Last summer while viewing a music box collection for sale I came across
an unusual piano-type instrument which plays (or played) book music on
49 piano strings, 15 saucer bells, 2 tuned bars and drum.

Unfortunately, when I bought this it was a basket case in every sense
of the word, and all the bells, drum and triangle are lost.  The 15 bell
strikers are intact.  It has many books of classic operatic music, in
varying condition, some with covers, some without, but mostly appearing
to be in playable condition, with perhaps a few minor patches needed here
and there.  The covers are labeled CONCERTO ORGANISTA.

There is an identical instrument on display in Charlotte, NC, at the
MBSI exhibit there, but otherwise I believe this is quite scarce in this
country.  Even Dave Bowers was not familiar with it when I inquired of
him last year.  Originally, this machine used a hot-air engine, but now
has a crank.

When I first retrieved it I cleaned everything and actually played a few
of the books through, but the strikers and felts and dampers were in a
mess.  I disassembled the whole striker assembly and carefully cleaned
each little hammer, and reassembled it.  It played much better but needs
someone who is a lot more familiar with piano-type mechanisms to go
through it.

I am a cylinder and disc music box restorer, and have plenty of those to
keep me busy without getting into this further.  There was originally a
tall case for this with doors, which is now gone, (probably someone
turned into a home entertainment center!) but I believe this still could
be brought back into nice playing condition, at least on the existing
piano section, and adding a drum and tuned bar, even a set of bells would
be far from impossible for a good machinist.

As this takes up a _lot_ of my workshop bench space, I would really like
to find a new home for it with one of you who know enough to do something
with it.  Anyone interested, please e-mail me privately.

Reg Smith. Perfect Pitch Restorations
Athens, GA
rsmith@athens.net