The Collection

The Collection

46-Key Limonaire No. 3948

46-key Limonaire 3948 playing: I Double Dare You – Jimmy Eaton & Terry Shand Built by Limonaire Frères in Paris, c. 1909, as a 35-key instrument, this organ was imported by Chiappa Ltd in the early 1920s and converted to play standardised 46-key music. It was sold to Harvey & Saunders who used it in […]

91-Key (89) Marenghi No. 2456

91-key (89) Marenghi 2456 playing: The Way You Look Tonight – Jerome Kern This instrument was built in Paris c.1910; its early history is unknown, but by 1921 found its way to Derbyshire showman Harry Hall, who used it in his scenic whale switchback ride. The organ features one of only two known original examples […]

89-Key Gavioli No. 8265

89-key Gavioli 8265 playing: Merrily We Roll Along – Tobias (recording courtesy of Thomas Potter). Built in the 1890s, this is an early example of an 89-key instrument with automatic registration; it was imported to England by Arthur Righini of Manchester who sold it to showman Edmund Holland in 1906 for use in his four-abreast […]

46-Keyless Wilhelm Bruder Söhne No. 3633

46-keyless Bruder 3633 playing: I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream for Ice Cream! – Johnson, Moll & King Built in Waldkirch, in the Black Forest region of Germany, the 46-keyless range were built to the order and specification of Chiappa Ltd. This particular example was produced c.1924 and supplied new to Lovatt’s of Scotland, who […]

51-Key Jan van Eyk – ‘Paulus Potter’

51-key van Eyk ‘Paulus Potter’ playing: Sh-Boom – Keyes, Feaster, McRae & Edwards Unique in this collection, this organ is known as a ‘Dutch street organ’ and dates from 1989 – manufactured by Jan van Eyk & Son in Terwolde, The Netherlands. As opposed to the UK, where mechanical organs were used primarily in amusement attractions, […]

89-Key Gavioli No. 8757

89-key Gavioli 8757 playing: Kiss Me Goodnight, Sergeant Major – Noel & Pelosi This instrument was built at the Gavioli works in Paris at the turn of the 20th century. Believed to originally be an 84-key instrument, it was imported by Chiappa Ltd, London, who rebuilt the organ to play standardised 89-key ‘Violin-Bariton’ cardboard music books. […]

70-Key Ch. Hooghuys No. 660

70-key Hooghuys 660 playing: En Avant – Ganz Reconstructed to perforated book operation by Charles Hooghuys in Grammont, Belgium after 1925; this organ started life as a German barrel instrument of the 1880s – believed to be by Wilhelm Bruder Söhne. After a working life on the fairgrounds of Europe with Willemyns, Rorive and Staelens it […]

73-Key Decap – ‘Pascal’

73-key Decap ‘Pascal’ playing: Oh! Mr Porter – Le Brunn In the years around 1950 the firm of Gebr Decap in Antwerp built a very successful series of 72 key dance organs. Some 40 years later, these remained in great demand from collectors, so the firm, which was still in business produced, a further batch […]

60-Key Gavioli No. 6778

60-key Gavioli 6778 playing: Who? – Berlin & Kern This instrument is believed to date from 1887. It spent its working life in the Scottish borders with the Wilmot family, who travelled galloping horses and a bioscope show. A new eight-tune barrel was pinned in 1926 by Wright & Holmes of Manchester, when they also fitted […]

Weber ‘Unika’ Orchestrion No. 21752

Weber ‘Unika’ 21752 playing: I Lift Up My Finger & I Say Tweet Tweet – Saroni Built by Gebruder Weber Orcherstrionfabrik in Waldkirch, Germany, these instruments were designed to imitate the small musical quartets found in cafés and restaurants throughout Europe. This example is believed to date from 1925. The orchestrion contains cello & violin pipes […]

41-Keyless Wilhelm Bruder Söhne No. 3790

41-keyless Bruder 3790 playing: Hollywood Jazz Foxtrot – Eugen Bruder Believed to date from c.1935 this organ was built in Waldkirch, Germany. Designated as catalogue model number 77, these instruments were described as ‘Starkton’ organs – an instrument with rich and powerful tone! They were expressly designed for use in smaller amusement rides, and at […]

43-Key Dussaux & Cie No. 3329

43-key Dussaux & Cie 3329 playing: Sieriette Polka – Henri Dupuis Dussaux & Cie of Lille is not remembered today as much as the more famous mechanical organ makers of Paris, Grammont and Antwerp, but they competed successfully in the early 1900s for a part of the home-market in France and the French-speaking region of Belgium, […]