A few months ago I bought a roll collection from the Robert Barns
estate.  Through MMD I found a collector who was familiar with the
special group of rolls Mr. Barns had coded for the Ampico A and
I was able to pass the rolls along to him.  The rolls are in good
hands and are being scanned for preservation.  Most of the titles
were QRS arrangements with expression coding added.  A surprising
number of rolls were arranged from scratch on a Star perforator.

Little is known of the Star perforator company apart from the
information printed on the paper scale index:

  Patented Aug. 29 - 22
  No 1,427,336
  Mfg. by the Star Perforator Co.,
  Philadelphia, PA.

I understand a number of these perforators surfaced in the 1960s.
Mr. Barns purchased three of these units in various conditions at
one time from Eddy Freyer.

With its iron castings painted black, the Star perforator is about
the size and feel of a typewriter from the same era.  Blank paper cut
to width is placed in the back on an 88-note spool and fed under the
punches then under a pressure roller and finally fastened to a take-up
spool in front.  A cardboard printed index located at the top of the
machine is marked with both the musical scales and a keyboard.  Tabs
just in front of this index are painted black and white to represent
the configuration of a keyboard.  The operator selects the notes he
wishes to cut by moving the selected tabs forward.  By pushing down on
the main lever, any number of notes (and sustaining pedal) may be
punched at one time.

The operator chooses from three options for step advance: solid punch,
ladder punch or advance with no punch.  The first two advances are
accomplished by a two position lever located on the left side of the
perforator near the front.  A ratchet advances the pressure roller
a predetermined amount.  A pawl operated by this lever engages with
a hook to move the ratchet away from the gear on the pressure roller
(see photo 4).  The third "advance with no punch" allows the paper to
move forward without the need to change the tab settings.  This option
would be used for repeated cords.

This perforator would have been used to make master rolls.  Roll
companies used staff arrangers as well as unnamed part time arrangers.
Arranging piano rolls would be extra income for a talented person who
had a regular day job.  Perhaps someone familiar with the history of
roll making can write in to elaborate.

I have two Star perforators for sale along with other items, as well
as a collection of music machines I am selling for a customer.  Items
for sale include a Mason & Hamlin Ampico "B" with a factory installed
Ampichron, Welte grand, upright Steinway Duo-Art, Seeburg models KT, C,
B, E, a large North Tonawanda band organ, Regina Hexaphone, music boxes
and clocks.  Visit:  http://antiquemechanicalrestorations.com/

This is a new web site.  I'm adding to the section on restoration.
Right now there are some photos of a pneumatic horse race machine and
a flute clock with animated figures.  I'm in the process of adding my
"Guide to Restoring the Ampico A" to the site and will announce it to
MMD when this is available.  Visitors will be able to use this guide
to help in the restoration of their own pneumatic machines.

Paul Manganaro