John Farrell's news that QRS has killed off its old roll auction took
me by surprise.  The most recent auction list gave no hint that it was
endangered.

Dan Wilke had the pianolist's dream job.  He had a private room in the
QRS attic where he could inventory, test, and list all the roll lots
that came to QRS for auctioning off.  I suppose the work was
labor-intensive, what with all the typing, list mailing, bid tallying,
packaging and roll mailing, and record-keeping involved.

What will Dan be doing now, I wonder?  Will he be moved downstairs
to the perforating room floor, chained to one of the pounding duplex
giants that knock out new QRS rolls?

Dan has been running the old Wurlitzer perforator at the Herschell
Carrousel Factory Museum in his spare time, making 125 and 150 band
organ rolls.  That perforator is a smooth, quiet baby in comparison,
but pretty temperamental.  I doubt Dan will make that a full-time job.

Matthew Caulfield