There is something very odd about the Estey reproducing organ rolls
that I would like to clear up.  While everyone else gave the performer
credit by putting his name on the roll, not one Estey roll that I have
ever seen has anything except the title and composer, nor does the Estey
roll catalog posted on their web site mention who played the piece:

  http://www.esteyorgan.com/organrolllist.html

One good story, though, is that when Aeolian forgot to get their patent
extended for the 116-note two-row tracker bar, Estey grabbed it and
used it much to the intense fury of the money-hungry Aeolian Company.
Estey was supposed to also be copying the Aeolian rolls and making just
enough changes to avoid a lawsuit, like adding their own control holes.

In all the photos extant of the Estey factory, not one seen to date
shows any roll production area, or recording organ studio.  At least,
not in the photos I have managed to see.

Did Estey record their own rolls?  Did this story about copying Aeolian
rolls have any basis of fact?  Who did record this music and where?
Are these actually hand played rolls, or are they all arranged rolls?

Just a minor backwater item in roll playing organ history, but one of
interest.

Jim Crank

 [ Every firm who arranged and perforated their own music rolls
 [ usually mentioned the fact conspicuously in their sales literature.
 [ The absence of such mention and photos suggests that Estey contracted
 [ with another firm to supply music rolls.  The performer or arranger
 [ was not credited simply because credit was not demanded.  (Hungry
 [ musicians will work anonymously...)
 [
 [ Estey might have had a licensing agreement with Wilcox & White,
 [ whose partner, Henry Kirk White, worked previously at Estey.  For
 [ example, at http://www.themodist.com/wilcoxwhite.html : "Despite
 [ these system differences there is speculation Wilcox & White
 [ co-operated with Aeolian more than they may have let on."
 [
 [ -- Robbie