-- forwarded message, please reply to sender and MMD --

Dear Mr. Kravitz,  We follow the Mechanical Music Digest Archives with
great interest and we would like to thank you to put the attached text
on the MMD Archives (as it seems not possible to do this directly).

Thank you very much for your intervention and your great web site.

Linda Van de Zande
Gebroeders Decap Antwerpen

 - - -

Decap isn't always Decap
By Roger Mostmans - Gebroeders Decap Antwerpen

We follow the MMD Archives conversations on Decap for quite a while and
we are delighted to find such an enthusiasm about Decap organs.

Reading (for example) the remarks on the spelling of the name "Decap"
however, it became clear to us how punctually Decap-amateurs follow the
history and activities of Decap.

It therefore appeared necessary to us to explain on these Archives the
actual situation of Decap.

Gebroeders Decap Antwerpen (Brothers Decap of Antwerp) still is the
original builder of the genuine Decap organs, including the robot
organs (!), and the only company who can bear the name "Gebroeders
Decap / Decap Brothers".

There is a firm (or there are some firms) in Herentals, managed by
relatives of Frans Decap, who also manufacture organs, which are not
the genuine Decap organs, and who are not allowed to use or bear the
name "Gebroeders Decap / Decap Brothers".

Referring to the letter of Tony Decap, in annex to the Mechanical Music
Digest Archives of February the 19th, we therefore need to remark that
the range of key-pipes offered (121, 105, 92 and 72) is the variety
as used and invented by Gebroeders Decap Antwerpen.

Furthermore, [although] the firm or the firms in Herentals might
technically be able to build a replica of the robot organs, it would
always remain a replica, as the robot organs are an invention of
Gebroeders Decap Antwerpen and subject to our copyright.

We regret pointing this out so frankly but we are so proud of our
family tradition and the products it has delivered, that we want to
emphasize the exact situation.

Anyone who wants any further explanation on our organs (and/or their
history), can contact us on the following address :

  Gebroeders Decap Antwerpen
  Essenstraat 22-24
  2060 Antwerpen - BELGIUM
  tel.+ fax  00.32.3.232.15.07
  e-mail : linda23@freegates.be

and we are preparing a website !

Roger Mostmans
Gebroeders Decap Antwerpen

 [ Roger and Linda, it's nice to hear from you.  I will be sure
 [ to differentiate between the firms of Antwerp and Herentals in
 [ MMD articles.
 [
 [ This confusion of names reminds me of the Bruder dynasty of
 [ Waldkirch.  Ignatz Blasius Bruder founded his firm in Waldkirch
 [ in 1834, and all of his 12 sons learned the business.  By 1920
 [ Bruder organs were built by no less than 9 competing organ
 [ companies owned by the descendants of Ignatz Blasius, all bearing
 [ the family name Bruder (which means brother), including the
 [ Gebrueder Bruder firm -- "The Brother Brothers!"

 [ I am also reminded of some US firms producing music rolls today,
 [ who claim to be the only rightful holder of venerable old company
 [ names and music roll performances whose copyrights were abandoned
 [ many decades earlier!  But these issues generally don't merit
 [ a decision from a judge -- it's the quality of the product which
 [ matters, and that will be decided by the customers.  -- Robbie