Lelland Fletcher wrote:

> I recently purchased a loud roller piano at auction.  It is made in
> Barcelona, Spain, and is about 2' tall by 2 1/2 ' wide and 1' deep,
> bright red with bright yellow trim.  Can anyone please give me
> information as to the history and value of this machine?

The instrument you mention is a recently built barrel piano, which may
or may not have plastic hammers or action parts.  They are normally
loud because they were also known as Spanish street pianos so the sound
needed to carry for a long distance in order to draw an appreciative
audience who would donate coins to the person doing the cranking.

I have restored several of these of several sizes and ages.  They do
seem to stay in tune forever.  They do not have chromatic scales as a
rule.  The note name should be printed or stamped into the wood at the
tuning pin.

D. L. Bullock     Piano World    St. Louis