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MMD > Archives > December 1998 > 1998.12.06 > 01Prev  Next


Polyphon Concerto Disc Operated Piano
By Bill Wineburgh

Marshall Price asks about the Polyphon Concerto.

> Can anybody tell me when and where these were made, how popular and
> expensive they were, and where I can learn more about the company?

This is a disc operated piano.  The several styles are described
on page 164 in Q. David Bowers' Encyclopedia of Automatic Musical
Instruments.  They were manufactured by the Polyphon Musikwerke in
Leipzig, Germany, between about 1895 and 1910.  Some were imported
by the Regina Music Box Company and sold as Polyphone (with an e)
Concerto.

They play from a 32" diameter disc on 65 piano notes, 10 bells,
a cymbal and two drums.  There were several case styles as shown in
Bowers' book.  I don't know about cost or popularity, but I expect
they are on the 'rare' side.

Musically yours,

Bill Wineburgh
http://members.aol.com/mboxmuseum/museum.html


(Message sent Sun 6 Dec 1998, 16:56:44 GMT, from time zone GMT-0500.)

Key Words in Subject:  Concerto, Disc, Operated, Piano, Polyphon

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