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Coin Piano in Movie "The Roaring Twenties"
By Andrew Barrett

Hi Mr. Krall,  I just saw your MMDigest post and can tell you that
the piano is a very early Coinola style "A", also sold under the
"Victor" brand name.  Style "A" is the actual model designation,
I believe, and later versions of the "A" have art glass in the
vertical oval portions and center rectangular portion.  Here is the
"A" advertising postcard courtesy Mr. Don Teach: from:
https://www.mmdigest.com/Gallery/Pictures/Coinola/coinola_cards.html 
https://www.mmdigest.com/Gallery/Pictures/Coinola/coinola3arollA.jpg
Attachment thumbnail This style case design was used for the "AX" (with xylophone or bells, I think), "AF" (with flute pipes), "AK" (with two ranks of pipes below the keyboard), and "A reproducing" (style C rolls) models. I'm not aware of an orchestrion with drums ever having been built in this case, or at least advertised, but no doubt Coinola could have made one for a customer on special order, if that ever happened. A surprising number of style A's have survived. There is an "A" on display (occasionally played for visitors) at the J. A. Cooley Museum in San Diego, California, and Ed Copeland in Minnesota had another "A" for sale recently (maybe still for sale?). There is an "AF" with flute pipes, playing "O" rolls, in a private California collection, and another one in an Illinois collection. About 15 years ago, Alan Erb had the first and only "AK" (with two ranks of pipes and the "A2" art glass) I've ever seen, for sale on his website, but I'm pretty sure it sold to someone. He'd have more info about that piano, for the historians. There are many more out there. Here's an "A" with the clear beveled glass just like the movie piano, that was on LiveAuctioneers a while back (sold at auction in Iowa in November 2011): This one has the "Victor" brand name and is serial #10409: https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/9908722_coin-operated-piano-victor-mfgd-by-operators-piano-co Another "Victor" coin piano in the "A" case with clear glass sold at auction in Tacoma, Washington, in July 2012. Check out the roll frame in this piano -- it's the earliest design Coinola frame I've ever seen, and the only one I've seen with a leather belt _in_ the transmission itself: https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/12029122_102-beautiful-coin-operated-nickelodeon-player-piano-b Yet another style "A", this time with the 'tulip' art glass (partially clear panels, partially colored panels), and gutted and converted using modern O-roll components (possibly Ragola or Player Piano Co.) sold at auction in April, 2012 in Ann Arbor, Michigan : https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/11069590_1943-early-piano-conversion-to-a-nickelodeon Here's the "A-2" color postcard: https://www.mmdigest.com/Gallery/Pictures/Coinola/coinola3arollA.jpg The "A-2" variation (this one #147464) has some _gorgeous_ art glass and the 'cat-tail' "A2" playing "C" rolls that was auctioned off on LiveAuctioneers here to an unknown party, is on my 'wish list' should it ever surface again. (I've wanted a C roll piano for a long time). https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/9908600_coin-operated-reproducing-piano-coinola-wleaded-glass Hope this helps, Andrew Barrett P.S.: I'm looking to get in touch with the person in the Carolinas (North or South Carolina) who had the Wurlitzer Autograph Piano (a late Art-Echo model in the arts and crafts case) and was looking for the 105-hole late Art-Echo type changer rolls for it, in want ads in either the MBSI Bulletin or AMICA Bulletin, sometime in the past (1990s? 2000s?). Apparently the original owner passed and their son(?) now has the piano and might want to sell. I have never been able to learn the name of this person or find the want ad despite many hours of searching back-issues. An Art-Echo type Autograph piano is near the very top of my 'most wanted' list, despite lack of existing music. I would like to buy that piano so if you or any other MMD readers know this person, or at least their name, or in which one of the Carolinas they're located, please contact me! If it helps, that person is supposed to also have a Wurlitzer Pianino. Thanks! P.P.S.: With regards to the Wurlitzer I or A piano in the Cincinnati saloon photo, here are two of this case design that sold a while back. First, #12906, a style A with flute pipes, which sold at auction in Iowa in November 2011. This has the clear glass: https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/9908947_coin-operated-piano-wurlitzer-a-w38-pipes-and-3-beveled Second, #14191, a style I with mandolin(?), with parts (out of the piano?), which sold at the same Iowa auction in 2011. This has a beautiful and unusual style of art glass I've never seen in this model before and which I hope will be shown in the upcoming Reblitz-Bowers book as it's very beautiful: https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/9908943_coin-operated-piano-wurlitzer-chicago-wart-glass-pane

(Message sent Sun, 23 Feb 2020 13:12:00 -0800 (PST) , from time zone -0800.)

Key Words in Subject:  Coin, Movie, Piano, Roaring, Twenties