How I Got Started Collecting and Learning About Mechanical Music

I purchased my first organ starting me out in mechanical music machines in 1970 at an auction. I was the only bidder and obtained a pump organ for $25.00. It was painted white and did not work. I stripped off the old paint and found a walnut cased organ. I restored it and the hobby began.

As an elementary age child I can remember going to the Gay 90’s Village in Sikeston, Missouri. I would put nickels in the old music machines and was absolutely fascinated by the sounds and movement of the mechanical parts. When I was about twelve I remember my father buying me a boxer puppy dog. The home where we purchased Roxy had a music machine that played a violin. Later I realized it was a Mills Violano Virtuoso machine. A roll playing machine that played automatically both a violin and a piano by a large paper music roll.

That's me, Bob, inside the trailer we had made just for this organ.

After the pump organ I purchased a player piano at an auction in Chicago. I got it home and learned enough about restoration that I got it to play. I clearly remember the smell of hide glue coming from the stove where I had it heated for use on the pneumatics (small bellows for each note on the piano).

With two instruments playing I found out about Svoboda’s Nickelodeon Tavern in Chicago Heights, Illinois, a south suburb. I often went to put nickels in the many mechanical music machines. Our sons enjoyed going as they threw nickels to a high basket that would set off a large mechanical dance hall organ.

I found out about and joined mechanical music groups beginning my study on all types of self-playing music machines. I ran an ad in the Chicago Tribune “Wanted to Buy” section saying I would pay a finder’s fee of $25.00 for information leading to the purchase of a coin operated player piano, better known as a nickelodeon. I received a few calls, and one paid off. A lady had been to a garage sale and heard and saw a nickelodeon. It was a Western Electric Mascot. We went to see the nickelodeon, made the purchase and paid the lady giving me the information $25.00.

When we went to see the nickelodeon we heard the owners play a Wurlitzer 125 Band Organ. I had never really paid much attention to these types of machines. But, upon hearing it, I knew I had to have one some day. About five years later the couple who owned these machines called me from Arizona saying the band organ was too loud for their trailer park and they would sell it to me if I was interested. I said yes, caught a plane to Tucson, and drove it home in a rental truck. I had a circus wagon made for the organ including a hand painted circus design on the trailer. The trailer was equipped with a generator for electricity and lights for night playing.

Now, many years after the first machine, we enjoy taking out to share with the public our German made Street Organ playing the Happiest Music on Earth. When you see us, we'll encourage you to crank a tune on this concert organ.