Mechanical Music Digest  Archives
You Are Not Logged In Login/Get New Account
Please Log In. Accounts are free!
Logged In users are granted additional features including a more current version of the Archives and a simplified process for submitting articles.
Home Archives Calendar Gallery Store Links Info
MMD > Archives > May 2001 > 2001.05.08 > 03Prev  Next


Coin Pianos at Farrell's Ice Cream Parlors
By John Rutoskey

Thanks to Glen Morris for his many replies and information concerning
the Farrell's pianos; however, I am sure the piano I saw in Farrell's
here in Baltimore was not a product of the Player Piano House.  It
doesn't sound like the same product.

In the 1970's, I would guess that every major city had a Farrell's;
I mean, if Baltimore had one, then it was big time!  I would guess that
perhaps two or three dozen could have been made, all identical, all
made from old player pianos.

Don Teach is correct: that is the piano I am trying to find out about.
The dead giveaway is the Seeburg type roll frame playing an A-roll,
mounted up in the place where the player-pianos original spoolbox was.
Someone went through a lot of trouble to duplicate this.

I remember when the Farrell's in my town closed, and that piano was put
out front for sale; I have no idea what became of it.  This was in 1982
or about.  There's a lot of sentiment attached to those pianos for me,
as they were the first ones I ever saw in my life.  I would sit there
for quite a long time plugging dimes into it.

I have the same sentiment for the roll that was on it throughout its
stay there: Automatic A-302, a very unusual roll from 1916 with a lot
of early rags, fox-trots and a few show numbers.

So -- a late generation of decently built coin pianos and all of the
information concerning them have passed into the unknown already?  In
just 25 years?  The more I think about these pianos the more determined
I am to find out about them.  I guess the next step is to contact
Marriott.

John D. Rutoskey


(Message sent Tue 8 May 2001, 17:36:05 GMT, from time zone GMT-0400.)

Key Words in Subject:  Coin, Cream, Farrell's, Ice, Parlors, Pianos

Home    Archives    Calendar    Gallery    Store    Links    Info   


Enter text below to search the MMD Website with Google



CONTACT FORM: Click HERE to write to the editor, or to post a message about Mechanical Musical Instruments to the MMD

Unless otherwise noted, all opinions are those of the individual authors and may not represent those of the editors. Compilation copyright 1995-2024 by Jody Kravitz.

Please read our Republication Policy before copying information from or creating links to this web site.

Click HERE to contact the webmaster regarding problems with the website.

Please support publication of the MMD by donating online

Please Support Publication of the MMD with your Generous Donation

Pay via PayPal

No PayPal account required

                                     
Translate This Page