Hi there MMDers -- In reply to Jim Kenney's question in 990930 MMDigest
about existing Wurlitzer 157 organs, I thought I would add my 2 cents
on what I know.

Disneyland in California had a Wurlitzer 157 Facade on their carousel
since the Park opened in 1955; it came with the carousel from somewhere
in Canada.  It was sold to a collector in Chicago.

There is also a 157 in the Sanfilippo Collection, in the Bronson
Collection in Michigan, and the best one I have ever seen in original
paint is in the Milhous Collection in Florida.  This organ was
formerly owned by Mike Ames.  There is also still a 157 at Knott's
Berry Farm in California.  Lastly, there was a 157 in Dorney Park,
Allentown PA; it was lost to fire with the carousel in 1983.

All of these organs, particularly the facades, are just a little
different from each other.  I studied each and every one of these,
along with many photos of lost 157s and catalog photos, to determine
what was "original" and not changes that had been made through the
years.

I built a new replica of a complete 157 facade for Disneyland to
replace the one they were selling, so as to keep the organ chassis
and the original facade together as one piece.  They stopped using the
organ around 1971 and went to a recording of the organ, but they left
the facade on the carousel for decoration with speakers behind it.

I made all molds from the original facade so as to make the replica
as close to the original as possible.  I now can reproduce the complete
facade or any part of it.  If anyone has any questions please feel free
to email me.

Thomas Grace

 [ Photo's of Tom's work are now at the MMD Pictures site,
 [ http://mmd.foxtail.com/Pictures/  -- Robbie