Buy an Item |
Contact us at
info@mechantiques.com.
Click on Any Photo to Make it Larger
|
|
|
|
CT-18C (102) Gorgeous Wurltizer Style 150 Military Band Organ. This is probably the prettiest of all the military band organs for all around good looks. We owned this organ once before and have just repurchased it from the family of the fellow who had bought it from us and we are really delighted to have it back in stock. It is without doubt about the prettiest of all the military band organs. Lots of decorative woodwork, and really dressed up by red and gold paint. Significantly larger than the Wurlitzer style 125, these are also quite a bit scarcer. Older restoration. A real eye catcher and it can blast you out of the room! $30,000
|
|
|
(100) Wurlitzer Called It “THE MONSTER”, We Call
It One of The Greatest Military Brass Band Organs Ever Built!
This huge military band organ with 31 brass trumpets and
trombones once entertained skaters in Massillon, Ohio (we
believe). Now it can blow you out of your house or be the focal
point of the biggest museum. With 249 pipes (compare that to
only 100 generally smaller pipes in the popular W-125 style
military band organ) and back to its original configuration of
100 note rolls (for comparison the W-125 model has only 44
notes) it is a truly spectacular example of the American band
organ builder’s expertise. Wurlitzer said “In musical results it
is equal to a band of from 12 to 15 pieces…” Only three of these
Monsters are known to still exist, with one being in a private
collection and the other being at the Kit Carson Carousel in
Burlington, Colorado (see and hear it at
www.kitcarsoncountycarousel.com and check out a YouTube
video at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34OXeV_ZrqQ). This organ,
when we bought it, had had some mechanical restoration but still
needed some additional work and was playing on BAB rolls. We
have just completed converting it back to its original 100-note
rolls so that its full capability can be enjoyed. It was largely
very original in terms of pipes and mechanisms when we bought
it, and was never a barrel operated organ. We have had some
pipes made that needed replacing. We have replaced all the
valves. And the conversion back to the original style 100-key
roll frame has now been completed! We have purchased 12 recut
100-note rolls and more are available. The organ was missing its
original gorgeous oak cabinet with leaded glass windows (see
Bowers Encyclopedia page 935) – yes this and the Wurlitzer
Mammoth had actual cabinets rather than just facades, really
impressive. One of the other three known Monsters was also
missing its cabinet and a new one was made for it. We have just
ordered an exact white quarter sawn oak reproduction of the
original cabinet and very considerable expense (there will be
some more modern approaches to the internal construction but the
outside will be a gorgeous exact reproduction). The new case is
included in this price. The case has been completed and looks
wonderful! Incidentally, while this is a very large organ, it
is not quite as daunting as the catalog illustration indicates –
rather than a depth as quoted in the advertisement of 8’ 3 ½”,
it is more like 4’ deep. The only known original cabinet, at the
Kit Carson County carousel in Tratton, Colorado, is 96 ½” wide,
82 ¾” high, and 37” deep (not counting the motor or drive wheel)
and that is what we expect our new cabinet to come out to. This
exceptionally rare and desirable example of the height of
American military band production is only $135,000 with
extensive mechanical restoration, playing very well, returned to
the original 100-note roll operation, and with the replacement
cabinet. Click here to see an original catalog illustration of the Wurlitzer Monster NOTE: Photos are near
completion of current mechanical restoration.
|
|
| (98) Wonderful Carl
Frei (Gavioli) “De Troubador” Street Organ From Our Own
Collection! We have had this Carl Frei organ for some 20+
years. It was purchased from Carl Tucker who had taken it to
many many band organ rallies. Originally manufactured by Gavioli,
it was modified by Carl Frei many many years ago to give it that
classical Street Organ sound. Please see the photos of the old
“Gavioli Paris” lettering that was under another coat of paint.
We had it fully restored mechanically back to its original
condition (including such things as having the keyframe moved
back inside the organ where it was originally), and the highly
decorative carved façade repaired (a number of minor cracks have
opened up again) and primed (the new owner will have to have it
painted), and had it displayed in our music room in East
Hampton, CT for many years. Includes the original carved
automated figure that goes on the front of the organ – Carl
Tucker didn’t get this with the organ but we were
serendipitously able to reconnect it with the organ by
purchasing it from a prior owner of the organ. We have had it
stored ever since we moved to Eureka Springs and only had it out
to play twice. Now that we have the large Gavioli organ on
permanent display in our Gavioli Chapel, and have plans to build
a gazebo on the Crescent Hotel grounds to display our Richter
organ, the Carl Frei is regrettably “surplus”. It is time for it
to go on to provide joy to someone else, rather than sit silent.
Sixty-three keys (five slots not used in tracker). According to
Carl Tucker’s old brochure it has 178 pipes consisting of eight
bass, eight trombones, eight cellos, fourteen bourdons,
fifty-five stopped flutes, and eight-five violin pipes. He also
indicates a bass drum, snare drum, Indian blocks and cymbal,
further indicating it has four register and an automatic
tremolo. It has quite a few books with it (Carl’s old brochure
indicated 100 books, I measure the stack to be 153” high). Also
includes the trailer that Carl Tucker used to haul this organ –
old but still serviceable. Main body of organ is 59” wide X 75
½” high (plus 14 ½” for the motor which sits on top) X 34” deep.
Side cabinets with drums etc measure 30 ½” wide X 79” high X 16”
D. Façade adds about 4” to the depth of the organ. Drive wheel
adds more depth. The top piece of the façade, which doesn’t fit
inside the trailer, adds 34” to the overall height. Surely one
of the finest sounding Dutch street organs extant. $42,500.
|
|
|
|
------------------------------------------
Contact us at info@mechantiques.com. Click on Any Photo to Make it Larger
|
