> I am now the proud owner of "The Gem Roller Organ"  Does this mean
> this was the only one made?  This Gem has been in the family since
> late 1890- early 1900 and I would like to know more about it.  I have
> the original shipping box, $3.50 COD, but no return address.

Skip:  Pick up a copy of Bower's "Encylopedia of Mechanical Music
Instruments"; many libraries have it in reference.  You'll find LOTS of
info about the Gem Roller Organ and it's brothers.  Yours was by no means
the only one made -- in fact, it's probably one of the most common
mass-produced organettes (judging by how many I see in my flea market
hunts), but this fact by no means makes it any less fun or collectible!
I don't have my copy of Bowers here at the office, but I believe the Gem
was made between the mid-1880's until about World War I.  Sears Roebuck
was a huge reseller of them; I've got a reprint of the 1902 Sears catalog
that gives it full-page coverage!

There were two larger models made.  The Concert Roller Organ plays
the same size (20-note) "cobs" as yours, but has larger bellows and a
nicer case (sometimes oak, sometimes walnut) with a glass cover over the
cob area. I recently traded my Gem for one of these.  The other model (the
name of which escapes me) plays a huge, 32-note cob.  I've seen the cobs
alone sell for over $100 each!  Of course, these large models are very
uncommon.

There are numerous case and name variations of both the Gem and Concert
organs (my concert is labeled "The Chatauqua Organ"), since they were
sold by so many different sources.

When I demonstrate mine for friends, I like to tell them that it was the
equivalent of the portable "boom box" of the early 1900's, for those who
couldn't afford a piano, reed organ, or phonograph.  I've also been told
that traveling preachers would use it to accompany hymns in revival
meetings, but I'm not sure I buy that.

By the way, having the original box is wonderful! I've never heard of
anyone else having one!

Jim Canavan¶
CYBRFLASH@aol.com¶
Alexandria, VA