In MMD 99.10.14 Alan Whytock asked about an Aeolian Autograph
Metrostyle roll he possesses of Saint-Saens 'Danse Macabre'.

This area was covered in the MMD in May 1998 (search the Archive for
Autograph and Autograph-Metrostyle).  In 98.05.21 MMDigest I listed
all the artists listed as having have marked such rolls.  The idea was
that the Pianolist could follow the red Metrostyle line provided by
a renowned artist, and would therefore recreate something of that
artist's performance.

The idea might have been rather weak in practice, but was followed with
great enthusiasm by Aeolian, who captured a great number of top names,
including some who never recorded in any medium.  All the rolls carry a
rubber stamped facsimile signature and description, and the roll boxes
have an extra label on the top with the artists' name.  The general
production approach is very similar to the Duo-Art, and I suspect the
Autograph Metrostyles were dropped very soon after the Duo-Art was
introduced in 1914.

The vast majority of these rolls are 65-note, and were apparently never
issued on 88-note, although some 88-note conversions appeared in the
USA-only 'Pianolist's Library' series.  The roll of Danse Macabre is
the first 88-note Autograph roll issued (TL35000).  It uses the same
master as the ordinary UK Themodist issue (TL20002), but with Metro-
style line marked by the composer, Saint-Saens.  As an Autograph
Metrostyle it may well be unusual simply because it was available for
a short time.

If Alan Whytock's copy of this roll has got Moritz Moszkowski's
signature on it, it suggests someone applied the wrong rubber stamp!
My copy has Saint-Saens on box and roll, as listed in the 1914
Themodist Catalogue.  Does the mistake make for a more desirable
collector's item, I wonder?

Julian Dyer