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ref.: 1997.02.14 MMD: Help Identify Large Cob/Roller (Todd Augsburger)

Hi Todd Augsburger,  I can't identify your roller but I think that
I have some information that I researched that you can use.  The
following web site has a Gavioli roller player that resembles what
you described: http://mmd.foxtail.com/Pictures/gavioli2049.html

I just purchased two similar cob/rollers that resemble yours.  Mine
have a metal shaft that runs through them and a gear cut on one end.
The wood part is 6" diameter and 23" long, the gear part is 4" diameter
and adds another 2-1/4" to the length.  The overall length including
the metal shaft is 30" long.

I have a paper label on each role on one end that reads "Orgue 31
Touches No. #1713 Cylindre No. 1" and there are 8 tunes, all titled in
French, but place for 10 titles.  On the other roll is written cylinder
#2.  The construction of the rolls is similar to your description.

The rolls came in a custom and filled wood box with cover.  I also need
these rolls identified and any help would be appreciated.  Pictures are
available.  I hope that this information was helpful and please let me
know if I can be of more assistance.

My best regards,
Andre Maltais
Hampton, New Hampshire
maltais@metro2000.net.geentroep [delete ".geentroep" to reply]

 = = = = =

 [ Reprinted from 970214 MMDigest:

 From: Todd Augsburger
 To: rolls@foxtail.com
 Date: Fri, 14 Feb 1997 19:01:03 -0500

 Subject: Help Identify Large Cob/Roller

Can someone please help me identify a large cob/roller that I picked up
at a central Ohio dealer?  My guess would be for some mechanical musical
instrument such as an organ, but I don't have a clue beyond that!

Here's a description:

Large, heavy, hollow wooden spindle, 21.5 inches long, 3.75 inches
outside diameter, 2 inches inside diameter, with steel keyed
inserts/collars set into each end and wood-screwed in place.  It is
covered with numerous steel pins approximately 10 per inch, appearing
to spiral around the circumference (just like a small Gem roller
organ).

The pins are approximately 1/16-inch wide and range from 3/32- to
3/4-inches long (in the direction of the circumference).  1-3/4 inches
on each end appears to have had some sort of collar over it at one
time, and is bare except for two small round alignment pins on one end.

The wood appears to have been painted with a pattern on a light
background, randomly mimicking the shapes of the pins.  There is
a faint line around the circumference exactly in the middle.

The markings, on the same end as the alignment pins, are as follows:

  Three lines in black, mostly illegible, but looks like "?C?K????" on
  the first line, "ON MA ??" on the second, and "No. 7" on the third.

  A large stamped "X" with "842" on the next line.

  At the alignment pins are 6 circles, the first offset and "3" through
  "6" labeled, with one alignment pin in the first circle, and the
  other pin in the circle marked "5".

Might these represent six tunes?

I'd be interested in corresponding with anyone who might have _any_
information about this.  My initial questions are "What kind of
instrument was it used in?   What company/maker and date?"  It may
be possible for me to e-mail pictures to anyone who is interested,
and I'll be glad to share any information which would be of any benefit
to others.

Todd Augsburger,
Kenton, OH

 [ See also http://mmd.foxtail.com/Pictures/gavioli2049.html
 [ and Gavioli "Harmoniflute" Organ in Milan, by Pierluigi Zacchetti
 [ http://mmd.foxtail.com/Archives/Digests/200310/2003.10.08.03.html
 [ -- Robbie