In one of last week's digests the was mention that a band organ with
70 Wurlitzer style 165 rolls was offered for sale on the UsedRides
web site.  Since the asking price seemed very low and the ad was posted
last May, I doubted the organ was still on the market.  But I inquired
and found it is.  Here is the reply I got.  (I imagine the rolls are
recuts because nobody but Ross Davis ever had a collection of originals
of that size.)

Matthew Caulfield

 - - -

Yes, the band organ is available.

The band organ being offered for sale was made by the Bruder factory
in Waldkirch, Germany around 1920. The organ was restored a few years ago
and is very good condition both mechanically and cosmetically. There are
five beautiful oil paintings on the front and the pipe work and
percussion instruments visible from the front create a very pleasing
visual effect.

This organ was originally used in an amusement park providing music
for a carousel. It is capable of playing waltzes, fox trots, marches,
polkas and other types of music in the traditional style associated with
carousels.

The organ uses the Wurlitzer 165 duplex roll system, the largest
style produced by Wurlitzer on a regular basis. This system allows for
two rolls of music to be placed in the organ on the two spool frames
permitting continuous playing of twenty tunes. There are usually ten
tunes on a roll and there are over sixty rolls included with the
instrument.

Instrumentation is as follows:

  Bass - 6 stopped pipes, 6 wood trombones
  Accompaniment - 20 stopped pipes
  Melody - 21 stopped flutes, 21 violins, 42 open flutes,
     22 orchestra bells
  Trumpet - 14 wood trumpets
  Percussion - Bass drum with cymbal and kettle drum beaters,
     snare drum, triangle, castanets
  Automatic registers - Trombones, Violins, Bells

Air and vacuum are supplied by electric blowers powered by 110 vac.
The organ is mounted on its own dolly for ease of moving.

This fine example of traditional carousel band organs is being offered
for $37,500, however, other serious offers will be considered.

These beautiful instruments are quickly finding their way into private
collections and are becoming harder to find.  An instrument of this size
and capability comes on the market only rarely today.  This may be your
only opportunity to obtain such a fine instrument.

For more information, call or write to:

   Bob Moore
   18893 Lansing Street
   Orlando, Florida 32833
   Phone: (407) 568-6329 Call between the hours of noon and 2 p.m.
   E-Mail: Bandorgan@aol.com

 [ See the photo at  http://www.usedrides.com/viewing.asp?i=4240
 [ -- Robbie