> A large band organ is visible at the rear of the skating rink ...
> http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2723/5754904205_1cdfa4707c_o.jpg
 

Dear Mr. Davis,  I just took a look at the photo link that Mr.
Robbie Rhodes graciously found and appended to your recent Mechanical
Music Digest post, and although I do not yet have a photo of that
parks carousel or carousel organ to identify (nor do I know anything
about this particular carousel or carousel organ), I took one look at
the photo of the organ on the stage of the skating rink and immediately
identified it at as a North Tonawanda Musical Instrument Works model
192 organ.

This model of organ seems to have been one of their more popular
models, judging from the number of testimonials mentioning it
reproduced in that company's 1913 catalog (of which I have a reprint),
and also reproduced in Mr. Ron Bopp's book "The American Carousel
Organ".

I know of at least three model 192 organs existing today (as well
as possibly one model 92 cylinder-operated organ), and there is a
possibility that one of them may have been the one shown in this old
photo.  I do not know the early history of any of the three or four
organs, so I am cc'ing the owners (or previous owners) on this post
so that they might add what they know about the early history of
their organs.

I should also mention that I'm starting a preliminary list of North
Tonawanda Musical Instrument Works and Artizan Factories organs, and
it would be nice for any organ owners knowing the serial number of
their organ to contact me with same, together with the organ model
number (where known) and any additional information such as conversions
to other roll formats (or to rolls from cylinders), modifications of
the pipework, new or replacement facade, etc., as well as known history
of the organ.

I do not know where the serial number can be found on a North Tonawanda
organ, but every Artizan organ I've been able to inspect up-close has
it die-stamped on the center of the back edge of the top board or
"roof" of the case.  So long as this board has not been replaced at
some point, the number is probably still there, although it may now be
covered up by many layers of paint and hard to read.  This is usually
a three-digit number, and the highest Artizan serial number I've seen
so far is in the 500s or so, I think.

Here are the three model 192 organs of which I'm aware:

1. There is or was (in 2003) a model 192 in the famous Sanfilippo
Collection in Illinois: http://www.placedelamusique.org/  At least
the organ was present when Ron Bopp wrote a survey of the organs in
the collection for the "Carousel Organ" journal of the COAA, reprinted
in the Fair Organ Preservation Society's "Key Frame" Journal, #2-03,
page 21.

He writes regarding the history of this organ: "Estimated to have been
made around 1910, the early history of this organ is unknown but it was
acquired in the late 1980s from the Trager collection."  I have cc'ed
Mr. Trager with the hopes that he can provide more information on the
early history of this organ.

Unfortunately the article does not mention what roll format this
organ currently uses, although I would hope it still plays the original
endless rolls, rather than Wurlitzer 150 rolls.  The photo included in
the article, "Figure 3", shows what appears to be a gorgeously original,
immaculately restored organ, from the front.  There is no photo included
of the back or interior of the organ.

2. There is also a model 192 in the "American Treasure Tour" collection
in Pennsylvania:  http://americantreasuretour.com/  According to one
person who is a frequent visitor to this collection, this is the same
model 192 formerly owned by the late Mr. Harvey Roehl and depicted in
many of his books on automatic musical instruments (such as "Player
Piano Treasury" and "Keys to a Musical Past").  This is the only model
192 I am currently aware of existing today which I know for sure still
plays the original 52-keyless endless roll scale.  You can see two
videos of it playing here:

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuXDiPk5lOY
 
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MCPPCq-nU8
 

I believe I've heard that the top crest, which it now sports, is a
replica which was carved at the behest of the new owner, since the
original was missing by the time Mr. Roehl acquired the organ.

I could be mis-remembering this, and the crest may have been present
all along, and Mr. Roehl may not have had it attached due to the height
restrictions of the room where he kept the organ, I'm not sure.  So,
I'm also cc'ing one of the gentlemen who maintains the organs at this
collection, with the hopes he can provide clarification.

3. Also, Mr. Paul Manganaro had a model 92 or 192 for sale on his
"Antique Mechanical Restorations" web site a year or two ago.  From what
I recall, it had been converted (Wurlitzer factory-converted?) to
Wurlitzer 150 rolls, and had the brass trumpets and trombones replaced
with wood ones! Since the organ does not appear to be listed for sale
anymore, I would assume it has since been sold and has a new owner.
I am cc'ing Mr. Manganaro in the hopes he can provide you and me with
more information.

Finally, here is a possible fourth organ, a model 92, which might still
exist.  This organ would look identical in every way to a 192 from the
front, and so it is possible that the organ in the skating rink photo
is actually a model 92, rather than a 192.

4. The book "Treasures of Mechanical Music", by Mr. Art Reblitz and Mr.
Q. David Bowers, lists the _cylinder_ scale for the North Tonawanda
model 92 organ, which I think is identical to the model 192 in every
respect except for its pinned cylinder (rather than paper roll)
operation (and I think, lack of a vacuum system and player "stack").

Since I don't believe scale sticks exist for the old American
pinned-cylinder band organs (I hope I'm wrong!) I would imagine the
authors _must_ have seen either an actual model 92 organ, or at least
a labeled cylinder for one, from which they deduced the scale.

I would love to know the story behind this scale and/or organ (American
cylinder-operated band organs still playing the original pinned
cylinders are exceedingly scarce today), so I am cc'ing them on this
post.

I'm sorry I don't have any additional information on Paden Park or its
skating rink at the moment, but I sure hope that organ still exists
somewhere!  Wouldn't it be great if the rink is still standing, and the
organ (or another organ) could be put back on the stage to provide
music for the skaters?

I hope all of the folks I've cc'ed reply to you and/or me and/or the
Mechanical Music Digest, so that we can all learn more about this fine
North Tonawanda brass-horn organ.  I hope at the very least that they
enjoy the old photo of the organ in the skating rink, even if they have
no additional information to provide!

Hope this helps,
Andrew Barrett