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Nickelodeon/Orchestrion
By Jack M. Conway

Hi Pete,

Really enjoyed Toy Story and waiting for it to come out in October.

From Bowers Encyclopedia page 965: Nickelodeon. 2. Term used to
describe a coin-operated piano, orchestrion, or similar instrument.
[Strictly modern post-1940 usage; never used earlier in this context.
Such instruments were called electric pianos, coin pianos, etc. Term
generally used by collectors and the public in Anerica today.]

From Bowers Encyclopedia page 967: Orchestrion. Self-contained
automatic musical instrument, esp. a large one, equipped with several
different instruments in imitation of an orchestra. ... Keyboard-type
piano orchestrion: built around and upright piano; with one or more
chromatically-scaled extra instruments (eg., a rank of violin or flute
pipes, a xylophone, a set of bells) and with percussion effects.

I understand the current usage to mean:

   nickelodeon - piano (usually with mandolin) and up to one
additional chromatic instrument and or percussions.

   orchestrion - piano (usually with mandolin) and two or more
chromatic instruments and or percussions.

Jack M. Conway

(Message sent Sun, 29 Sep 1996 18:13:19 +0100 , from time zone +0100.)

Key Words in Subject:  Nickelodeon/Orchestrion

Related by Subject:
2004.06.09.07 - Seek Nickelodeon 25-cent Coin Plate
from Charlie Morgan
1996.09.30.03 (This article) - Nickelodeon/Orchestrion
from Jack M. Conway