A C Pilmer Automatic Music Ltd. Issue Four Winter 2017 G RACE N OTES

INSIDE THIS ISSUE: ECDJ INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Waldkirch Festival 2017 2

More40 years Gavioli in business! artwork 2 MarenghiIn Brief bandmaster 2 35-key Limonaire organs 3 Launch of Newsletter 2 Gavioli in road accident 3 32 key Prinsen organs 3 Errata 3 In Brief 3 Gavioli organ changes 4 hands

ECDK

As the Festive Season is now upon us and the New Year rapidly approaches, we would like to thank our friends and customers everywhere for your business over the past twelve months and look forward to your continued custom in the New Year. If 2018 is the year that you decide to try out our services for the first time, you can be assured that your enquiry will be given our careful attention. If you are a recent subscriber, and this is the first edition of Grace Notes that you have received, we hope that you will find something of interest amongst its pages and that you may even be inspired to drop us a line via the Contact Page on our website with your own thoughts on any of the sub- jects raised.

May we extend our Season’s Greetings to everyone and hope that 2018 brings you peace, health and happiness.

M O D E L 3 6 R U T H O R G A N I N U S A

Well-known American collectors, Dick and Cheryl Hack, recently hosted their annual MBSI Chapter Meeting where their Ruth organ was played for visi- tors. The organ has been a long-term project for Dick, with pipework being sent to us for repair and voicing fol- lowing on from a visit last year. This year’s visit from Russell Wattam (pictured) saw the organ tuned from the ground up and further repairs carried out in time for the meeting. To see and hear the progress to date, click here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SX0ETAvaJZc&s ns=em Page 2 Issue Four

S UCCESSFUL F ESTIVAL I N W ALDKIRCH

As mentioned in a previous edition mired and music enjoyed, with of Grace Notes, the Waldkirch refreshments available nearby. A Organ Festival took place again wide range of displays, lectures this year in June, with exception- and special performances were ally warm and sunny weather held throughout the festival pe- throughout. It was good to meet riod. Don’t forget the next festi- many friends and customers from val date: Friday 19th to Sunday several countries, including Austra- 21st June 2020. Auf wiederseh’n! lia, New Zealand, the United States, the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland and Belgium. There was also a large contingent of visitors from the United Kingdom. On display were a very good rep- resentation of historic German 1. Head of a column showing painted decoration street organs, both barrel and roll- operated, as well as an impressive street organ display from the Netherlands. This included the 90 A prominent feature of the town is the church of key Carl Frei organ “The Amster- St. Margaret where, for many years, Gustav dam Harmonica” which had been Bruder served as organist. overhauled and tuned for the occasion by its owner, Elbert The recently-restored 89-key Pluer, and the “Lekkerkerker”, “Lange Gavioli” was presented Carl Frei’s favourite 90-key organ. by the National Museum from The “Marenghi van Nuberg” and Utrecht. Various organ busi- the “Brandweer”, a 56-key nesses in the town opened their The bandmaster of the Weber Capelle or- Limonaire were the other two doors to visitors each day, where chestrion proudly greets visitors to the Elztalmu- Dutch street organs present. work-in-progress could be ad- seum

M O R E O RIGINAL G AVIOLI A RT WO R K 2. Part of lower drum stand panel We were pleased to learn that USA. The decoration shown is the with watercolour paints, were several of our readers found the factory original. sent out to customers for their feature on original Gavioli art- We have never seen a photograph approval. This created much more work, which was published in of a Gavioli organ façade executed work than producing a ‘standard’ Grace Notes No. 2, of some inter- in this ‘rounded’ Gothic style and organ front and this increase in est. would be interested to know if customisation has been cited by Following on from this, here are any of our readers have either. some writers as being a contribut- some detail photographs of a Sadly, the rest of the front was ing factor in the demise of the number of elements in our pos- destroyed a long time ago, but the firm. session from the façade of a late organ itself fortunately survives, The firm’s designers (who regret- Gavioli organ (see panel to the albeit in an incomplete state. tably are unknown by name to us left). They originate from a 94- As did most organ firms in the today) must have been familiar key organ which, for many years, past, Gavioli & Co. was prepared with a range of architectural was one of the many attractions to build fronts to special designs styles, as the Gavioli catalogue at Rivere Beach, an amusement on demand, and pen and ink offers fronts executed in art nou- park located in Massachusetts, drawings, sometimes enhanced veau , Louis XIV, Renaissance, etc.

I N B R I E F 3. & 4. Details of the painted decoration Congratulations to the enthusias- Another of our services was to sell the juke box at the hammer tic couple from Melbourne, West- recently put to the test when we price, but advised that the sale ern Australia, who visited us during were approached by a customer could be further discussed in the summer and purchased the who was interested in bidding at private. This situation was relayed handily-sized 46-key Andrew White- auction for an item, but would be to our customer who authorised head fair organ which was on offer out of the country on the day the an increase in the bid amount, and on our website. Before it leaves, for sale was due to take place. We after some negotiation, we were the Antipodes some minor cosmetic were pleased to visit the auction finally able to secure the purchase work will be undertaken, such as house on the morning of the sale and with money to spare. Anx- additional gilded detail on the band- on his behalf and inspected the lot ious to see his acquisition, the master’s jacket. The instrument, in question, a desirable 1940s new owner asked us to arrange together with its varied library of Wurlitzer ‘Peacock’ juke box. collection from the auction rooms music books, will soon be carefully After giving a condition report by and deliver it to his home a few packed and crated for its long jour- telephone, a maximum bid figure days later. In a similar vein, some ney “down under”. We are sure was agreed, and when the lot years ago we purchased a fine that all our readers will join with us came under the hammer a few Hupfeld Phonoliszt-Violina from an in wishing the proud new owners hours later, we were the highest auction in France on behalf of a much fun and happiness with their bidders. However, the auction- client residing in the USA. new acquisition! eer announced that he was unable Grace Notes Page 3

F E A T U RE D O R G A N S C A L E T H E 3 5 - K E Y L IMONAIRE O R G A N

The famous Parisian firm of one for its size, and this, no doubt, one or two ranks of violins and Limonaire Frères produced large contributed to its commercial suc- others had violins and pan flutes. numbers of smaller-scaled instru- cess. It has six bass notes, C, D, E, F, For economy, a smaller version ments which served an impor- G and A, which continue on into the was available without percussion tant niche in the market. Their accompaniment division with b, c, d, or pediment and with painted 35-key organs were widely used e, f and f#. If necessary, the b ac- instead of carved decoration. in children's roundabouts, and in companiment can even stand in as a Some fronts were open; some the UK some were even used on bass note. The basses usually com- closed. A larger 38-key model adult cakewalk rides¹. Whenever prise of two stopped pipes per note, with automatic registers control- organs had to be moved into sounding an octave apart; the higher ling flutes and violins was also position from a truck or trailer, octave continues on to form the produced, which are very effec- the light weight of the 35-key accompaniment which has just one tive. The scale later formed the Limonaire series made them pipe per note. The melody section basis for larger J azzbandophone ideal for this purpose. has 19 notes from g to f, a very instruments that the firm built. The percussion instruments, useful compass, missing out both g We have a repertoire of new consisting of a bass drum and and d sharps. The melody pipework arrangements of familiar tunes cymbal at one side, and a snare could be varied to suit the cus- for this scale available, and we drum at the other, were tomer’s wishes. A point of interest will be pleased to send out a list mounted on detachable consoles in these organs is the snare drum of titles on request. For someone action which is of the reiterating for transport purposes. The wishing to display an organ in- An original 35-key Limonaire organ located by us in consoles were usually decorated type, meaning that a continuous slot doors, or those with limited Belgium some years ago and sold to an English with carved work in the art in the music book produces a sus- storage space for a trailer, a 35- enthusiast. In this example, the consoles have tained drum roll. Unusually for painted decoration, and the original cloth covering nouveau style, and there was also key Limonaire organ would make of the front panel has been removed to display the French organ-building practice, the a removable pediment which an admirable choice. violin pipes. This is one of three organs we have supplied to clients in the UK playing on this scale. completed the attractive appear- 35-key scale is scrambled. ¹ In the UK, many original 35-key organs were ance. The cases were veneered Limonaire Frères marketed these later converted to play the Gavioli 46-key scale instruments in a variety of different for the purpose of standardisation, by adding in walnut and varnished. the notes missing from the scale on off-note The scale itself is a very clever styles; some had just one rank of chests, and extending the original keyframes. open flutes in the melody, some had The original scale lent itself to this conversion.

G AVIOLI O R G A N I N R O A D A CCIDENT

Readers will be saddened to indication of the force of the learn that the 89-key Gavioli collision. We have recently been organ which graces the centre of entrusted with the task of com- Messrs. Screeton Bros. famous pletely restoring the organ and Golden Galloping Horses was are confident that it will be back involved in a serious road traffic in place in the centre of the accident during August. when a machine for the 2019 season. 44-ton heavy goods vehicle Messrs. Screeton Bros. Ltd. have collided at speed with the rear owned and travelled the three- of the road train whilst travelling abreast ride and organ since on a motorway. The impact, 1964, when it was acquired from which also involved another north-east showman, Percy vehicle, caused the organ to be Sheeran. This is one of the few sprung from its trailer, coming remaining Gavioli organs earning to rest on its front side on the its living on the fairgrounds. carriageway. This photo of the More news on this work in wrecked organ trailer gives an future issues.

E R R ATA You can to use this QR code to Shane Seagrave of Weymouth would be worth the same as £6.50 should have been the footnote quickly access our website to sent a quick reaction to the story in 2017. We feel sure that the credit for the book referred to in see new content. in the last edition of Grace Notes privilege of seeing the delights of the text: Fest im Takt - Komposi- about the Thomas Weeks barrel Thomas Weeks’s Royal Mechanical tionen von Carl Frei sen. which is organ at Raby Castle. Exhibition in the present day would published by and exclusively avail- He writes that in the article “you be worth much more than even able from the Waldkircher Orgel- inadvertently pressed one of my that modest amount, and thank stiftung (Waldkirch Organ Founda- favourite ‘hobby-horse’ buttons Shane for bringing this to our atten- tion). This is a quality hardbound, by equating one shilling to five tion. A4 format book, partially illustrated pence in today’s money. One Another small error also crept in colour, with the text in German, shilling was indeed worth five new into the last edition, as the last line Dutch and English. We can thor- pence (5p) in 1971 when the of the article about Carl Frei and oughly recommend this book to all decimal currency system was his son was accidentally left out. admirers of Carl Frei, his organs introduced, but at the time of This mistake was brought to our and especially his music. Weeks’s exhibition, around 1800, attention by reader, Fred Dahlinger, that one shilling admission charge in the United States. The omission A C Pilmer Automatic Music Ltd. N E W H O M E F O R W H I T E ’ S Correspondence Address: M A M M OT H G AVIOLI Ridingwood Farm Upper Common Lane Clayton West Huddersfield West Yorkshire HD8 9LN

Phone: + 44 (0) 1924 272743 Mobile phone: + 44 (0) 738 879843 E-mail: [email protected] © 2017 A C Pilmer Automatic Music Ltd.

www.acpilmer.com

You can hear the difference !

We close the year, and this issue of Grace Notes, with the exciting news that White’s Mammoth Gavioli has just changed hands. The organ was moved from County Durham to its new home in the South of England within the last few days. The new owner, Mr Tom Mayhew, is delighted to become the latest custodian and is looking forward to presenting the Gavioli at events in the fu- ture. Conscious of its national as well as international importance, Tom is committed to preserv- ing the organ and hopes to continue the sterling work undertaken by George Parmley and mem- bers of the Show Organ Society, who have exhibited it since 1956. We were pleased to be appointed by its then owner, Mr Neil Corner, to seek a new home for the organ which he had acquired from the family of its original owners.

We acknowledge the invaluable assistance of Mr Richard Dean, of Dean Organ Builders, Bristol, in the execution of this transaction.

Based on more than 40 years of continuous professional involvement in the mechanical music business, with wide experience at home and abroad, we are able to offer a bespoke service for the sale or purchase of all kinds of automatic musical instruments as well as providing valuations for estate planning, probate, insurance or other purposes. We guarantee complete confidential- ity and all charges, terms and conditions are agreed in advance.