reseating action. higher intensities. Such programming is proportion of modulated signal conveyed Inverse proportional feedback is less accomplished by selectively switching to the pallet valve. The pallet valve actively employed in the mode of off one or more of the three square affects crescendo driver control. And stack surplus. When a large chord is intensity/regulator pneumatics which, crescendo driver control, one must terminated, its bleed drain ceases, the thereby reduces the amount of feedback remember, is a second input to Ampico lever board rapidly begins to move (negative biasing) applied to the lever Type 1B through 8 expression regulators, downward, and the regulator valve board. When all three intensity/regulator i.e., the crescendo. reseats, shutting off the stack’s suction pneumatics are switched off, negative Note activity causes the greatest lever supply. This motion somewhat opens the biasing ceases, the signal pathway is board deflection at first intensity (the pneumatic spring and creates a spike eliminated, and the benefit of inverse mode during which the lever board is of increased suction in the connecting proportional feedback is lost. This benefit most fully coupled to stack suction). This hose. This spike partially deflates the is also lost when a slow or fast crescendo is because the suction consumption crescendo driver pneumatic, leaving its is programmed. Under this condition, the resulting from such activity is greater pallet valve momentarily seated. As the crescendo driver pneumatic begins to relative to the amount of suction crescendo driver pneumatic collapses, collapse and pallet valve activity ceases. prevailing at first intensity. First its tension increase is reflected by the Yet, Ampico’s pre-Model B expression intensity is achieved by applying the pneumatic spring, somewhat retarding regulator design gives one the option highest available proportion of negative the ongoing closing action of the of retaining a high level of negative bias bias, which provides the most efficient regulator valve. The crescendo driver during louder passages if so desired. To signal pathway for lever board pneumatic then drifts open (as in a achieve this, one need only obtain higher modulation. Thus, the stabilizing effect slow decrescendo) until its pallet valve suction levels in the stack by crescendo of inverse proportional feedback is is reengaged. (rather than intensity) programming. In strongest when it is most needed, i.e., Again, the preceding sequence of such cases, Type 1A reacts similarly to when the instrument is playing very events happens almost instantaneously, Types 1B through 8. In Type 1A, the three softly at first intensity. There is, of with the effect that while the main cylindrical pneumatics remain evacuated course, less need for such stabilization at regulator valve remains closed (and and continue to apply negative bias the higher end of the dynamic range. barring any crescendo coding on the directly to the main regulator valve stem. By an extremely ingenious arrangement, roll), no active programming of the In Types 1B through 8, the three square inverse proportional feedback is more pneumatic spring occurs, hence the intensity/regulator pneumatics remain actively used in the mode of stack deficit. regulator valve’s reopening is uninhibited. active (evacuated) and continue to apply a When a large chord is played by the stack, It is important to note that in the high level of negative bias to the lever the lever board moves upward, opening above paragraphs I have used large board of the expression regulator. Under the main regulator valve to replenish the chords by way of example. Measurable stack. This motion somewhat collapses the spikes occur in the connecting hose continue. . . 20 To b or not to b? continued. . . such conditions, however, lever board Model B Ampico. In fact, it can motion resulting from stack suction accurately be said that a Doman transients will not be conveyed to the design also was the basis for the pallet valve. Thus, while it is possible to Model B Ampico’s novel form retain the benefits of negative-bias control of expression control. This during louder passages obtained by design was the ArtEcho (see crescendo, the stabilizing influence of Figs. 8 & 9). Doman’s ArtEcho inverse proportional feedback is lost. patent describes the concept Negative-bias control and inverse of “orifice control” of an proportional feedback of a modulated expression device. It was issued signal are techniques widely employed in to Doman on January 2nd, 1923, modern electronic engineering. There and was assigned to Amphion, they are used for the stabilization of which had been a division of high-quality audio amplifiers and the American Piano Company since control of highly stable regulated DC January of 1922. Its disc-type valve, regulator pneumatic power supplies. By 1913, Stoddard was The ArtEcho patent also illustrates a and tensioned coil expression spring already employing sophisticated concepts true crescendo system which directly become the Model B Ampico’s C pouch, that were not widely utilized by the affects suction in the pneumatic stack its metering pins become the Model B’s electronics (or any other) industry until (bass and treble separately, of course). A first intensity adjustor, and its dual the 1930s. true crescendo acts directly upon the system of true crescendos is replaced by Could Charles Fuller Stoddard have expression regulator and, thereby has the a single pump spill control device realized how advanced his thinking really potential to affect stack suction levels modeled after the Ampico Type 1A was? Possibly. In 1919 and again in 1923 over the entire dynamic range of the expression system. In light of this, one is Ampico service literature touches upon reproducing action. A true crescendo tempted to pose the question: Assuming the subject of the crescendo’s ability to system will have the ability to override that the ArtEcho was truly the basis for compensate for sudden stack demands5 . lower intensity settings and is only the Model B Ampico expression system, More importantly, the text of Stoddard’s limited by maximum available pump why was its crescendo system not crescendo driver patent6 indicates that suction. ArtEcho’s crescendo system retained? Obviously such a system would he was acutely aware of the need employs an automatically programmable have been more adaptable to earlier for a specific proportional relationship tapered pin (probably adapted from the Ampico dynamic language. But, by between the size of the crescendo earlier Stoddard patent depicted in Fig. 2) abandoning a dual system of true driver pneumatic and that of the that meters atmosphere into a regulator crescendos, the door was opened to a pneumatic-spring pneumatic. It further pouch/pneumatic. In hardware form, the host of problems with established roll indicates that he was aware of the ArtEcho’s metering pin crescendo system coding practice. interaction between the lever board and is duplicated, providing independent crescendo driver pallet valve. His control of bass and treble. Keep in mind Welte Patent Threat A Probable Factor description of pneumatic spring tension that an independently controllable (dual) Perhaps the ArtEcho’s crescendo being “corrected when necessary” leaves true crescendo system is also used in system wasn’t carried over to the Model no doubt. This “correct(ion)” is all pre-Model B Ampicos and the B for the same reason that similar accomplished by inverse proportional Welte-Mignon. features of previous Ampico models were feedback! The ArtEcho’s intensities are achieved omitted from the Model B. Suppose the From a technological standpoint by selectable orifices of varying criteria of Model B development dictated alone, Ampico Types 1B through 8 are size. These, too, are independently that it must not utilize a dual system of several orders of magnitude more controllable for bass and treble. In the true crescendos, or most importantly, a advanced than reproducing actions of production ArtEcho, the main expression pneumatic spring of variable tension. their competitors. Considering this, one regulator is not the single pouch and disc Remember that a pneumatic spring had is compelled to ask the question: If the depicted in the patent drawing. Instead, a given previous Ampicos unparalleled Model A Ampico was so far ahead of its standard-shaped pneumatic drives the stability and efficiency by its ability to competition, why try to improve upon it? disc-type main regulator/expression act as a transducer and, thereby, facilitate Read further for an answer. valve against a tensioned coil spring (see the efficient conveyance of inverse Fig. 10). Additionally, a sub-intensity proportional feedback of load variations ArtEcho Was Basis for Model B (pianissimo) was incorporated into the to crescendo driver control (the pallet Expression System production model. valve). Yet, in addition to its ability to It can be accurately said, however, In the Model B Ampico, orifice act as a transducer, its variable tension that a Doman design formed the basis of control of intensities is adopted in Hickman’s C pouch regulator used in the conjunction with ArtEcho’s sub-intensity. continue. . . 21 To b or not to b? continued. . . capability made Ampico’s pneumatic would not have been possible. spring an indispensable part of Type 1B That the superior speed of the through 8 crescendo systems. To abandon Model B had so readily been it would require a radically different sacrificed (by offsetting its approach to the crescendo. intensity and cancel tracker In fact, the actual criteria for Model B bar ports) at the altar of development might more clearly be compatibility gives a clue that deduced by noting what prior system improved speed was not the attributes it lacks. paramount criterion. Moreover, The scheme of expression control the superior speed of the Model ultimately used in the Model B would be B expression system resulted immune to possible litigation resulting from the employment of the from a patent7 issued to Edwin Welte on C pouch as an expression September 11th, 1923, and owned regulator. The C pouch, one until about 1928 by the Welte-Mignon must note, would be immune to Ampico because it specifically covered Corporation of Bronx, New York. This the new 1923 Welte patent. Viewed in a dual system of true crescendos, an patent (see Fig. 11) would remain in this light, faster speed may have expression spring of variable tension, and force until September 11th, 1940! The constituted a troublesome side effect and a remotely operable pneumatic (termed a content of this Welte patent could have not a desired benefit. “motor pneumatic” in the patent’s been viewed as grounds for a serious The fact that the superior speed of claims) for varying the expression legal conflict with Ampico, based on the the Model B Ampico was so readily spring’s tension. The so-called “motor designs of Ampico components used in sacrificed gives indication that improved pneumatic” should more accurately have Types 1B through 8. response had not been the paramount been termed a “spring pneumatic.” This There is ample evidence that during goal of its development. What might new patent may well have proved highly the autumn of 1923, the pace of activity have been paramount, however, was intimidating to Charles Fuller Stoddard at the American Piano Company circumventing the threat posed by the personally, as well as to his employers. Research Laboratory quickened 1923 Welte patent. Ironically, had a device been built significantly. During this period, In September of 1923, Ampico and as depicted in the 1923 Welte patent Stoddard’s experimental investigations others (Aeolian8 , Amphion, and Auto drawing, it would have failed utterly at appear to have been tightly focused Pneumatic Action9 ) were already paying achieving low-end stability by means of on expression system designs which sizable royalties to the Welte-Mignon inverse proportional feedback. The departed radically from concepts Corporation. These were being collected device depicted is so out-of-step with previously proven in field use. Evidently, under an agreement enforcing the basic Edwin Welte’s genius that one is he was dissatisfied with his efforts in Welte-Bockisch expression patent10 compelled to wonder if someone of lesser this work, as they bore little fruit. Hence, issued November 7, 1911. As an talent drew it up and attached Edwin’s by early 1924, he actively engaged example, under an agreement between name to the patent application. Its himself in a headhunting search to Welte, Amphion, and Auto Pneumatic defective conception gives it inherent acquire fresh scientific talent for the dated January 30th, 1920, Amphion and instability, which makes it a poor research laboratory. His search culminated Auto Pneumatic were making combined candidate for an expression/vacuum in the hiring of Dr. Clarence Nichols annual payments in excess of $75,000 to regulator. However, as it’s an Hickman (a physicist) in March of 1924. Welte! Ampico settled separately with extreme-seeking device, it would be an As the timing of the above described Welte in “agreements annexed” to ideal candidate for a fuel injector; but, events seems to be more than the same January 30th agreement. By that too is another story. Yet, this patent coincidental, additional questions arise: September, 1921, as a result of a lawsuit most certainly compelled Ampico to Could this flurry of activity at Ampico brought by Welte, Aeolian settled out abandon its use of a pneumatic spring have been precipitated by a looming of court11 and was added to the list and all the benefits derived therefrom. patent threat? Could Stoddard’s quest of licensees. Such payments would This 1923 patent was the very same for improved response (as related by presumably continue until this 1911 one that had previously engaged one of Hickman) have been a cover for patent expired in 1928. This same 1920 Stoddard’s blocking patents13 in lengthy desperate efforts to circumvent the agreement also licensed exclusively to interference litigation. This interference recently issued Welte patent? Auto Pneumatic an additional patent12 battle was begun on August 15, 1916, My answer to both questions is yes! issued May 15th, 1917. This patent when interference #40,391 was declared If faster speed had been a “real” focused on the Welte-Mignon Licensee by the Examiner of Interferences. criterion for Model B development, action and would expire in 1934. It ended on January 18, 1921, with a genuine compatibility with earlier rolls The new 1923 patent could present (software) coded for slower models an additional royalty burden only for continue. . . 22 To b or not to b? continued. . . judgment in favor of Stoddard. During that’s also another story. the course of this litigation, M. Welte What’s relevant to my story and Sons, Inc. metamorphosed14 into is that in Auto Pneumatic’s the Welte-Mignon Corporation. The competition in the marketplace Welte-Mignon Corp. was headed by with Ampico, Lawrence one George W. Gittens who surely (as president of the parent authorized the funds for sustaining the company) would have indirectly, final skirmishes of the interference albeit inadvertently, benefited if proceedings. Ampico were forced to pay On January 1, 1920, just about a additional royalties to Gittens’ year prior to the resolution of the Welte-Mignon Corp. However, interference in favor of Stoddard, a this may merely have been an clever pneumatic-design engineer by the unexpected bonus, as Cheek’s name of Tolbert F. Cheek began working main task was, I suspect, to keep for Gittens at the Welte-Mignon Corp. an eye on George W. Gittens. Brooklyn, obtained ownership of several Cheek’s name appears on patents In January of 1927, Gittens’ empire trademarks previously owned by Gittens’ covering the Original Welte-Built suffered a serious capitalization crisis and now-defunct Welte-Mignon Corp. By Welte-Mignon Reperforming action was forced to reorganize. About three 1936, this same concern was claiming marketed by Gittens from 1921 through weeks prior to this crisis, Tolbert Cheek ownership of several Welte reproducing 1928. It is interesting to note that left Gittens’ employ. Could this crisis piano patents! Is it possible that these these Cheek Welte-Mignon patents have constituted Gittens getting former Gittens employees acquired display little originality as they are, for his wings clipped by Lawrence? This ownership of the previously-mentioned the most part, elaborations on Edwin reorganization resulted in the creation of Edwin Welte patent of September 11, Welte’s prior work. It is my belief that a new entity: the “Welte Company, 1923 during the 1929 dissolution of the after losing to Stoddard, Gittens had Incorporated.” Gittens was merely listed second Welte-Mignon Corporation? If so, Cheek rework the written claims of as one of several directors of this new what did they intend to do with it? In any this Welte patent so that it specifically company. case, it is doubtful that Edwin Welte ever targeted aspects of the Ampico By late 1927, the Welte Company, Inc. received compensation for his patents reproducing system; and, at the same also entered receivership. In March of appropriately proportionate to the time, was immune to further litigation 1928, its assets fell into the hands royalties collected under them. from the Stoddard blocking patent that of Morton Lachenbruch & Co. had previously proved so troublesome. Lachenbruch incorporated a new entity Exploitation A Possibility Could Gittens have been attempting to in the state of Delaware and renamed it Exploitative patents usually capitalize “double-dip” at the patent royalty well? the “Welte-Mignon Corporation.” By on recently emergent technology that Because the resulting 1923 Welte this time, George Gittens appears to have is well on its way to becoming patent depicted a non-viable device, vanished from the scene. By February of dominant. As stated by U.S Magistrate its only real value would have been for 1929, this second Welte-Mignon Corp. Judge Phyllis Atkins (recently quoted in a purposes of intimidation. When granted, disintegrated, its assets falling into Wall Street Journal article by Bernard it would have burdened Ampico with the the hands of three receivers (Alfred L. Wysocki, Jr.), such patents “. . . design . . prospect of renegotiating “agreements Smith, Hardie B. Walmsley, and .claims on top of existing inventions for annexed” to the earlier-mentioned Wolfgang S. Schwabacher). the purpose of creating infringements.” January 30, 1920 agreement, which had By 1930, like a phoenix rising from The same article goes on to state: been amended (at the last minute prior to the above ashes, a small piano service “A patent doesn’t require the inventor signing) specifically to exclude “any company emerged to fill the gap left to go into manufacturing; technically, future invention owned by Welte.” I also by the dissolution of Gittens’ empire. a patent is a right to exclude somebody think that Tolbert Cheek, while appearing This service company was named “The else from using your ideas in commercial to be George Gittens’ willing accomplice, Welte-Mignon Piano Corporation” products . . .” may have been working all along for a [emphasis mine – JM] and was directed An exploitative patent can often be Richard W. Lawrence (Gittens’ former and staffed mostly by former factory identified by its depiction of something business associate; president of Kohler employees of Gittens’ original that is not currently (nor likely to be) Industries, parent company to Auto Welte-Mignon Corp. Names traceable manufactured. Today’s fashionable term Pneumatic Action Co., builder of the to this firm are Otto Kremp, Albert (coined by a Ford lawyer) for an Welte-Mignon Licensee action; and, Hoffinger and, by 1936, Tolbert Fanning exploitative patent is a “submarine” likewise, president of Bankers Cheek! patent. And, it appears to me that, over Commercial Security Company, a Somehow this small concern, located multimillion dollar loan company) – but at first in the Bronx and later in continue. . . 23 To b or not to b? continued. . . time, Tolbert cheek became quite adept #2,190,256 (see Fig. 12) on at fashioning submarine patents. February 13th, 1940, which was A submarine patent is one that assigned to the Welte-Mignon remains dormant (submerged) and Piano Corporation! Were Kremp incomplete (pending) until the and Hoffinger involved with this technology it targets becomes fully patent too? As far as can be developed. Such patents then surface determined, the Welte-Mignon (get issued) with claims carefully tailored Piano Corp. never manufactured to cover the technology they were or marketed an automatic tracking. Because a submarine patent is transmission. filed before a targeted technology fully The value of a patent matures, the technology appears to covering concepts basic to infringe upon the patent. The owner of a hydraulic control issued in early submarine patent exploits by extracting 1940 would be very high indeed. royalties from the efforts of the actual So high that its royalty legacy lacks the systems flexibility of its developer of the technology. This might extend into present times. This predecessor – the Model A. practice, while perfectly legal, is patent would not expire until February Indeed, it would appear that the considered by some to be parasitic if not 13th, 1957! If vigorously enforced, this legendary Model B has its roots in a unethical. patent could extract royalties on every cover-up. Upon completion of its design While an essential component of hydraulic control device (as used in development in December of 1926, the submarine patent strategy, the tactic of motor vehicle automatic transmissions, Model B may well have been a superior delay is not in and of itself indication of a flight surface controls, etc.) reproducing action. But, it was not submarine patent. The key indicator manufactured during its lifetime exactly an Ampico. Its introduction seems to be the absence of willingness (1940-1957). required a total reconfiguration of to invest in development. If delay is This design appears to be based on dynamic language and roll coding accompanied by development and feedback concepts pioneered by practice. And this reconfiguration was manufacture, likelihood of exploitation Stoddard in pre-Model B Ampicos. begun in December of 1926. (submarining) intent is next to nil. But, Patent protection on these concepts I firmly believe that the Model B if delay is not accompanied by such expired on March 14th, 1939. Who better Ampico was developed and marketed production and marketing, submarining to exploit Stoddard’s ideas than Cheek, mostly to neutralize a serious is the likely purpose of the patent. since he most certainly reworked Edwin (and potentially very costly) patent On April 9th, 1935, Tolbert F. Cheek Welte’s patent to target them in the early infringement threat stemming from and Louis G. Collyer applied for a patent 1920s? Indeed, Cheek may have targeted the design of the Model A and earlier which describes a pneumatically operated Stoddard’s ideas as early as 1913. More models. “Automatic Gear Shifting Mechanism.” research is needed here. If so, it was a Pyrrhic victory, This patent anticipates concepts basic accomplished at the expense of to the control of all future hydraulic Conclusions condemning most of the existing library automatic transmission. It covers Ampico scholar Larry Givens vividly of Ampico recordings to retroactive various methods of hydraulically or remembers a conversation with Dr. obsolescence. The resulting compatibility pneumatically applying an analogue Hickman in which Hickman commented problems haunt the Ampico even to the feedback signal for the purpose of that “Mr. Stoddard was terrified of present day. programming a pneumatic or electric Welte” for reasons which Hickman never control system, which then operates explained. Stoddard’s trepidation and Footnotes: servos (slave power units) powered by (later) that of his employers may 1. “Some Observations On Fundamental pneumatic or any other means. It also have continued throughout the 1930s Differences Between Ampico Model anticipates the concept of an accumulator at the hands of former Welte-Mignon B and Prior Reproducing Systems” – which is employed in nearly all of Corporation employees, until the AMICA Bulletin, May/June, 2003, today’s motor-vehicle automatic expiration of the 1923 Welte patent in p. 130 & Fig. 11. transmissions. A pneumatically operated 1940 – at which time the reproducing gear shifting device somewhat similar to piano was in its death throes. 2. The ArtEcho reproducing action saw the design depicted in their patent was If true, this only serves to underscore limited production and sales. It was used for about a decade in the Hudson what I believe to be the driving the result of a joint venture between automobile. It was marketed as the force behind the development of the QRS, the Amphion Piano Player “Drive Master.” Model B Ampico. While the Model B is Company, and the Apollo Piano The above Cheek-Collyer application indisputably an ingenious engineering resulted in the issuance of U.S. Patent feat, a strong case can be made that it continue. . . 24 To b or not to b? continued. . . Company, Inc., of DeKalb, Illinois 7. #1,467,889., filed May 25, (a division of the Rudolph Wurlitzer 1914. This patent reemerged Manufacturing Company). This in 1923 after initially losing reproducing action was marketed by to Stoddard #1,409,485 in Amphion and QRS as the “ArtEcho” 1921. from about 1920 to 1924. The United Piano Corporation (makers of the A.B. 8. Manufacturer of the Duo-Art Chase piano) marketed it as the reproducing action. “Celco Reproducing Medium” from about 1921 to 1927. Wurlitzer 9. Manufacturer of the Welte- marketed it as the “Apollo reproducing Mignon Licensee reproducing mechanism” from about 1921 into the action. 1930s. Pneumatic components for Types and Terminology both the Celco and the Apollo were 10.#1,008,291., filed August 17, manufactured by Amphion in the role 1904. of subcontractor. After American STODDARD-AMPICO Piano Company’s 1922 purchase of 11. Article & Editorial – Musical Courier Type 1A: late 1912 – Amphion, the ArtEcho was gradually Extra, September 17, 1921. Reprinted very early 1913 (Figure 1) phased out. But Amphion continued to in the AMICA Bulletin, September, Type 1B: early 1913 – supply United and Wurlitzer with 1971, p. 25. mid 1913 (Figure 3) Celco and Apollo actions respectively. Early Type 2A: mid 1913 – The Apollo reproducing mechanism 12.#1,225,902., filed May 25, 1914. mid 1915[?] also formed the basis of the expression system format in later 13.#1,409,485., filed May 25, 1914. This EARLY AMPICO (1921-1926) Wurlitzer Autograph patent prevailed against Welte coin-operated expression pianos. This #1,467,889 (see above) in a lengthy Late Type 2A: mid 1915 [?] – later Apollo reproducing action must interference proceeding. late 1915 not be confused with the many earlier Type 2B: late 1915 – “Apollo” player actions, the Solo 14.This metamorphosis was driven by mid 1917 Apollo/Solo Art Apollo expression a confluence of many factors and is Type 3: mid 1917 – action, or the Apollo X/Art Apollo a story in itself. It is told in great early 1920 expression action – all previous detail in the historical overview products of the Melville Clark Piano section of “The Welte-Mignon: Its MODEL A AMPICO Company. Music and Musicians” by Charles Type 4: early 1920 – early 1922 Davis Smith and Richard James Howe 3. See “Lewis B. Doman: Did He Invent – Vestal Press, 1994. Type 5: early 1922 – early 1923 The Ampico?” & “Lewis B. Doman Type 6: early 1923 – mid 1924 (Dolman?) Postcript” – both by Type 7: mid 1924 – mid 1925 Doug Hickling – AMICA Bulletin, Type 8: late 1925 – early 1929* November/December 1994, pp. 331 and 332. “Without MODEL B AMPICO Early 1929 – late 1941 4. Crescendo “driver” was first coined an Ampico - in my previous “Observations” *Some Model A components used article – see AMICA Bulletin, the piano beyond 1929 on a selective basis. May/June 2003, p. 127. releases but While these dates are approximate, they 5. See Ampico 1919 Inspectors’ are believed to be reasonably accurate. Instruction Book, p. 12, last a fraction They are based on examination of sur- paragraph; Ampico 1923 Inspector’s viving instruments and literature. This Reference Book, p. 7, last paragraph. of its is further supported by the Werolin notebook and recent research. Some 6. #1,409,492., filed January 25, 1917. music.” overlap does occur. Depicts and describes pneumatic spring with full transducing capability. continue. . . 25 o B OR NOT TO B? continued. ..

Fig. 1- Basic Ampico Type lA design. Filed Dec. 9,1913. Used in early production. C, F, STODDARD. AutOMATIC NI!SICAL INSTRUMENT. APPLICUIO. mn Die. t , II U. 1,409.. 480. Patented Mar. 14, 1922.

continue. .. 26 o B OR NOT TO :o? continued...

Fig. 2 - Basic Ampico Type 1B design. Filed Dec. 11, 1913 (not used in production). Pneumatic spring has no transducing C. F. STODDARD. capability. Note early use of metering AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENT. pin in conjunction with crescendo. Also .PPLICATIO. 'IUD DlC.ll. 1113. note name of second witness. '" Paoonted Kar. 14,1922. ~~~ tv~I~"'t---.

1,409,482.

continue. .. 27 iiO B OR NOT TO B? ,o",io~~

Fig. 3 - Improved Type IB used in production. Pneumatic spring has limited transducing capability. For detailed description, see AMICA Bulletin, March/April, 2003, page 79, lower right-hand column. Filed Dec. 20, 1913.

G. M. RUSSElL. AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENT. APPLICATlOIl flUD DlC.20. 1113. IUlWED Arl. 4, IIZI.

11 4091 483. PatAmted Kar. 14,1922.

continue. ..

28 o B OR NOT TO B? continued. ..

Fig. 4 - Probable configuration of pre-C pouch experiment described by Hickman on pages 64 and 68 of Howe book. II " r-... ., ...-:-1 II I,' II ,. •I I • ., I , I, " r. IC"_'~'J ~~I~ J:l f j .,7 .' "--1'------1_- Fig. 5 - Doman's prototype ArtEcho regulator (not used in production ArtEcho).

continue. .. 29 o B OR NOT TO B? continued...

Fig. 6a - Doman cut-out pouch/valve. Filed Mar. 25, 1910. L. I. DGMAJI. "LYE rOI rna.nle ACT10IiL UnIOUIO. rlUD.•6.1. :to Itll. 1,017,867. PaLentecl Feb. 20, 1912.

..

·ffi, _-_. __ ._ ..)! •I I I l~....~~? t ..• , i•..1---- ,~ : ~ I ... : ~,.'t!"NriI,.,· •• Lm •••• ...... , .. :!t;) ~~.~ Z::JZ~c-. • #7;~. ? ~, PI"renN'1".s'

--.....- .. continue. .. 30 o :0 OR NOT TO :o? continued...

Fig. 6b - First C pouch (#16). Doman-style valve adapted by Stoddard for use as early Model B-style Ampico vacuum/expression regulator. This early B regulator incorporates orifice control (34, 34a, & 34b) and a "pin-valve" crescendo (35, 35a, 35b, & 103 thru 109). Conceived at Ampico Research Laboratory after Hickman's arrival with ... "crescendo coming after instead of before step holes." Later, the Doman-style valve was replaced ... "with pouches direct on C pouch board" as depicted next in Fig. 6c (Also see Hickman diary entries on p. 239 of The Ampico Reproducing Piano, Edited by Richard J. Howe). This design would be further modified by Hickman, the metering-pin crescendo metamorphosing into the Model B's first intensity adjuster.

Feb. 28, 1928. 1,660,631 C.F.STODDARD £XPR!SSIOH MBCHAHISY FOR AUTOMATIC MUSICAL IHSTRUKBHTS OriK1nal FUed Oot. 11. 1924

continue. .. 31 o .n OR NOT TO .n? continued...

Fig. 6c - First revision to C pOlich (#22). Performed unsatisfactorily (did not provide adequate flow); abandoned for predecessor.

Fig. 6d - Second revision to C pouch (#35). Given three-sixteenths inch offset; adequate flow achieved.

continue... 32 o B OR NOT TO B? continued...

Fig. 7 - Letter from C.N. Hickman to Larry Givens, dated May 29, 1965. Compare Hickman's sketch to Fig. 6a. Source: AMICA t Bulletin, July/Aug., 1993, page 191.

May 29, 1965 Dear Mr. Givens: Thanks for your nice letter. You overestimate my ability and my contributions. I have often said that a graduate from a high school with a good l)ackground in mathematics and physics could have con­ tributed much to the piano art for it was mostly an and not much sci­ encc. You might be interested to know that when I proposed the bleed sys­ tem with control pouch, Mr. Stoddard said he had thought ofthis sev­ eral years before but had discarded it because the system went into violent vibrations. His system was as shown on back ofthis sheet. I t merely added the grid to.stop the vibrations. He was delighted. But do not underestimate the work he did for he contributed much to the player in panicuJar, the details of which were always a bore to me. He could design a mechanism and in his mind he could see each and every screw that was to be used. He was a very remarkable man.

/

I wish you lots ofpleasure in revamping the player. To me it would be too big achore. Sincerely yours, C. N. Hickman

continue. .. 33 ,o",in~d Do B OR NOT TO B"! ..

Fig. 8 - Doman ArtEcho patent filed Feb. 28. 1918, Drawing #1. Note that the ArtEcho's metering-pin crescendo comes before "step holes." Doman probably adapted metering-pin-crescendo concept from earlier Stoddard patent depicted in Fig. 2.

Jan. 2, 1923. 1,440,662 L. 8. OONVf. Sa:L.~ PUTI... MuSICAL. INITIftaoICNT F'L.IO Fa:•. 2', 1"'. 2 SHEa:TS"SHElT ,

'" :~ltml~ t'lJ.E~ ~ ! •• • l~~ ATTORNE'. continue. .. 34 o B OR NOT TO B? continued...

Fig. 9 - Doman ArtEcho patent Drawing #2. Note orifice control scheme with orifices of varying size (#42).

Jan. 2, 1923. 1,440,662 L. B. DONAH. SKL~ PLAYING MuSICAL INSTRUMKNT. FILID FII, 21. 1111. 2 SHIIU'SHUT 2

A .B I 17' ~' IS' ~ ets,~ • • ~~~ ArroRNtr. continue. .. 35 o B OR NOT TO B? continued. ..

Fig. 10 - View of production ArtEcho expression regulator. Marketed ca. 1920 - mid-1930s.

e BASS REGULATOR 2 PNEUMATIC AND REFERENCES TO FIG. ~ BELOW F19. CRESCENDO VALVE BOXES. 8upp., Tubel. The 5 white lpotl In 16 01 FI,. 3 (wbicb Ie a sectioned drawinl) CS-ereecendo Valve BOll lupply tube­ Indicate tbe place 01 entry 01 the nlpplel 01 III lower nipple enten Crescendo Valve Block luppl)' tube. to the followlnll dcvlce'i- at C~ relerence at bottom of cut. Note-AU of these tube nipplea enter the 11-lateaaU, 80S luppl)' tube, referenced rear of 16 below the valve GV and are II in Fill. 3. anellte nipple a. "K"ln Fl,. I. therefore alwaYI under full pump exhauat. as LP-Loaaca PN.I lupply tube to that are the devic:ea they lupply. device. 8-aeroU Trip ra.". ,upply tube­ vaNT TUBE "!'T" r..r.renc:ed u S In ilia,. ". E'f-Thia tube connection a nlppie aa. BaU-Not referenced-nipple or Ita enterinl the Balli end of the Relulator Pneu­ MUPpl)' enterl at matic (17). At the upper reference ET connecta tube rear of 16. on a Yent nipple whlc:h entera tbe top board of 16 above the valve GV. Exhauat tbroUlb thia tube alwaya atrivel to clote 17 to the utent thut the IIIIlQwln, air permltl-Ialr from the Intenalty Valvea throuKh tube U, the Meterlnl Pin well throulh tube 18A and the Finler But­ ton tube throulb tube FB). It allO haa to offlet the /low of air from the porta in the block above the PianiHimo Valve (see 2. Fil. 3). and the tensioninl by the Sprlnl at 19 of the movable board of the Rei. Pneu. (17,. Ita purpose ia both to induce the air into and from the Rei. Pneu. (17). and in doinl the latter It \)rlnlls the vulve GV cluler to III purt lind thus reduces the exhau.t of the action by the pump. GV-Co".rnln. Vllh,.. It la controlled ,,~. the n...v.. ble to..", ...1 of til" R~a"lat..r Pneumatic (17, becauae ita Item reatl on that board. It il directly under the main wind way to the Ba•• action. and all air drawn from the action by the pump mu.t pall over the head 01 GV. Air requirel lpace to move. and the nearer this valve il to the seat above it the leIS the exhault of theaclion by the pump and the lofter the playinl. U-Tube of Bal. aide of Manifuld (.9 in 1"11. I Ilnd J). It connection nipple enterlnll the Rei. Pneu. (17) and brinll to it the air. admitted by any or all of the BaH Intenaity VlllVCl "nd the pianl••imo port. in the block over 2 of Fil. J. "'S-FinKer Button (Ba••) tube. 17-R".ulator Pntlumlltlc:. It control. the POfltion of the Goyernlnl Valve GV and co,.~uently the exh"u.t of the action by the pump throulh the movementa of ita lower board. It ia deftated by tube ET and inftated by air from tubes 12-FB-and 18A•. 18-Meterln. Pin. (See 18, Fi,. 3). 18A-Tube. It brinll to the Rt!luJator Pneumatic the air admitted to the Port of the Meterinl Pin. 19-5prlntTenllonln.-PlanIHlmo Rei­ ulutlun. (Sec 111 Ollllllill ref. cllllrt, 11111. 3.) ~'A-Dlmlnuendo Pncllamatlc: POI't­ Receivel air from chamber above valve head wben valve is down or ahaUlt. to deflate ita pnellll!atlc. wbeD the valve pouch is lifted :l1-C1'__do Pneumatic port-Reo by air from 6tb Baas Tracker bole. Wilen ceiVN alr and exbaUlt as deacribed 1D 20. deflated at_pheric: prI:Iellre c:Ioaea pneumatic The uhauat deftates it aDd the atmospheric: and brlnll the Meterlnl pin II into ita port; pre.un thell causel It to riM and earry up 'he the movement of the plD depeDdinl on the Meterln, Pin II. Thill occurlwhea Dipple 21A time the valve is beld up. See Fla. oS for receives air from lhe 7tb Ba.. Tracker bole. I Uuatration of full diminuendo c:oDdltJoa. continue. .. 36 o B OR NOT TO B? continued...

Fig. 11 - Welte patent depicting spring pneumatic with badly conceived and inherently unstable mechanical feedback circuit.

Sept. 11, 1923. 1,467.889 E. WELTE PNEUMATICALLY CONTROLLED REGULATOR FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed May 25. 1914 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 -r--

I TI

I I"bo Iii

WITNESSES INVfNTOR .... EdlV,/"'7 M./~I~ ~'I N ~L. ~vr~~ continue. .. 37 contin~d /iio B OR NOT TO B? ..

Fig. 12 - Cheek automatic transmission control patent. Assigned to the Welte-Mignon Piano Corporation of Brooklyn, New York.

Feb. 13, 1940. T. F. CHEEK ET AL 2,190,256 AUTOMATIC GEAR SHIFTING MECHANISM Flied Aprl1 9. 1935 9 Sheets-Sbe.t 4

~rw~ ~.7IJZ.Qe.,.r.K{!AId ~o«i8 Q.~l~

38 Recording the soul of piano playing

From Scientific American, November 1927

A recording instrument, lately perfected easily calculated, 416 hundred- by the Ampico Research Laboratory, thousandths of a second being accurately reveals the physical basis of required to produce the softest those finer emotional qualities which mark note and 51 hundred-thousandths the inspired performances of the great for the loudest. About 60 times masters. A record taken on this instrument more energy therefore is of the playing of an everyday pianist expended in striking the loudest clearly shows the mediocrity of his note than when producing a performance as compared with that of one whispered pianissimo. Some interesting revealed when submitted to the tests of of the foremost great artists. That lovely side-lights are show in the playing of great an uncompromising measuring machine, liquid singing quality of tone – which is so pianists by this super-accurate method of a grossly faulty rhythm in the rarely heard even in the great recital halls; recording. One artist who produced an accompaniment. This shortcoming was not that bel canto which subdues an audience exceptionally beautiful quality of singing discernible in listening to the playing to the point of making them regard the tone was found to co-ordinate his hands because the accompaniment was too soft dropping of a pin as a misdemeanor; and a and pedaling to the almost incredible to define the positions of the various notes. cough as a states prison offence; and other accuracy of one fiftieth of a second. We The records measure technical ability with effects, heretofore regarded almost as sometimes hear a performance which uncanny accuracy. The marks of the pencil manifestations of the soul of the artist, sounds perfect. Apparently there is not a points of this soul-searching machine are being analyzed for mechanical flaw existing in the playing. Records of show exactly the control the pianist has reproduction through the record music such performances when analyzed over his fingers; whether his dynamics are roll. This delicate recording instrument sometimes reveal unbelievable faults. One nicely balanced or ragged; if his tone is measures accurately the length of time it example, which to the ear showed the good or bad; and even whether his playing takes the hammer to travel the last eighth most remarkable control of dynamics, has feeling or is cold. The performance is of an inch before it strikes the string, beautifully graduated melody, and an figuratively put under a microscope. and from this measurement the exact accompaniment played with almost loudness of the tone produced can be inaudible softness and smoothness, continue. . .

THE RECORDING EVERY DETAIL IS INSTRUMENT MEASURED The record of the Here the myriad dots notes and tone color- and lines of the ing are taken down recording are exam- on the right-hand ined and measured in sheet in the form of the process of trans- pencil marks. The lating them into music dynamic record, on roll perforations the left, comes off the which control the instrument without reproducing mecha- anything showing nism in the piano, and on the sheet. After it give a performance is put through a development process, marks which clearly possesses even the emotional indicating the measurement appear. These marks qualities of the original playing. Operators examine are then identified into pairs which are measured and measure every detail set down in the recording by a scale divided into one hundred and twenty of a person’s playing. One of the most interesting parts; each part represents one-tenth of the operations is the analysis of the tone quality which difference in loudness discernible by the average is made possible by indications showing the speed ear. After this is done the measurements are with which the dampers move up and down in the transferred to the note sheet giving a figure at operation of the damper pedal. The reproduction of the beginning of each note which tells to an “half pedaling” and other subtle tone effects is unbelievable accuracy just how loud that note was made possible by a system of extending certain struck by the recording artist. The recording WRONG NOTES ARE ELIMINATED note perforations, which cause their tones to sing instrument is connected by means of electrical A painstaking checking with the sheet through from one harmony to the next, thereby circuits to the recording piano located in another music eliminates wrong notes which were giving effects identical with those which the room where the artist plays the original music. accidentally struck by the pianist. original artist contrived to put into his playing.

39 Recording the soul . . . continued. . .

TRANSFERRING MEASUREMENTS HAND PERFORATING PILOT HOLES Unraveling the maze of figures in a dynamic Hand-perforated holes at each end of the line record and transferring them to the roll is made indicating the position and duration of the notes extremely simple by an ingenious device. guide the automatic stencil-making machine.

FIRST HEARING STENCIL OF RECORD CHANGES The first time a record A special table over is heard is when it which the record and comes from the auto- the stencil pass at the matic stencil-making right proportionate machine. With only speeds facilitates the pilot perforations at making of any changes the beginning and end in the stencil which the of each note as guides, artist has indicated in this machine has the record after hear- simultaneously cut a ing its performance. trial and a finished Usually the changes stencil. The stencil is three times the length of the suggested by an artist have to do with dynamic trial record. An operator who is a finished musician where he accented a note too much or too little or takes the record at this stage and carefully exam- where one phase had too much or too little con- ines every detail of the performance, checking up trast with another. He seldom touches the rhythm the result of the various stages in the long process or the tone coloring. In a dance record, the rhythm of its completion. After the corrections indicated is automatically checked and corrected in the sten- during this rigid inspection have been made, the cil machine. After alterations are made the record is an exact duplicate of the artist’s playing, machine makes duplicates from this stencil and even in the smallest detail of light and shade, and these in turn are used in the manufacture of the is now ready for the artist to hear. Upon hearing AUTOMATIC STENCIL MACHINE finished music rolls used in the reproducing piano. the record, the artist becomes his own critic and if This remarkable piece of automatic The actual music-cutting machines are duplex, any further change is to be made, it is in deference mechanism, which all but thinks, cutting 30 rolls at a time in two groups of 15 each to his wish to alter his performance. took more than five years to at the rate of three and one-half feet of finished design and construct record per minute of operation.

ORIGINAL FINISHED RECORDING PRODUCT Here are shown the The record as it comes penciled lines of the from automatic stencil notes, pedaling, and machine, ready for first speed of the dampers. hearing. COMPLETED MASTER It has the dynamic figures, tone coloring extensions and expression perforations. Revealing Idiosyncrasies of Artists

40 layer pianos P From Finding Color, Fall/Winter 2002 - “News from the Montana Heritage Preservation & Development Commission” A Unique Collection in Virginia City & Nevada City Player pianos brought to the dry amplifier age, and Charlie Rocky Mountain West when they Bovey discovered the B.A.B. were new, still operated in the 1950s. Organ Company of Brooklyn, However, a very few collectors began to New York, which was happy appreciate their novelty, even though to find a customer for its they were barely twenty or thirty years obsolete organs. Nearly the old. Charlie Bovey was one of the first to entire contents of the building collect player pianos and orchestrions, was shipped to Nevada City. a few remain on public display today. most of which were originally shipped to Other collectors began appreciating Thanks to the Montana Legislature and Butte, Montana, and were still in good mechanical music devices in the late the Montana Heritage Commission, one playing condition. While most people of 1950s, and rebuilding them. Throughout of the largest collections still visible to that generation had pumped a player the country, many tourist attractions the public is right here in Nevada and piano, many had never seen he unique featured “music machines.” Then in Virginia City! Here, generations who commercial orchestrions with their drums about 1970, band organs and the have never seen a home player piano will and organ pipes. The Bale of Hay Saloon commercial or “nickelodeon” machines be able to witness the genius of a in Virginia City became famous in the began to be purchased by wealthy mechanical world, and hear music exact- 1950s for its unique collection. collectors. Many were beautifully ly as it was heard eighty to one hundred In 1958, the band organ industry restored, but most disappeared from years ago. was suffering from the electronic public view into private museums. Only - John Ellingsen ADOPT A PIANO CAMPAIGN Have you ever considered adoption? I first knew Virginia City in 1956 two miles up the highway from Virginia Would you like to become adoptive when I was working in Yellowstone Park City. He purchased a large log lodge parents? We’re not talking children or for the summer. We would hitch-hike the from Yellowstone Park Co. and rebuilt it highways, but mechanical instruments 75 or so miles on weekends to enjoy as the Music Hall where he displayed a for restoration. Charles and Sue Bovey the musical instruments and see the concentrated collection of instruments began this collection in the mid-1940’s melodramas at the Opera House. My first with everything from a full theater organ when they began to buy up historic experience with a Photoplayer was in the to small automatic instruments. This part structures dating from the 1860’s in Opera House and I vowed, one day, of the collection is still mostly intact. Virginia City, Montana to prevent them I would have one. In that decade Oswald After both Charles and Sue Bovey from being turned into firewood. Many Wurdeman, who at one time had had a passed away, their son, Ford, attempted of the buildings still contained furniture “route” of nickelodeons, would spend the to keep the enterprise going, but it and merchandise dating from the summers in Virginia City and keep all the became too much of a financial drain and nineteenth century to the 1930’s. The instruments in fine running order. he proposed selling off everything. The Bovey’s turned the collection of The dry Montana climate had also helped citizens of Montana worked for several buildings and artifacts into an on-going preserve these machines, which at that years to convince the State Legislature to tourist attraction in south-eastern time were only 30 to 40 years old. After provide funds to purchase the historic Montana on State Highway 287. As part Ozzie’s death it became more difficult to sections of Virginia and Nevada Cities. of the general ambience of the era, maintain the collection and it gradually Five years ago the State of Montana Charles Bovey began to collect automatic fell into partial dis-repair. A bad fire in completed the purchase so that the musical instruments which were placed the Bale Of Hay destroyed and damaged properties were protected. As most states throughout the buildings of Virginia City. a number of instruments. today, Montana faces economic problems A large group was housed in the Bale Charles Bovey became a State Senator and the expense of maintaining the whole Of Hay Saloon. In the adjacent Opera and so knew when historic buildings in collection of buildings and artifacts House (a remodeled stone livery stable) Montana were threatened. He began to makes the preventative and on-going he installed a large model Cremona purchase these buildings, dismantle them maintenance of the musical collection far Photoplayer. and move them to Nevada City, Montana down the list. continue. . . 41 Player pianos continued. . . I have been going to Virginia City of Jeff Tiberi, Executive every summer for the past ten years Director of Montana Heritage enjoying the Montana countryside, the Commission and John Ellingsen, friendly people, the theater, and musical Curator of History for the instrument collection. The Music Hall in Montana Heritage Commission Nevada City attracts a large number (John has worked with the of tourists and I watch their initial collection since college days, enthusiasm for the instruments fade as first with the Boveys and now many barely wheeze out a tune. I began with the State of Montana). Art to think some help in restoration of this has coordinated moving of very public collection would be a good several small machines to his way for AMICA to full-fill one of it’s workshop in Colorado Springs. major goals of restoring mechanical He has also volunteered to keep instruments and help educate the expenses down since we are public to the joys of these wonderful not looking at a “cosmetic Please address your questions and instruments. restoration” but a good solid mechanical concerns to me: I brought this idea to the AMICA restoration. These machines are out Richard D. Reutlinger Board in Portland and received an on display every summer and get a 824 Grove Street enthusiastic response. The plan would be heavy play. San Francisco, CA 94117 to establish a separate fund under the Once repairs are accomplished on a (415) 346-8669 auspices of Wes Neff, our International given instrument, appropriate recognition E-mail: [email protected] Treasurer, with contributions from in the form of a plaque would identify various chapters or individuals. I would our organization as the source of funds act as coordinator of plans for specific for it’s restoration. I feel it is extremely To Implement This Program: instruments . . . some would require more important to help keep this collection Chapters or individuals may send a money than others to restore. of instruments on public display and check made out to AMICA International Art Reblitz of Colorado Springs has available so the public can, by their own Adopt A Piano directly to Wesley Neff, done a number of repairs on the coins, operate and hear them as they International Treasurer, 128 Church Hill collection over the years as time originally played decades ago. As we Drive, Findlay, OH 45840-1102. and money permitted. He knows the know as collectors, these machines were A list of likely candidates with the collection inside and out and has well made originally and were made to cost for restoration attached will be compiled a complete inventory of play daily and heavily. Aside from available soon. Contributors may choose machines noting repairs needed, replacing rubber pneumatic cloth and what instruments they would like approximate cost of the repairs. He tubing there is no reason for them not to to “adopt”. is well-known to and has the confidence continue to do so.

VISIT THE AMICA Web page at http://www.amica.org

42 , ~nc.

6906 SANTA MONICA BLVD.• LOS ANGELES 3B, CALIfORNIA • TELEPHOHE: GLADSTOHE 7177

Jenua.ry J, 1952

Mr. Emmett M. Ford 521 South Glendele Wichita 17, Kansas Dear Mr. Ford:

Thank you for your letter of December 4, 1951, addressed to the Columbia Recording Corporation, New York. Your letter was for­ warded to me by Mr. Turner, who is in charge of the Master Works Division. Naturally I eppreciate letters of compliment on the "Gree.t Masters Of The Keyboard" recording project, and Columbia, as well as myself, are glad to know that you enjoyed the records. It is unfortunate that the recordings could not have turned out better, but due to almost insurmountable difficulties at the time of the transferring from the original masters to magnetic tape, we were not able to achieve the perfection for which we had hoped. One point which Columbia did not make clear on the record albums was thet the re­ cordings were made from the masters and not from the commercial piano player roll. There was a considerable difference, and the master was the actual paper, recorded by the Vorsetzer method, and was something entirely unknown in this country. I am planning a return trip to Germany for sometime in 1952, with the intention of completing the project as well as re-recording those selections which have already appeared on Columbia records. This time I will be equipped properly, and knowing what the problems may be, will have a ready solution for them. At the time of the other recording (1948) it W8.S too soon after the war and there was still too much disruption of the normal facilities.

I note with interest that you have two (2) Welte-Mignon rolls, but I checked the numbers that JOu ge~e against the Ger~~ catalog and I find that those which you have are the American made product, and not at all like the originals. One quick way of determining the German roll from the American product is by the spool. The German roll has a splined shaft on one end and a smooth shaft extending from the spool on the other end. All American made rolls use spools with

SERVING GREATER LOS ANGELES AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES

43 THE PACIFIC NETWORK, INC.

-2-

Mr. Emmett M. Ford January 3, 1952

indented ends. This was due to the American standardization so that all rolls would play on all pianos. The American Welte Corporation was an affiliate of the German firm, and while they had a method of transferring the German rolls to the American mechanism, they were not at all the same in result. The Germen Welte firm owned the basic patent on perforated paper rolls and piano expression devices, and therefore stayed out of the Ameri­ can market by license arrangement with the other firms and extracted a royalty on every instrument produced and sold in America. The result may have been a commercial success, but the quality of the reproduced music was tn no way up to the German standards.

When I return from the next European trip, I expect that Columbia will re-issue much of this re-recorded music in another form. I think that 12" records are a very large dose, and I am hoping that they will see fit to release them on 10" size, and be able to group by composer-pianist in program form.

I feel that the present Columbia records do not do justice to the actua~ performance of the mechanical device from which I recorded them in Germany, and it is my intention to further the project by re-transferring the originals so that they can be released to the public in a form comparable with their original quality. Hearing the great pianists perform through the medium of the Welte mechanism was indeed a thrill, and the greatest reward for the undertaking.

With thanks and best wishes, I remain

Sincerely yours,

Richard C. Simonton President

RCS:rpf

SERVING GREATER LOS ANGELES AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES

44 tamp collecting S Article from Roy K. Powlan . . . has one obvious and important advantage over reproducing pianos. . .

August 28, 2003 Dear Mike: Enclosed please find an article that has been brewing in my mind for several years. I hope it eases your burden, if only slightly. The photocopies are surpris- ingly good but if you need them to be better, let me know. Sincerely yours, Roy K. Powlan

During the years I was in law beyond simple stamp collecting into the This collector specialized in covers school some twenty years ago, it was rarified field of “covers”. That is, entire that had musical advertising on them and impractical to collect reproducing pianos envelopes with interesting printing, was at this stamp store offering to sell a due to the limited space of my apartment stamps or labels, usually with a unifying portion of his collection. The covers were near the beach in Marina del Rey, outside theme. in four large shoeboxes and there must Los Angeles. Consequently and in order In former days it was the usual practice have been at least five hundred. to satisfy the urge to collect rare to steam or soak stamps off the envelopes He allowed me to look through his and beautiful things, I indulged in a they had been affixed to on the collection even though I could not afford former but not quite forgotten collecting assumption that the entire philatelic value his asking price that in retrospect was passion – stamps. resided in the stamp alone. This practice very reasonable. A stamp collection has one inevitably led to the loss of huge amounts After some haggling, accompanied by obvious and important advantage over of philatelic and historical information some shameless begging, he sold me reproducing pianos in that an impressive which otherwise could have been deduced several covers and some are illustrated collection can be housed in a small from the addresses, cancellations, here. I could talk him out of only a few. drawer. In all other respects the axioms routing marks and even the shape and Although he took my name and number of stamp collecting are identical to manufacture of the envelopes themselves. for future reference, he never called. every other field of collecting, including reproducing pianos. That is, condition is paramount, mere accumulation is easy, 1 the rarest material is always the most expensive and elusive and important collecting opportunities can be missed. This is about an opportunity missed. In all fields of collecting, the tendency is toward specialization. The novice begins appreciating and perhaps collecting a broad spectrum within an area, and as his tastes mature and evolve, generally the scope of collecting narrows and specializes. But specialization does not make collecting any easier – quite the opposite. Specialization leads to an increase in the difficulty in finding and obtaining the subject matter but which in my belief, leads to a greater satisfaction in the resulting collection. While at a stamp store in Los Angeles, I met a very specialized collector, an elderly gentleman, who had gone far

45 Stamp collecting continued. . . Somewhere out there, perhaps still in Los Angeles, are those shoeboxes full of 2 covers like these. All the covers were from foreign countries and were all addressed to The Rudolph Wurlitzer Company leading me to believe that someone who worked at Wurlitzer had amassed this special collection. 3 Cover (1) is from Havana, Cuba. It is postmarked September 5, 1916 and bears at two-cent carmine rose stamp showing a map of the island with routes to Panama. (Scott #254). The cover is illustrated with a picture of a Wurlitzer Style H or Style K photoplayer with a single roll player. It appears to be promotional envelope. the same illustration in the Bowers It is of high grade Encyclopedia on page 701. I believe it is watermarked laid paper. likely that Wurlitzer provided these The back however is return envelopes preprinted with the even more interesting. company name and advertisements. The The envelope (4) is cover is on watermarked laid paper. sealed with a QRS box Cover (2) is also from Cuba. It is label from roll number postmarked January 8, 1918 and bears a 33148 titled “Raquel”, three-cent violet stamp showing Jose de by none other than la Luz Caballero (Scott #267). The cover Idelecio E. Hernandez the shows a well-attired woman serenading a proprietor of the Wurlitzer basket of hydrangeas or perhaps lilacs on concession in Managua a very large foot impelled player grand whose business this cover as a male companion looks on. I have is from. I do not know seen this same illustration elsewhere much about QRS rolls without the retouched darkening of and would appreciate any the companion’s eyes outside a “Latin” information on it. The best context. The text prominently advertises would be to actually hear “Pianolas”. Like the former cover, it this roll. All these years I too may be a product of the Wurlitzer have been wondering if the Company, but that it is not mentioned roll was really produced or and that Pianola is (an Aeolian product), if this was just a vanity this is perhaps less likely. It is of thin laid label of some kind. Any 4 paper, slightly green. information would be Cover (3) is from Managua greatly appreciated. again someday near a collector more Nicaragua. It is postmarked June 21, It is hoped that the reader has gained astute than I once was.2 1917 and bears a five-cent gray black an appreciation of the value of old stamp showing the National Palace in envelopes whereas had the stamps been Managua (Scott #354). The cover shows soaked off and the envelopes discarded, a foot-impelled player, possibly Wurlitzer the combined value of these common with a case extension on the top and stamps is only about forty-five cents. 1 Translated: “The automatic Kingston, lamps or ornaments on each side of the From these few covers it may be latest model; and the Wurlitzer pianos Nos. 1 and 2”. spool box. The Spanish text refers to possible to grasp the magnitude of a 2 “El automatico Kingston ultimo modelo; lost opportunity to learn more about The author no longer collects stamps y los pianos Wurlitzer, No. 1 y 2”1. Could Wurlitzer’s international connections and now collects the German T-100 the illustration be of the mysterious in the early years of the last century. “red” Welte, instruments and rolls. Kingston? Because of the prominent Perhaps those shoeboxes will resurface mention of Wurlitzer, this too could be a 46 MUSIC A Mile High 2004 AMICA International Convention

DENVER, COLORADO August 4 - 8, 2004 The Colorado members of introduce you to the historic This is the first AMICA AMICA invite you to join us pioneer and mining heritage convention to be held in the for “Music a Mile High”, the found in some of the most Rockies — plan to arrive early 2004 AMICA International spectacular scenery of the Rocky or stay after the convention Convention to be held in Denver, Mountain West. to enjoy your summer vacation Colorado, August 4-8, 2004. Of course music, both live in our “back yard.” Of course Our headquarters hotel, the and automatic, will be at the our back yard includes three Holiday Inn Denver Downtown, heart of our gathering; we have a National Parks, six National will allow you to experience variety of activities planned to Monuments, numerous scenic, the urban excitement and keep you tapping your feet while cultural, and historic attractions, culture of the “Mile High City”, you enjoy the company of old and just plain fun. while our bus excursions will friends and new acquaintances.

47 of the CONVENTION PROGRAM

N An orientation to Denver and Colorado will be followed by a multi-media presentation by renowned author and restorer Art Reblitz as part of our Welcome Breakfast. Art will talk about the history of automatic musical instruments in Colorado, from mining days through today. N Comfortable tour busses will take us to scenic Colorado Springs where 14,110 foot high Pike’s Peak towers over the city. We will visit the “Garden of the Gods” and the Air Force Academy. Art Reblitz will host an open house at his workshop to see (and hear) current restoration projects. N An optional bus tour will take AMICANs into the Rocky Mountains to the mining town of Georgetown, where we will ride a steam-powered train on the historic Georgetown Loop Railroad. Lunch in Silver Plume will be followed by a visit to Central City, in the middle of “the richest square mile on earth.” The Central City Opera House was built in 1878 and hosts opera productions each summer. Central City is also one of three historic mining towns in Colorado that allow limited-stakes gambling. N The Hospitality Room will present an original 9’6” Steinway concert grand Duo-Art piano, along with a Mason and Hamlin playing Ampico and Duo-Art music via PianoDisk, a Laffargue upright Recordo, an Apollo Art-X electric and other fine pianos. N A wide variety of informative and technical Workshops are planned with a special look at some of the exciting things happening in our hobby. N As usual, the Mart will feature all the goodies you never knew you needed. N The Pumper Contest will determine the next proud holder of the “Footsie” Award. N In conjunction with the Rocky Mountain Chapter of ATOS we will have “An Afternoon of American Music” at the Historic Paramount Theatre (a late art-deco movie palace with a rare original twin-console Wurlitzer) featuring our own “Mr. Ragtime”, Dick Kroeckel, on the concert grand and Patti Simon on the Wurlitzer. N Our Banquet will be held in a setting with a spectacular view of Denver and the entire Front Range of the Rockies; entertainment will be by the Queen City Jazz Band. N “Home” Tours will offer several options: see the unique collection of musical instruments and farm equipment at the Dougherty Collection, the incredible offering of fine European pianos at Chris Finger Pianos, and a private home featuring a Steinway 7-foot Italian Renaissance Duo-Art (with the Torkelson low-C and crash valve modifications) and a newly restored (by Terry Houghawout) single Mills Violano Virtuoso with MIDI playing new music arranged by Art Reblitz.

in Denver WHEN YOU’RE AN AMICAn:

he Mile-High City of Denver 1861. Colorado became the 38th state Today, the “Queen City of the T is on the western edge of the in 1876 and by the 1880s Denver was Plains” is still the commercial, cultural Great Plains at the foot of the Rocky both the state Capitol and a boom town, (and sports) center for the region. It Mountains. Founded as a mining camp with the gold and silver mines in the is a gateway to mountain skiing in the with the discovery of gold near Cherry mountains creating unprecedented wealth winter and warm weather recreation Creek in 1858, Denver grew quickly and and the railroads bringing in thousands of in the summer. Thousands of newcomers the Colorado Territory was created in newcomers. are still attracted each year by the

48 climate, the culture and the scenic Brown Palace Hotel (with a spectacular wealthy lived at the turn of the beauty of the area. center atrium), and the Denver Center for century by visiting the Molly Brown The Holiday Inn Denver Downtown the Performing Arts (the number of house museum. provides a convenient base for stages is second only to Lincoln Center The 2004 Convention web site exploring many attractions in the Denver in NYC.) (http://amica2004.home.att.net) will have area. Within a short walking distance In your free time, shop in Historic the most up-to-date schedule of of the hotel you will find the 16th Larimer Square, enjoy a wide variety Convention events and many more ideas Street Pedestrian Mall (with a free of restaurants in “LoDo” (Lower for sightseeing while you are in Denver shuttle bus), the Capitol building (real Downtown), explore the Colorado and Colorado. We have provided links to gold on the dome – climb up the spiral History Museum, visit the treasures at many attractions so that you can check stairs and see for yourself), the 1892 local art museums and see how the hours of operation and admission prices.

Denver DOWNTOWN

he 2004 AMICA Convention the only major event using the occupancy and we have arranged for T Committee selected a smaller ballroom facilities during the duration of this special rate to be available for hotel located in the heart of Denver as the Convention. The convention room several days before and after the AMICA our Headquarters, where we will be rate is $109.00 per night, single or double Convention dates.

The comfortable hotel rooms feature views of the mountains and downtown Denver. The Holiday Inn offers all of the amenities that you would expect: N Electronic door locks and in-room safe N Coffee pot, iron, ironing board and hair dryer in each room N TV, voicemail and dataport connections (dial-up and high speed access) N Complimentary USA Today N Covered parking at a reduced daily rate with unlimited in/out privileges N Exercise room and outdoor pool with sun deck N Restaurant and Lounge N Airport shuttle service (SuperShuttle and Blue Sky Limo) from Denver International Airport Please make your hotel reservations directly with the Holiday Inn. Be sure to mention the AMICA convention to get the special rate. TELEPHONE – National Reservations: 800-423-5128; Hotel: 303-573-1450 The Holiday Inn web site is: http://www.hoteldenver.net/

The next issue of the AMICA Bulletin (March/April) will have a complete convention schedule, registration forms, cost and additional details about the events. The 2004 AMICA Convention website will always have the latest information about the Convention, including a pre-registration form for you to email and links to attractions in Denver and Colorado for your vacation planning. http://amica2004.home.att.net See you in Denver in 2004!

49 DENVER, COLORADO August 4 - 8, 2004 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS (subject to fine tuning)

Wednesday, August 4th N Registration N International Board Meeting N Downtown Denver sightseeing N Hospitality Room (with an original 9’ 6” concert grand Steinway Duo-Art and other fine pianos for manual and automatic playing)

Thursday, August 5th N Welcome Breakfast N Multi-media presentation by Art Reblitz: “100+ Years of Automatic Music in Colorado” N Bus tour to Colorado Springs (includes stops at Art Reblitz’s workshop, “Garden of the Gods” and the Air Force Academy) N Pumper Contest N Hospitality Room Friday, August 6th N Buffet Breakfast N Optional bus tour: Rocky Mountain historic mining towns: Georgetown Loop Steam Railroad, Silver Plume, Central City N Alternate activity: Denver walking tours and sightseeing N Chuckwagon Supper at Historic Four Mile Park with western entertainment N Hospitality Room Saturday, August 7th N Workshops N The Mart N Banquet with Queen City Jazz Band N Hospitality Room Sunday, August 8th N Farewell breakfast N “An Afternoon of American Music” with Dick Kroeckel (ragtime pianist) and Patti Simon (Wurlitzer theatre organist) at the Historic Paramount Theater N Optional “Home” Tours N Hospitality Room

50 He shall be remembered Sent in by Fay Cressman It is with regret and sorrow that I Luckily, we were able to announce the death of Clark Cressman on attend all but two conventions in May 24, 2003. twenty-five years. Sacramento On December 11, 2002, Clark fell on was our last one. a black ice covered sidewalk and broke Something very special his hip. After six days in the hospital, he happened to us at two of the was sent to a rehabilitation center where conventions! In London, Liz he remained for three months. and Mike Barnhart, Bob Taylor It was so nice to have Clark home of Philadelphia, Clark and I were again! We were gradually getting back able to get tickets to Buckingham to a normal way of life when he had a Palace for a leisurely tour through massive stroke caused by a blood clot. a dozen or more State Rooms. Fay & Clark Cressman I am truly grateful for family and Such grandeur! friends who have been so helpful and In St. Louis, at the AMICA Attending the conventions has been a supportive during this difficult time. Convention, Clark and I were the very enriching experience. Clark and I joined the Philadelphia honored recipients of the President’s I miss seeing all of our friends! Chapter in 1974 when Robert Rosencrans Award presented by the past President, Fondly, was the President. Our first AMICA Maury Willyard. Fay Cressman Convention was in Buffalo in 1975. 610-666-5816

Clark F. Cressman, 87 OBITUARY FROM Norristown Times Herald Norristown, PA 19403

Clark F. Cressman, 87, husband of Television Repair Center in also worked with metal sculpting Fay L. (Neil) Cressman, of Oaks, PA Bridgeport, PA. He eventually took and gave away most of his works died Saturday evening, May 24, over the business in the 1960s. to friends and family. 2003, in the Phoenixville Hospital, He retired from the business in He is preceded in death by one Phoenixville, PA. the early 1980s. sister, Ruth Cressman. Born in Conshohocken, PA, he Mr. Cressman served in the In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts was the son of the late Charles F. and United States Air Force as an may be made in his name to the Alberta (Nicholas) Cressman. Mr. electrical radar repairman during Green Tree Church of the Brethren, Cressman attended school in the World War II. 1078 Egypt Road, Oaks, PA 19456. Conshohocken and Norristown areas. An avid ballroom dancer, he The Campbell-Ennis-Klotzbach He then attended the Bell laboratories enjoyed traveling extensively with Funeral Home, Main Street at in New York City. his wife. Fifth Avenue, Phoenixville, PA He worked for more than 50 Mr. Cressman enjoyed reading was in charge of the arrangements. years at the former Harry Carson and tinkering with computers. He

51 News From The Chapters Chapter President Curt Clifford and Mel Septon inspect Carol’s O.R. Steinway Duo-Art.

Rob Deland inspects the carved case Mira disc box.

CHICAGO CHAPTER Reporter: Kathy Stone

President: Curt Clifford (630) 279-0872 Linda Grauvogl is delighted by the impressive sound Our fall meeting was held on October 19th at the home of the Mira. of Carol Veome in Chicago. Carol has a magnificent collection that includes a Spanish style model O.R. Steinway Duo-Art, circasian walnut Mills Violano Virtuoso, Seeburg “G” Orchestrion, many outstanding music boxes, an extensive collection of antique phonographs, and some interesting pieces of 1950’s vintage hi-fi equipment. Carol and co-host Curt Clifford, our chapter president, provided quite an array Linda Grauvogl listens of refreshments. to an interchangeable cylinder music box. During our business meeting, Mel Septon updated us on the plans for our chapter to host the 2006 AMICA Convention in the Chicago area. Several members have already volunteered to chair various committees. Past President George Wilder gave us an update on the 2003 Convention that was held in Portland, Oregon and he also reported on the results of our efforts to establish a special award honoring the late Mabel & Simon Zivin. The meeting ended with a workshop presentation by Mel Septon titled “Choosing and Finding A Reproducing Piano”. There were many questions and everyone found it a very informative presentation. We are all looking forward to our next meeting, our annual Holiday Party that is being hosted by Marian & Jasper Sanfilippo on December 6th.

Meta Brown (standing) gives a report about the AMICA web site.

52 Elsa Pekarek listens to Carol’s “Nellie Melba” phono- graph. Let the feast begin!!

Music from the 40’s and 50’s entertained us thanks to Carol’s beautifully restored Wurlitzer Marty Persky and style 1015 juke box. Michael Grauvogl with Polyphon music box.

Our first chapter meeting workshop has the members riveted to the presentation.

Mel Septon discusses what to consider when looking for a reproducing piano while Michael Grauvogl listens attentively.

HEART OF AMERICA CHAPTER Reporter: Kay Bode President: Tom McAuley

This has been a busy fall and winter for the Heart of America Chapter. The chapter held their fall meeting at the 1st Inn Gold in Branson, MO on Saturday, September 6. After the meeting Tom and Kay Bode won the drawing for two free At the business dinners, which included entertainment, at the Dinner Bell meeting, plans restaurant across from the motel. Following dinner members for the 2006 walked to the Presley’s Country Jubilee Theatre for a great convention Presley family show. are perused. On Saturday, October 5, members traveled to Abilene, KS, to play their monkey organs and band organs to help Rob Deland and celebrate the 100th birthday of their Wurlitzer/Parker 125 the very rare Band organ. The organ is playing on the Parker Steam circasian walnut Carousel located at the Dickinson County Historical Society Mills Violano Heritage Center and Telephony Museum. We were treated to Virtuoso. antique equipment demonstrations, an antique tractor display,

53 a demonstration of blacksmithing, and a tour of the Heritage Center’s Telephony Museum. That evening we enjoyed a delicious fried chicken dinner at the Brookville Hotel, a local landmark. Dee and Charlie On Sunday morning we drove to Manhattan, KS, where Tyler and Jim Blaine and Armenda Thomas provided refreshments Fletcher take a and hosted a chapter meeting at their sign shop and musical break from eating to smile for the museum. The museum has a wonderful collection of band camera. organs, music boxes, nickelodeons, dance organs, slot machines, carnival games of chance and much more. On Saturday afternoon, December 6, Paul and Shirley Morgenroth hosted a holiday party in Oak Grove, MO. We were all anxious to see their beautiful new home and we Jason York, Tom weren’t disappointed. Our own Heart of America Thespians Bode, Bob Stout, provided us with a surprise appearance by the late Erma and Craig Brougher Bombeck (Robbie Tubbs) and Martha Stewart (Dee Tyler). watching Ron Katie Hellstein provided their hilarious material. As is the Connor do all the custom, members shared in a wild gift exchange followed by work pumping Craig & Ellie’s a delicious dinner catered by the Bates City BBQ with Schulz pumper. desserts provided by members. We then proceeded to the Sundowners Theater for a performance of the lively and entertaining “Country Christmas” show. On Sunday Craig and Ellen Brougher hosted a delicious brunch at their home in Independence, MO, followed by a chapter meeting. Craig provided informative tours of his workshop and Ellie gave a tour of her quilting Paul Morgenroth, and Yousuf Wilson room. We were treated to performances by some of their just saw a ghost, personal instruments including the fabulous Spirit of Erma Bombeck / Independence orchestrion. Craig demonstrated his latest Robbie Tyler. project an E-Roll player interfaced with a Gerety-Chase player connected to his Chickering Ampico B reproducing grand piano.

Craig Brougher demonstrated his Paul and Shirley E-Roll player for Morgenroth showing H. C. Beckman, off their Steinway Paul Morgenroth, XR reproducing Dan Davis, and grand piano. Bob Stout. Looks like the topic wasn’t all business.

Craig Brougher, Roger Stumfall, Kay Bode, and Linda Bird enjoying the groups next favorite activity after eating - caroling!

Dan Davis and John and Barbara Washburn flash their best smiles.

54 Margie Williams (in front), Terry and Ted Casebeer (second row), and Ray and Betty Stacey (in back).

SIERRA NEVADA CHAPTER Reporter: Nadine Motto-Ros President: John Motto-Ros (209) 267-9252

Leona Roelofs, Mike Fisher, Our chapter Christmas party was held Sunday afternoon, Betty and Ray Stacey. December 7, at the lovely home of Kent and Margie Williams in Newcastle, California. Some of you may ask: “Where is Newcastle?” It is a small Sierra Foothills town located just south of Auburn on Interstate 80. We were invited to a Music Machine Summit as the Williams’ home is on a little mountaintop in rural Newcastle—well worth the drive—the view is fantastic! The first order of business was to welcome new members Mike Fisher and Leona Roelofs (all the way from Red Bluff), Roger Barrett and son from nearby Auburn, and Alex Thompson from Stockton. Other members in attendance were Bob and Sonja Lemon, Ray and Betty Stacey, Doug and Vickie Mahr (collecting 2004 dues), Tom and Virginia Hawthorn, Fred Deal, Arlo (Chip) Lusby, Bob and Ginny Billings from Reno, Don and Sally MacDonald, Ted and Terry Casebeer, Mara French, David Richey and the Motto-Ros’s. Vernon Jones provided quite a demonstration, including technical jargon, on MIDI interface with Kent’s PianoDisc and xylophone. Vernon builds xylophones, and the sounds and tunes were superb. The Williams’ collection includes an 1881 nickelodeon that plays MIDI, a new trailer-mounted Wurlitzer 105 on a wood-spoke trailer connected by hitch to a 1930 Model A (it runs by a Honda generator mounted in the rumble seat), twelve cylinder music boxes, a disc music box with short-bed, double-comb 15” Regina, six hand-crank organs, cylinder and diamond-disk phonographs, two singing birds, a Tanzibar, Leopold de Visscher 70-hole piano, and an Orpheus grand Bob and Ginny Billings and Virginia Hawthorn. pumper reed organ that sounds like pipes. All of this music is surrounded by extensive antique bottle displays, old pistols, Thomas Edison stuff, religious antiquities (including Buddha and Kwan Yin collections), worldwide masks, ethnic drums, red Staffordshire transferware, clocks, Erte’, Bennett, kitchen stuff, art glass, pottery, etc., etc. Kent and Margie had beautifully decorated their home for Christmas, and the food was great. Thanks for hosting a wonderful holiday event.

David Richey, Vernon Jones, host Kent Williams, Sonja Lemon, Bob Lemon and Bob Billings.

55 As is usual, MBSI local chapter was invited to share the Christmas party. There was good attendance, and the atmosphere of the home and the music of the instruments, along with Bob’s great collection of clocks and Diane’s mannequins just made the whole evening one of fun Arlo (Chip) Lusby and and merriment. Alex Thompson The food tables were groaning under the weight of all making music. the great things the attendees brought, along with what Diane made. (Was all that weight added onto the members when the evening was over???? Well, that’s another story for another time.) The gift exchange went well, with some very unique gifts, and some very happy recipients. Our meeting dealt mainly with volunteers to hold office, and the volunteers seemed to be among the missing. More of Kent and Margie’s For the time being Frank Nix will remain as President, music room and Jerry Pell volunteered to act as Vice-President (well, with music maybe volunteered is too strong a word . . .he actually just boxes and didn’t protest long enough and Frank wore him down). more. Ken Hodge will stay on as Treasurer, and I will continue as secretary/reporter. We could sure use some new blood in office. Anyway, the meeting/party was a huge success, and we all thank Bob and Diane for their warm hospitality, and for opening up their home and collection to us. Thanks also to Lloyd Osmundson, who stepped in to act as photographer with a moment’s notice. Lloyd is always The wonderful there when we need him! Wurlitzer 105 It was a welcome change of venue this year, since I in the music was unable to host due to my mother’s illness. In fact, room. I missed the whole party this time. As a further note, as all of Southern California, and probably most of the nation, watched the horrific fires that roared through, it suddenly became personal when we found out that Bob and Carol Fine, long time AMICA members, lost their home and all their belongings in the San Bernardino fire. We all send our best wishes to the Fines, particularly at this time of year, and can only be happy that they are alive and well. After all, material things are just things when it comes down to that, and while I’m sure that gives scant comfort, we are still very happy that they are OK. Several of our members had homes or cabins threatened by those fires, but as far as I have heard, the Fines were the only ones who were wiped out. It’s hard to imagine the mind- of someone who would intentionally start such fires. As I am writing this, an earthquake struck Central California today. Along with that the terrorism rating moved SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CHAPTER far up the scale. From what I understand, the airport at Reporter: Shirley Nix LAX is a real mess. Travelers are being told to allow 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours ahead of flights. It sure is a strange world President: Frank Nix (818) 884-6849 we live in today. I can only wish you all the best of the Holiday The December meeting was held at the lovely home of Season, and may you and your family be safe and happy, Bob and Diane Lloyd. Their home is in the hills above Santa with a New Year filled with Peace and Prosperity. Ana, and has a wonderful view, especially at night with all the lights below.

56 Norm and Maggie Richardson share one of the food tables with Jerry Pell.

Brooke Osmundson admiring some of Diane’s mannequins.

Bill Blair and Robin Biggins standing close to hear the Losche Orchestrion.

Frank Nix, looking over the gifts, assisted by Robbie Rhodes. In background is Ervin Canada, Caroyl and Jim Westcott.

Bob and Diane Lloyd, our hosts for the evening, with their 27” Regina Changer.

VISIT THE AMICA Web page at http://www.amica.org

57 ADVERTISING FOR SALE ORANGE COAST ENTERTAINMENT AND PIANO SERVICES: GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT 2003 has been very good year to us and through our vast collection of ALL ADVERTISING IN THE AMICA BULLETIN Player Piano Rolls and Music Disk’s we have greatly reduced our All advertising should be directed to: inventory to make room for more Automatic Musical Instruments such Mike Kukral as: We have a refurbished and rebuilt 1931 Pierre Eich (Super Violin) 216 Madison Blvd. Expression Player Orchestrion with 30 carefully voiced violin pipes to Terre Haute, Indiana 47803 play under full expression. This instrument looks exactly like the one Phone: 812-238-9656 centered in the top of page 396 from the Encyclopedia and also a good e-mail: [email protected] description of what it can do. We will let it go to the best offer over our Ad copy must contain text directly related to the product/service being offered. Extraneous text will be deleted at the Publisher’s cost. Next we have a very early 1911 Wurlitzer Model I/*B(*Bells) or discretion. All advertising must be accompanied by payment in ? would be extra, It was originally set up to have one more instrument. U.S. funds. No telephone ads or written ads without payment will We don’t know exactly what one it was.) This Nickelodeon has its be accepted. This policy was established by a unanimous vote of Original Silver Fox Finish. The particular case was a custom design the AMICA Board at the 1991 Board Meeting and reaffirmed at taken from 2 different styles. At this time to view the case and insides the 1992 meeting. AMICA reserves the right to edit or to we have put it online in our ebay store along with a Beautiful Imhof reject any ad deemed inappropriate or not in keeping with AMICA’s objectives. Mukle Antique 1886 Barrel Orchestrion with over a 188 pipes 52 key and over 9’ tall. This instrument also comes with a 9 barrel library. Each The BULLETIN accepts advertising without endorsement, barrel plays approximately 7 & 1/2 minutes. It is said to be one of the implied or otherwise, of the products or services being offered. Publication of business advertising in no way implies AMICA’s only fully operational 52 key Imhof Mukles of its kind here in the U. S. endorsement of any commercial operation. The most impressive features of this Orchestrion is its highly polished Nickel Trumpets flaring out. We are considering offers over 120K. AMICA PUBLICATIONS RESERVES THE RIGHT TO Currently on Outside Consignments we have: 1928 Wm. Knabe 5’4” ACCEPT, REJECT, OR EDIT ANY AND ALL Ampico B 100% Restore Louie XV Scalloped carved case and matching SUBMITTED ARTICLES AND ADVERTISING. bench Owned By: Charles F. Stoddard & Larry Givens with the Original All items for publication must be submitted directly to the letter of significance by David Q. Bowers our offer is 50K, Wurlitzer Publisher for consideration. Style 12 Silverfox finish with Peacock wounderlight completely CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING: $.20 per word, $5.00 minimum R&R 210K, Weber “UNIKA” excellent condition 65K. In house for AMICA members. Non-members may advertise double the Consignments: Steinway Duo-Art Player Grand in Walnut Model XR member rates ($10.00 minimum). Because of the low cost of with original embroidered covered Bench and Metronome. The original advertising, we are unable to provide proof copies or “tear sheets”. restoration by Mr. Dick Cartey and in excellent playing condition 18.5K DISPLAY ADVERTISING And many more Items to numerous to list, please call Kim Bunker at Full Page — 71/2 " x 10" ...... $150.00 (714) 432-7426 9-6pm P.S.T. Thank you and Happy Holidays!!! (1-04) 1 3 Half Page — 7 /2 " x 4 /4" ...... $ 80.00 CREMONA A-Roll Nickelodeon, call Jeffrey for information at Quarter Page —35/8 " x 43/4" ...... $ 45.00 415-868-1115. (1-04) Business Card — 31/2 " x 2" ...... $ 30.00 Non-member rates are double for all advertising. JAZZ Flute Pipes, MORTIER Twenty-three-Melody Section, Special 6 for 5 Ad Offer - Place any ad, with no changes, for a MORTON Theater Organ Flute Pipes, Sixty-two Chromatic Scale, full year (6 issues), and pay for only 5 issues. Payable in advance. $1600 for all. Chuck Cones 310-397-8579. (1-04) Photographs or halftones $15.00 each 1924 STEINWAY OR Duo-Art walnut Art case w/veneer damage Loose Sheet or Insert Advertising: Inquire from fire on one side, rebuilt player, in crates, w/new Ivory keys - We recommend that display advertisers supply camera-ready $11,500 Condition: D; 1995 BALDWIN 4’7” red polish Mah. copy. Copy that is oversized or undersized will be changed to W/Pianodisc - $8,900 Cond.: A; 1987 YAMAHA G 2 Ivory polish correct size at your cost. We can prepare advertisements from w/Pianomation - $11,500 Cond.: A; 1920 FRANKLIN 56” Ampico your suggested layout at cost. Mah. $3,500 Cond.: B+; 1924 MARSHALL & WENDELL 52” PAYMENT: U.S. funds must accompany ad order. Make check Ampico Mah. $2,900 Cond.: B+; MARIONETTE AMPICO payable to AMICA INTERNATIONAL. Typesetting and GRAND original complete w/matching bench $2,500 Cond. C-; layout size alterations charges will be billed. 1995 STORY & CLARK 42” Wal. $2,500. Contact: Schroeder’s DEADLINES: Submissions must be received no later than the Pianos 562-923-2311 (1-04) first of the odd months (January, March, May, July, September, November). The Bulletin will be mailed the first week of the GEORGE STECK semi-art case mahogany, 5’8” Duo-Art grand, even months. refinished, rebuilt player, action, strings, hammers, etc. Piano and (Rev. 6-98) Duo-Art in A-1 condition. Plays and reproduces Great! $6,000 OBO. Call for more information: Pete Miller, 847-697-9565. (2-04) KNABE AMPICO “B” 5’ Grand, CA. 1930, brown mahogany, some “History teaches us that men inlay, fair condition, no bench. $3500. KNABE AMPICO “B” 5’ Grand CA. 1937, walnut, rare single legs, good condition with original and nations behave wisely once bench, $4,000. STROUD DUO-ART upright CA. 1926, brown mahogany, fair condition, no bench, $1,000. All prices negotiable, they have exhausted all delivery available. Willing to accept in trade: post-1923 Ampico uprights, original coin-ops and some very clean original upright players, other alternatives.” preferably unrestored. Skip Woodhull, 419-227-8565. (2-04) ~ Abba Eban MILLS VIOLIN-VIOLANO, Seeburg, MO, Ampico rolls, Seeburg 148 jukebox. Call 585-249-9434. (2-04)

58 STEINWAY ART CASE DUO ART REPRODUCER GRAND WANTED PIANO - Model AR-3, 7’-0’’, circa 1920. Outstanding condition with Ivory keys. This is an amazing musical instrument and is in like-new RED WELTE MIGNON piano rolls (T-100). Paying top dollar. Mike condition with unbelievable tone and sound, superb. Being sold by Kukral 812-238-9656 or [email protected] (6-04) private party/collector, I have moved and the new house does not have WANTED! ARTECHO, APOLLO, CELCO Reproducing rolls. room. The asking price of $55,000 includes rolls, contemporary bench 1 or 1000. Also QRS APOLLO 58-NOTE ROLLS (SQUARE AND professional moving and set up to most US destination. Great CHUCK DRIVE) and QRS Automatic (Red “X”). Also available history also, the Minneapolis Philharmonic Orchestra borrowed this For Sale, newly scanned and recut ARTECHO TEST ROLL, piano, moved it to the Orchestra Hall where, for the first and only time, $18 ppd. Robin Pratt, 630 E. Monroe St., Sandusky, OH 44870; (419) 626-1903, [email protected] (6-04) a concert was performed between the Minneapolis Philharmonic Orchestra and a Reproducer Steinway, I have photos, a copy of the program and ticket stubs for this performance. A complete first class restoration of the piano was performed 14 years ago, since then it has always been expertly maintained by Steinway representatives, tuned and played. The following was done during the restoration: New pin block; New finish; restrung; repined; New dampers; the player works were all redone, this work was done by Bill Ackman; All new AMICA leather, hoses, belts, etc.; New Ivory keys; Basically everything was rebuilt/refinished. I think the cabinet style is “Aeolian #3011” - A slide show of photos can be seen on the internet here, click on the Steinway portfolio: http://photos.yahoo.com/norsepottery, John Danis, Memorial Fund Donations 2929 Sunnyside Dr D362, Rockford, IL, 61114, (815)978-0647, Please think of AMICA as a place to Email, [email protected] (2-04) remember your friends and family with 77 QRS ROLLS in a lot sale. Mix of old original rolls and mostly a donation to the AMICA Memorial Fund. newer tunes. $90 S/H included, 2 large boxes. John Ulrich Send to: John Motto-Ros 510-223-9587. (1-04) P.O. Box 908 1929 KNABE GRAND AMPICO B, #108445, restored in 1980’s, Sutter Creek, CA 95685-0908 plays well, plain cabinet, $12,000. HIGEL PLAYER PIANO #122, 209-267-9252 restored, plays fair, $700. ANGELUS PUSH-UP PLAYER, restored, plays well, $200. CHASE & BAKER PUSH-UP, restored, plays well, $300. Transposing Piano (GEO. RUSSELL, LONDON, FORREST & SON) #89375, not restored, in pieces (work was in progress), make offer. EDISON DISC PHONOGRAPH #0032 SN 1417, plays, nice cabinet, many records, $300. All located near Fortuna, California. Call Linda at (805) 967-7920 or email [email protected] for more information. (5-04) MARSHALL & WENDELL AMPICO, electric player 5’ baby grand, sn#113128, refinished off-white lacquer, new keyboard, re-strung, excellent playing condition. Pump in player requires repair. Asking $7700, call 201-224-2265. (4-04) CLOTH-COVERED ELECTRICAL WIRE FOR REPAIRS AND RESTORATIONS. Many styles, colors, gauges. Safe and authentic. Sundial Wire, PO Box 1182, Easthampton, MA 01027; phone 413-582-6909. Full service web site: http://www.sundialwire.com; e-mail: [email protected] (4-04) “Rose City Rag” 2003 Convention Rolls available for $12, shipping included. Contact [email protected] (4-04) AMPICO, DUO-ART, WELTE, AND 88 NOTE PIANO ROLLS. New Recuts and Originals, including “Jumbo” and Program Rolls. Also N.O.S. QRS 88 Note rolls. Check out my website: http://www.maui.net/~uni/caldwell/ Dave Caldwell, 400 Lincoln Lake Ave. N.E., Lowell, MI 49331; e-mail: [email protected]; phone 616-897-5609. (6-03) The Golden Age of Automatic Musical Instruments. Art Reblitz’ magnificent 448-page book. Fabulous photos, history, collecting stories, tracker scales, original prices and more. $120 plus $5 S/H (single copy USA ground shipment). Mechanical Music Press-A, 70 Wild Ammonoosuc Road, Woodsville, NH 03785; 603-747-2636. http://www.mechanicalmusicpress.com (4-04) HANDMADE BARREL AND PNEUMATIC ORGANS made in Germany. 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) 59 AMPICO - DUO-ART A GUIDE TO WELTE - RECORDO RESTORING THE 88 NOTE AMPICO ··A" Including, Jumbo, Program and Medley Rolls Forty-five pages Offering listings of new recut and original rolls of above for direct purchasing, without bidding. of technical information focusing on aspects of restoration unique to Also buying small and large collections the Ampico "A". A list of materials Write or e-mail for listings and prices. and suppliers, diagrams for specialized Include P.O. address tools and three floppy discs and type you're interested in. containing 100 photos. [email protected] Dave Caldwell Send $40 to: 400 Lincoln Lake Ave., N.E. Paul Manganaro, Lowell, MI 49331 P.O. Box 535, 616-897-5609 Coopersburg, PA 18036 (2-04) (6-04)

AMICA ITEMS FOR SALE

Get the Whole Story ! ~~: The AMICA Bulletin remains the single source of complete information about the technical and social aspects of our hobby. No home library would be complete without a FULL SET of the AMICA Bulletins, bound into sets by year. In addition, technical articles published in the bulletin have been extracted and published as invaluable reference volumes. More than 30 years of knowledge, discovery and revelation can be found in the TECHNICALITIES, a complete set of which takes less than 30 inches of shelf space! ORDER TODAY! In stock/or immediate shipping via United Parcel Service or US Mail. AMICA Technicalities The AMICA Bulletin Since 1969, AMICA has been publishing into bound vol­ umes, collections of technical articles written and con­ 1971 through 1999 bound annuals tributed by its members for publication in The AMICA Bulletin. They may be purchased as follows: of the AMICA Bulletins Vol I- 1969 to 1971 $10.00 $24.00 (U.S. Dollars) per year postage paid Vol 2 - 1972 to 1974 8.00 Vol 3 - 1975 to 1977 9.00 Make checks payable to: AMICA International Vol 4 - 1978 to 1980 7.00 Send Orders to: Stuart Grigg Vol 5 - 1981 to 1988 20.00 Vol 6 - 1989 to 1993 20.00 Grigg Graphic Services, Inc. Postage Paid 20982 Bridge Street PJease note: Supplies of the earlier volumes may be Southfield, MI 48034 temporarily unavailable as stock is depleted. Fax: (248) 356-5636 Overseas orders may take longer than domestic shipments. e-mail: [email protected]

60 A truly important event featuring: • More than seventy-five rare Jukeboxes including the Wurlitzer prototype Debutante, plus numbers 41, 50, 61, 412/416, 580, 600, 700, 750, 780, 850, 950, 1015, 1080, 1100, Victory and many more including stands for tabletop models and speakers too! Rock-ola models include Commando, Premier 1413, 1428, MYSTIC MUSIC SYS- TEM, Spectravox Tone Column, Standard 20, different CM-39’s on stands, and several more. Seeburg Concert Master with matching Top Spot wall speaker, also Cadet, Symphonola, 8000 series & more. Mills Throne of Music. Packard Model 7 Pla-Mor, Manhattan, etc., Aerion Blonde Bombshell, Coronets (3), Airliners (3) and still many more including Capehart and other strange models. THIS IS A PARTIAL LISTING ONLY! • A fantastic collection of rare and monumental Jukebox wall speakers: Wurlitzer models 39, 220, 250, 420, 580, 4000, 4002, 4005, 4006, 4008,and others; Rock-Ola Moderne, Organ and Toneolier; Seeburg Mirrored Teardrop, Top Spot and Speakorgan; Packard Orchid 1200 and Mod 900; Filben and several more. • More than 200 high grade advertising signs and figures in Neon, Porcelain, Metal, Paper and more! • A collection of good Pin Ball Machines • Early Slot Machines and Trade Stimulators • Rare and desirable Pool Tables such as The Monarch, The Kling with matching inlaid chair, ball and cue racks, The Brilliant Novelty, The Jewel, a rare Schaff table, all professionally restored. • Coin-operated Seeburg and Cremona Ochestrions, plus a very rare Wurlitzer Horse Race Pianola, one of two known! • Coin-operated Upright Regina Music Boxes • Coin-operated Singing Bird Automatons • Coin-operated rarities such as Strength Testers, Shockers, Phonograph and more. • More great, great Stuff! We feel very honored and very fortunate to have been chosen to handle this estate, the collection of Greg Warren. If you knew Greg, you already realize he had an eye for the best and an intense passion to own it. This will be an outstanding auction comprised strictly of Greg’s collection, in its entirety, fresh to the market. Every item sells to the highest bidder. Do not miss this opportunity. More complete information and a full catalog listing will be available from the auctioneers at 1.800.252.1501 or on the Internet at GreatPlainsGalleries.com Dirk Soulis, Auctioneer Auction information is also available from Cell: 816.225.7716 Steve Cregut 785.379.5751 • Daytime 785.232.6560 Mentor, Consultant and Critic to the auctioneer e-mail: [email protected]

61 LEEDY BROTHERS MUSIC ROLLS 4660 HAGAR SHORE ROAD COLOMA MI 49038 Phone 269-468-5986 Fax 269-468-0019 email: [email protected] Welte Licensee DUO-ART AMPICO 88 NOTE Limited edition reissues and new music rolls. Contact us or check our web page for our latest list of music rolls. Web page www.leedyrolls.com

(4-05)

BENNET LEEDY ROLLS BENNET LEEDY RESTORATIONS THE PIANO ROLL CENTER 4660 HAGAR SHORE ROAD 4660 HAGAR SHORE ROAD COLOMA MI 49038 Phone 269-468-5986 COLOMA MI 49038 Fax 269-468-0019 Phone 269-468-5986 email: [email protected] Fax 269-468-0019 email: [email protected] High quality restorations of Ampico, Duo-Art, Welte and other reproducing Reproducing, 88 note, 65 note, rolls. pianos. All makes of 88 note player Musical related publications and other pianos, and other automatic instruments. collectibles for sale by mail auctions. Serving collectors since 1970. Contact us to receive our auction lists.

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

62 NTIQUE AUCTIO The George E. Theders Trust Collection

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2004, 12:00 NOON – Cincinnati, Ohio

Located at Sharonville Convention Center, 11355 Chester Road, Sharonville, Ohio. Conveniently located immediately off I-75 just south of I-275. (Suburban Cincinnati) OVER 100 MUSIC BOXES FURNITURE: Fabulous inlaid Renaissance Revival Centennial table w/ George OVER 30 DISC MUSIC BOXES: Washington; Two super carved library tables; Marquetry desk; Unusual Including rare 82” 3 disc Symphonion 13 5/8” disc musical grandfather cherry lockside chest-wardrobe combination; Magnificent carved walnut clock w/ornate case & beveled glass; Regina 15 1/2” disc musical arm chair; carved music box chairs; Inlaid swivel card table, etc. grandfather clock coin operated music box in oak case; 81” 3-disc Symphonion 13 3/8” disc music box; Regina 27” disc upright automatic OVER 40 CLOCKS: English mahogany grandfather’s clock w/Westminister & Whittington changer disc music box w/wonderful carved original finish case; ornate chimes w/a nest of 8 bells; tall case organ clock plays 5” diameter wood Polyphon 24 1/2” disc upright coin operated music box on stand; Regina organ roll; Gustave Becker German tall case clocks; elaborate Vienna 27” disc upright coin operated music box in wonderful carved case; regulator; early English skeleton clock; mechanical ship clock under Polyphon 19 5/8” disc upright coin operated music box on stand; Stella dome; mechanical bird clock under dome; French Lepaute bronze 26” floor model music box in fine oak carved case; Polyphon 19 5/8” mantle clock; elaborately carved mantle clock w/matching shelf; Pert disc coin operated upright music box; Empress Concert Grand 18 1/2” Bally A Paris clock w/hand painted panel depicting a cupid, under disc floor model music box; Symphonion 17 3/4” disc music box on dome; 52” Vienna regulator; Ansonia double female swinger; Kroeber stand; Stella 15” disc music box on stand; beautiful Regina 15 1/2” disc white onyx mantle clock; French gilt spelter clock of winged cupid music box w/carved oak case; Symphonion 11 3/4” disc music box holding flowers; 43” inlaid 8-day bell strike regulator clock; French w/highly carved oak case; Imperial Symphonion 15 1/2” disc music box Conical Pendulum white onyx table clock; French gilt statue clocks w/inlaid case; Regina 15 1/2” disc music box w/mahogany serpentine under domes; French Morbier clock marked, “L. N. Clermont”; Gustave case; other Regina 15 1/2” disc music box; etc. Becker wall clock w/music box inside; carriage clocks; etc. OVER 45 CYLINDER MUSIC BOXES: Interchangeable 12 cylinder Bremond Orchestral Swiss music box OVER 25 PHONOGRAPHS: “Grand Opera” Zon-O-Phone; Columbia Graphophone Type BS w/wonderful inlaid case & 55” 3-drawer base cabinet on legs; Mermod w/curved glass top; Edison Amberola Model A Upright; Talk-A-Phone Freres interchangeable cylinder box w/three 24 2/3” cylinders & disc table model w/carved case; Several Edisons; Pucks; etc. matching table; rare Paillard revolver cylinder music box w/4 – 13” cylinders; rare 30” music box w/15” cylinder w/center feathered MISCELLANEOUS: bird in nest w/18 central organ & flute notes; 40” interchangeable Singing birds in cages Automations; other Automations including Louis music box w/four 16” cylinders w/7 bells & 50” matching table base Vuitton monkey, bear playing drum, Lambert Hookah smoker, rabbit w/2 drawers; 34 1/2” Troll & Baker interchangeable music box in lettuce, hand crank money, etc.; 3 musical cuff boxes & cuffs; w/14 1/2” cylinders & 6 bells & drums, & matching inlaid table 20 roller-type organs; hundreds of individual metal discs; base; super 44” exquisitely inlaid music box w/6 birds, bells & drum w/25” cylinders; large 51” Prowse & Company music box TOYS: w/25” cylinder & 9 bells; large 50” Columbia music box w/two incl. Super 48” horse drawn fire ladder wagon, Two Fleischmann 20” cylinders; super 48” music box w/10 bells & birds & wonderful clockwork boats, etc.; Pepsi bottle radio; Wahl advertising display pen; inlay; 42” music box w/20” cylinder & 9 bells, birds & drum; 40” music paintings; Lamps; Table top Stereographoscope; Stereo viewer & 175 box w/17” cylinder & 6 bells& drums; Pallard 30” music box w/13 early cards & many other collectibles. 3/4” cylinder & 6 bells & drums; wonderful inlaid 14 tune music box w/19” cylinder; Sublime Harmony music box w/17 1/2” cylinder AUCTIONEER’S NOTE: w/butterfly inlay & oil painting; 31” 12-tune music box w/19” cylinder; This auction consists of the fabulous collection of the late George Mandoline-Organodeide 29” music box w/17” cylinder; Nicole Freres Theders, one of the premiere musical collections in the United States. 31” cloisonne box w/large 20” cylinder; 28” carved George Baker 8-tune music box w/15” cylinder; etc. NOTE: Color catalogs $25.00 includes postage & price results. OTHER MUSICAL MACHINES: Please send check to address below. Limonaire Fairground organ w/hand painted front; large Arburo dance Visit our website at www.fforsytheauctions.com. organ, plays 14” rolls; Arthur Bursens large band organ; coin operated Preview- Saturday Feb. 14 - 2-8 p.m. & Feb. 15 9-Noon. barrel piano in beautiful inlaid case & mirrored front; 93-pipe 41-note hand crank barrel organ by A. Wagner w/wonderful inlaid case; TERMS: Wurlitzer style #103 Flying Dutchman band organ w/oak case; Wilcox 10% Buyers Premium. Cash, check w/bank letter, & White player organ w/rolls; Blanchet Fils piano; etc. Visa/Mastercard accepted. FORSYTHE’S 414 NORTH COLUMBUS ST. • RUSSELLVILLE, OHIO 45168 FRANK FORSYTHE, AUCTIONEER • 513-531-9575 • [email protected] DAVE FORSYTHE, AUCTIONEER • 937-377-6415 • [email protected]

63 REPLACEMENT LEADERS These 11 1/4” x 17” reprints, not trimmed and without tabs, are excellent replicas of the more popular types of reproducing 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 sharp knife, discard scrap, and butt-join with magic mending tape on top surface.

A. Brown on buff B. Black on ivory C. Black on ivory D. Black on ivory (For early red label boxes) (Area for reusable (Most common) (Very late rolls by combined artist photo) Aeolian/American)

Note: Early Welte’s with blue leaders may be repaired with this brown leader. Many of these when reissued had brown leaders.

E. Green on ivory F. Green on ivory G. Welte (Most common) (Favorite Fifty & Brown on buff Selected Roll Service) (Most common)

Please make checks payable to Checks or money Price: $ 1.00 each Style Quantity AMICA INTERNATIONAL, orders from foreign Minimum Order: $10.00 A ______And send to: countries must B ______be drawn on C ______BRIAN K. MEEDER U.S. bank. D ______904A West Victoria Street Postage and Handling $ 5.50 Santa Barbara, CA 93101-4745 E ______Roll Order $ ______F ______e-mail address for orders: G [email protected] Total Amount (U.S. $) $ ______Total Quantity ______

64 fllUNSE r's lJIIAGAZINE-ADVERTISING SECTION.

PLAYS ANY PIANO The Aeolian Company's New Piano-player The Aids you technically, but is subject to you in the artistic sphere of music-tone-color­ ing, phrasing, .tempo, and expreSSIOn.

Pianola l' IS as responsive as the fingers. Its repertoire is unlim· ited and always available. ./t is the only piano-player that I has ever received the endorsement of the musicians. ANY ONE CAN PLAY IT The distinction between it and a mechanical piano is sharply defined. It is this: its close association with and sub- jection to the mind of the performer. This is the only ad­ vantage fingers have over any other mechanical action - but music is generated in the mind, and to be true must be directed by it. The Aeolian Company has spent eight years on this problem and now presents an instrument which can play any piano, and play it with expression, or to be more accurate, gives the player full control of the expression. It requires no digital practice, which means years of hard work to attain proficiency and continued hard work to retain it. The elimination of the necessary thought as to what notes should be struck, allows more with which to guide and regulate the effect. Of this you are entire master. It is controlled by the stops. In playing the Pianola, the key of The "Touch" the piano is struck by means of a pneu- matic finger. The elasticity of the air produces a pliant, yielding, and remarkably sympathetic at­ tack that is almost identical with that of the human fingers. The player can strike the keys lightly or heavily with these automatic fingers, which will rebound or dwell upon the notes as he translates the meaning of the passage. The" phrasing" and" tempo" are also saved out of the hands of the destroyerof true music- mechanical exactness ­ and reinstated in the intellect, making the Pianola a source of pleasure to people of cultivated and critical musical tastes. Its field is larger than this -it reaches those who have no musical knowledge whatever. A person who does not know one note from another and never touched a piano in his life can in a few minutes, with the assistance of the Pianola, play upon the piano with technical accuracy any piece of music written for it. As his musical ear develops he adds new meaning and greater feeling to his rendition; moreover, he has the double pleasure of hear­ ing good music and actually producing it himself. The Pianola and the Aeolian are the greatest musical educators in the world's history. The Aeolian To the tired professional and business man, they furnish a source of rest and enjoyment - a relaxation that means greater force and energy the next day. Company In all social gatherings they are invaluable allies of the hostess -for they always know how to play. They increase the pleasure of the home circle. 18 West Twenty-third Our instruments gladly shown to the merely curious as Street, New York City well as intending purchasers. Prices: Pianola, $250.00 (send for Catalogue R); Boston, Mass.: The M. Steinert & Sons Co., 162 Boylston St. Philadelphia, Pa.: Aeolians, $75.00 to $2,500.00 (send for Cat­ C. J. Heppe & Son, II I 7 Chestnut St. alogueG). Chicago, Ill.: Lyon & Healy, Wabash Ave. and Adams St. Cleveland, 0.: E. Sold on moderate payments. Dreher & Sons Co. Portland, Ore.: M. B. Wells Co., Aeolian Music. Montreal, Can.: The L. E. N. Pratte Co. Fleming & Carnriclt Press, New York

[" answeri"g tll/s advertisement it is desirable that you mention MUNSEY'S MAGAZINE.