USA, New York

1908

Aeolian Company

Wood, metal, fabric (silk); carving, mechanical and carpentry work, polishing, varnishing

184 x 170 x 90 cm

Player reed organ in vertical polished mahogany case, with protruding keyboard on key bottom support rests on consoles in the form of chiselled columns. Consoles rest on protruding feet with metal wheels. Two wide pedals are in the plinth central part. Performer activates the bellows by pressing the pedals that directs compressed air to the organ systems. Piano-type keyboard has six octaves volume, plus one key. Twenty register couplers in the shape of round knobs and similar knob for rewinding paper music roll are on the key stop rail. All knobs are signed in Gothic (Old English) script. Tempo control lever with arched ivory scale is in the key stop rail center. Two nameplates are fixed below the scale. One is ivory; the other one is metal, with the trading house name "Julius Heinrich Zimmerman”. The keyboard is closed by triple-sash clap.

Two bass register controls flaps are under the key bottom support; a performer moves them with his knees. Rectangular openwork acoustic windows, in the shape of paneled openwork lattices, covered with fabric from the inner side, are on front protection panel that is adorned with pilasters. Goldish brackets with candlesticks, made in the Art Deco style are fixed on two bottom lattices. Sliding lattice of the central window covers the compartment of the tape driving mechanism (spool box) with take-up spool and tracker bar with fifty-eight apertures.

On both sides of the façade Chiselled, fluted columns supporting profiled shaped cornice are on the façade sides. The case upper side is covered with fabric. Slotted reeds united in registers are the source of musical sounds. Register couples produce a great variety of timbers that simulate the sound of wind instruments. A piece of music can be performed either by an organist or by the musical instrument (Player reed organ). In this case, a paper music roll with encoded tune is inserted in spool box and automatic mode is activated. While paper music roll is reeling on spool, it approaches the tracker bar; the apertures in the roll allow air to reach the corresponding reeds, and the melody sounds. The instrument plays paper music rolls with extended range of 58 notes. The paper music roll has red expression line that warns a performer.

Music media: paper music roll. 150 music pare rolls are the set.