For Sale: Schulmerich Americana 5 Octave Carillon with 30 note roll
player.  What is it worth?

The Motor City Theatre Organ Society (MCTOS) acquired the Schulmerich
Americana tower chime carillon unit from the Hudson's Department store
with the object of installing it in their 1928 Redford Theatre in
Detroit, Michigan.  It has been decided not to progress with this
installation and to sell the device and pursue other priorities.  The
first concern is what is the value of the unit?

It is the most elaborate device of it's kind I have ever seen and, if
not the top of the line, it must come very close, or possibly be a
custom installation.  It was installed in 1955 in the 20th floor of
Hudson's with an array of large loud speakers further up the tower
arranged to be able to divert the sound in any direction the operator
would want.  For instance, there was a setting for concentrating the
speakers output to play to downtown Windsor, Canada across the Detroit
River.

It has a very elaborate assortment of features, including various tower
chimes sequences, a sur plat assortment of electrically played discs
for the weather forecast, a 30-note roll player with four rolls on hand.
There is a spinet size two-manual keydesk with 61-note compass on both
manuals, together with foot pedals for selecting Harp Celeste Bells,
Flemish Bass Bells and Flemish Treble Bells.  Since keying action is
electric it does not require the effort or force of a mechanical bell
carillon.

The mechanism is contained in four large rackbord cabinets, about 6
feet tall, and three smaller wall mount cabinets as well.  It plays
metal bars with direct electric actions which have electronic pickups
which the amplifiers then sent to speakers.  The bars are fairly large,
about glockenspiel size and in the open, not the tiny ones in vacuum
tubes used in some similar instruments.  All components are 1950's
style heavy duty construction.

An assortment of serial numbers and model numbers appear on the various
cabinets.  The roll player is model 49FCBRCAHWRP81.  It is a direct
electric unit with endless roll playing bin under the tracker bar which
is read by small metal fingers about an inch long through the holes in
the roll.  This cabinet also has the chime mechanism with six settings
for Westminster Chimes and weekday or Sunday operation of roll and
weather settings.  Chimes are a chain with trip cogs.  There are six
separate disc played tunes which are played to indicate what the
weather forecast would be.  Three separate automatic musical systems in
one cabinet!

The console cable has been cut and the speakers were left in the
building when it was demolished.  The speakers were huge metal horn
units.  There are manuals and diagrams included as well.  It is in good
unrestored condition having been kept in a dry area in the store and is
now in storage in a dressing room at the theatre.  I do not know what
reconditioning would be necessary, but any proper reinstallation would
require testing and service since it is now 46 years old and had not
been played for many years after the Hudson's Department Store closed.
The console laminate is separating and appears to be a Formica plastic
material.

It would make a spectacular automatic instrument for a large estate or
perhaps be a signature feature of a downtown development, especially
if it involves a very tall building.  It was a beloved feature of
downtown Detroit for many years, and like the Wanamaker's carillon in
Philadelphia surprised listeners who would think the chimes were from
city hall rather than a department store.

All proceeds will benefit the Motor City Theatre Organ Society and
their ongoing care of the Redford Theatre and it's original 3 manual
Barton theatre organ.  There had been some plans for returning the
carillon to several locations in the Detroit area which did not
develop.  I am aware of a much smaller electric tower chime unit which
sold for around $800 about ten years ago for installation in a private
home.  MCTOS has several thousand in costs invested at this point.

Committee members to contact are David Marin <jeeper01@mediaone.net> or
Allen Fitzgerald <allenfitz1@netscape.net>

I hope MMD readers may help this unusual chime unit find a new home at
a fair price for MCTOS, thank you.

William C. Frisk