The Unioliszt was announced at the 1912 Autumn Fair in Leipzig.  It
was quite specifically described in "Zeitschrift für Instrumentenbau"
(Journal for the Construction of Musical Instruments) (ZfI), 1911-1912,
p. 1378, as a combination of Hupfeld's Uniola and Phonoliszt instruments
that allowed you to operate it personally or automatically -- exactly
as has been described of the instrument we are presently discussing.
The Unioliszt name firmly follows Hupfeld's structured
instrument-naming convention.

Hupfeld had trademarked the name "Uniola" in December 1910 and
launched instruments with that name in 1912.  A short-lived complement
to the Phonola marque, it was dropped after not much more than a year.
The launch was pretty much at the same time as the introduction of
88-note instruments and the completion of the huge new factory in
Leipzig, whose familiar tower appears in the Uniola adverts, rather than
an illustration of the instruments.

How Uniola and Phonola instruments differ (if indeed they do) I have
no idea.  Indeed, Hupfeld hardly made the difference clear in their
adverts, describing the Uniola as playing the 73- and 88-note Phonola
repertoire -- the only noticeable variation being its "Cantodist"
accenting.  Hopefully somebody can explain further.

What's intriguing is that the combination pedal-electric instrument
was not offered in the Phonola line, only in the Uniola, and that
it clearly was not a great commercial success.  The only other ZfI
reference to the Unioliszt that I've spotted is an instrument in
a Swiss showroom in 1914.

Julian Dyer

 [ "Zeitschrift für Instrumentenbau" is available on-line at
 [ http://mdz10.bib-bvb.de/~db/ausgaben/uni_ausgabe.html?recherche=ja&ordnung=sig&projekt=1153295428&l=en 
 [ -- Robbie