It is true that the Ramey Banjo Orchestra is not an exact duplicate
of an old original machine.  The original had a 44-note piano and the
Ramey uses a Seeburg K harp, thus adding additional playing notes.

There is one original Banjo Orchestra in existence.  It was this
original machine that prompted Mr. Ramey to build his Banjo Orchestra.
The original machine, minus some parts, was at Knott's Berry Farm.  The
mounting board for the banjo was with the machine, but not the banjo.
Later an original Encore banjo was added to the original machine and,
with the help of old literature and other machines by Engelhardt, the
parts that were missing were made.

There are no known original Banjo Orchestra rolls.  This prompted Mr.
Ramey, with the help of Art Reblitz, to devise a Banjo Orchestra scale,
and Art Reblitz arranged the rolls.  With one known original machine
the hunt was on for a second original machine.  Unfortunately none have
surfaced although one collector claims to have one that no one has
seen.  (This collector also claims to have a Mills Cello machine but
it has never been seen by any collector that I know.)

The original machine appears to be almost identical to an Engelhardt
Style F case.  The Style F is quite rare; one is at Disneyland in the
Bear Park (?).  Another Style F was made into a banjo orchestra by
Ramey for another collector.  So now you know more of the rest of the
story.

Don Teach

 [ Engelhardt Piano Company spelled it "Banjorchestra" (ref. Bowers'
 [ Encyclopedia, page 553).  Did Dave Ramey give his new instrument
 [ a different name and spelling?  -- Robbie