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MMD > Archives > August 2002 > 2002.08.02 > 02Prev  Next


Unknown Roller Organ Cobs Are Gem
By Todd Augsburger

Jim,  You have discovered rollers (sometimes informally called "cobs")
which fit an organette commonly found as "The Gem Roller Organ", or
"Concert Roller Organ".  You can obtain full information on my web
site, devoted to Roller Organs, found at http://www.rollerorgans.com/ .
Also included there is a nearly complete listing of rollers, over 1200
titles.

In the late 1880's, the Autophone Company of Ithaca, New York, began
producing a line of hand-cranked roller reed organs.  The early models
were operated by pressure, with exposed bellows.  When the company
began producing vacuum-operated models, some were called simply "The
Roller Organ" or "The American Music Box".  But the most common and
least expensive was called "The Gem Roller Organ".  It was by far the
most popular, at possible production levels of tens of thousands in
a single year.  Its black stenciled case and open roller frame allowed
a retail price as low as $3.25 with 3 rollers.  Sales volume was made
possible by contracting with such distributors as Sears Roebuck and
Company, who featured a model showing their own stencil in their
catalogs.

The Gem was also sold as "The New American Music Box" as well as several
private labels.  A few variations appeared with such enhancements as
walnut finishes, or hinged front swell covers as on the "Home Music
Box".  The 20-note Rollers, mass produced and pinned by machine and
priced as low as 18 cents each, "cost less than [...] ordinary sheet
music", and so hundreds of thousands were sold, of over 1200 titles.

A "step up" in the product line, the "Concert Roller Organ", also sold
as the "Chautauqua Roller Organ", used the same 20-note Rollers as the
Gem.  But these were available in larger and more ornate walnut or oak
cases, with a glass front swell cover, and sold for as little as $7.60.
Improved exhausters provided smoother cranking, and the extensive list
of rollers aided sales.

Please let me know if I may be of additional help.  If you're looking
for an instrument to play your rollers, they are readily available.  If
you just want to sell your rollers, you're welcome to post a free ad on
the Buy/Sell/Trade page at my web site.

Thanks for asking,
Todd Augsburger
Roller Organs
http://www.rollerorgans.com/


(Message sent Thu 1 Aug 2002, 11:25:55 GMT, from time zone GMT-0400.)

Key Words in Subject:  Are, Cobs, Gem, Organ, Roller, Unknown

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