MMD > Archives > January 1997 > 1997.01.21 > 03Prev  Next


Re: Gem Roller Organ
By Marty Roenigk

Skip Hunt inquired about a Gem Roller Organ he had. These were made starting in the 1880's and through the 1920's in very large quantities, I understand tens of thousands in some years. They remain very plentiful (and generally quite popular since they do a nice job with very little). There is a small group of collectors who are really into collecting the cobs, and find it a great challenge to try to get all of the hundreds of titles that were made (which it is).

The Concert Roller Organ was a glorified version of the Gem, with a somewhat fancier and larger case and a glass lid, while the Grand Roller Organ was considerably larger, had more notes, and had a much longer cob, about 13" as I recall. The Grand is the only one that is difficult to find; I doubt that we have more than one of those every year or so while we might have one or two dozen of the smaller cob organs.

Marty Roenigk


(Message sent Tue 21 Jan 1997, 12:52:11 GMT, from time zone GMT-0500.)

Key Words in Subject:  Gem, Organ, Roller
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