I just heard of Mike Kitner's passing.  A brave fighter he was.
I've never met a more resourceful, generous technician.  There was
virtually nothing this guy couldn't restore to better-than-new.  He
helped me more than once despite a jammed schedule of work for top
collectors.

Mike always welcomed visitors to his small shop, the "lobby" of
which contained an 80er Wilhelm Bruder fairground organ, a beautiful
60er Hooghuys street organ voiced like a fair organ, and Mike's
rescued-from-the-grave, roll-operated Frati with bamboo flageolets.
These organs were invariably played after the kind offering of hearing
protection!

The shop itself was dominated by a long workbench and an antique
milling machine and metal lathe, both restored to perfection.  Each
time, I would see another rarity in for repair: a Wurlitzer 180, a
towering orchestrion, a Violano.

Mike's house was even more fun than his shop.  Only a few steps away,
it contained a great assortment of automatic instruments.  It took
little coaxing to hear Mike accompany his Duo-Art grand on the Theremin
(he was rather good on that tough instrument).  His museum-like kitchen
hosted a 1920s gas stove and a GE "Monitor Top" refrigerator.
Everything Mike had worked perfectly, and I constantly wondered how he
found time to restore his own stuff.

Not just a restorer, Mike recut music rolls, authored books and
articles on mechanical music, and played clarinet in the Carlisle,
Pennsylvania, band!  I trust some detailed articles will appear in our
various journals to salute this gentleman.

A lot of instruments play, and many of us have gotten more out of our
hobby/business of mechanical music, because of Mike Kitner.  No one
could have left us with more.

Philip Jamison