IMHOF & Mukle Barrel Organ 1880
This instrument was made in German Black Forest town of Vohrenbeck. Imhof & Mulke instruments were known for their delicate tone and musicality. These instruments were played via the large barrel visible through the glass, the individual raised areas on the barrel caused each key to be played as the barrel rotated.
Wurlitzer Style 28-B Pianorchestra 1910
Wurlitzer was an American musical instrument company that dated back to 1856. Their product offerings were diverse; they imported violins from Germany, manufactured pianos, band organs and theater pipe organs in great numbers.
Gaudin 125-Key Dance Organ
This is the largest scale Gaudin organ known. During the ‘teens, Gaudin focused on building fairground organs with elaborate carvings and exposed brass trumpet pipes. In the 1920s, they shifted their emphasis to elaborate dance organs.
Wurlitzer Theatre Pipe Organ
The Wurlitzer theatre pipe organ installed in the Stahl Museum has its origins in the instrument the Wurlitzer factory built for its founder. The console and select sets of pipes were from the Wurlitzer mansion in Cincinnati Ohio. Built in 1923, there was no record of this instrument ever having been sold; it was never invoiced to the family!
Mills Deluxe Violino – Virtuoso 1924
This instrument was built in Chicago by the Mills Novelty Co. This particular instrument was known as the “shipboard model&rdauo; as it uses springs in locations where standard units use weights. This instrument uses spinning discs of rosin to play the violin strings, each driven separately. The piano is mounted behind the violins, and because there is no direct mechanical linkage to the strings, as with traditional pianos Mills arranged the strings in a symmetrical pattern to distribute the tension load of the strings evenly.
Mortier 97 Key Dance Organ 1924
This was instrument was designed to supply dance music in European dance halls, with a heavy beat and loud volume! These instruments were made in a modular fashion, comprised of five cabinets and side and top dress panels that came apart for transport. This particular instrument was moved and set up at 17 different fairs every year in its native Belgium.
Hupfeld Phonoliszt – Violina 1926
This instrument is thought to be the most human-like of all automatic musical instruments. This was manufactured by Ludwig Hupfeld A.G. of Leipzig Germany. Three vertically mounted violins, arranged in a semicircle are played by a rotating bow having 1344 individual strands.
Mortier Cafe Organ 1930
This instrument was a self-contained unit designed to play background music or dance music in European cafes and dance halls in the early 20th century. Made in Antwerp Belgium by Theofiel Mortier .SA in 1930, this particular organ was known as the “style 51” and came in an Art Deco case. This is one of two known examples of this façade style.