Mechanical Music Digest  Archives
You Are Not Logged In Login/Get New Account
Please Log In. Accounts are free!
Logged In users are granted additional features including a more current version of the Archives and a simplified process for submitting articles.
Home Archives Calendar Gallery Store Links Info
MMD > Archives > August 1998 > 1998.08.04 > 06Prev  Next


Survival of Music Rolls
By Dan Wilson, London

Bruce Clark said: ["Buying Original Music Rolls", MMD 980303]

> Not long ago, I responded to an advertisement for original Ampico
> rolls.  I purchased the entire lot.  When they arrived home, I
> discovered most were hardly playable.  Time is beginning to take
> its toll on original rolls, and the buyer should be aware of that.

Climate has a lot to do with it.  The only rolls that are falling
apart in the UK are the earliest American 65-note dating from the
1890s.  Original American reproducing rolls are weak, but playable.

Even the cheap rolls made in England are still in fair condition and
the standard rolls made by Aeolian/Universal at Hayes and Imperial
Linenised in London (whose plant burnt down in 1918, putting them out
of business) scarcely show any deterioration at all.  The best of them
used paper that is almost comparable in quality to modern dry-waxed
paper.

Rex Lawson gave a talk on Duo-Art music at Jim Edwards's Pianola
Centenary Festival last year, using the concert grand Weber at
"Players, Pumpers & Rolls" in Batavia, IL.  Since the Weber wasn't
tracking properly on reroll I was recruited to reroll all but the
recuts by hand.

To my dismay, a particularly tattered Duo-Art copy of "The Whip" came
softly apart in my hands.  Rex covered this smoothly by saying it would
be sensible for American collectors to lend him their entire old stock
as the air in England was so much better.  I thought the laughter at
this sounded rather hollow.

Computer scanning sounds like something whose time has come.

Dan Wilson, London


Key Words in Subject:  Music, Rolls, Survival

Home    Archives    Calendar    Gallery    Store    Links    Info   


Enter text below to search the MMD Website with Google



CONTACT FORM: Click HERE to write to the editor, or to post a message about Mechanical Musical Instruments to the MMD

Unless otherwise noted, all opinions are those of the individual authors and may not represent those of the editors. Compilation copyright 1995-2024 by Jody Kravitz.

Please read our Republication Policy before copying information from or creating links to this web site.

Click HERE to contact the webmaster regarding problems with the website.

Please support publication of the MMD by donating online

Please Support Publication of the MMD with your Generous Donation

Pay via PayPal

No PayPal account required

                                     
Translate This Page