Thomas Henden said:

> Someone correct me if I'm wrong: the rare German 73-note Hupfeld
> system runs the paper from bottom to top.

True -- and also the Wilcox & White 65-note Angelus, whose rolls often
turn up in 65-note job lots in the UK.  The spools and paper are
standard but when placed on a standard instrument, the spigotted drive
pin is on the wrong side and the stamped markings are on the back of
the paper and upside down.

Robbie commented:

>[ Good question: why does the standard (modern) 88-note system
>[ scroll from the upper spool to the lower spool, whereas many
>[ of the predecessors scroll bottom-to-top?  I thought that it
>[ was because installing the roll is easier (and safer).

I would suspect it was a matter of following what had gone before.  The
65-note piano roll (made by Hupfeld for only a few years before they
started their 73-note system) followed the 58-note organ roll, which
played downwards.  Perhaps Hupfeld and Wilcox & White changed precisely
in order to have readable song rolls ?

Dan Wilson, London