-- non-subscriber, please reply to sender and MMD --
Some additional reflections. Mr. Dan Wilson suggested that the
88-note push-up player by Aeolian could be made for about $6000.
Yes, if they were made in China in about 1000 copies...
I have two of these 88/65 note players in my collection; I have
designed and made new player stacks for Pleyela -- I know very well
the prices today for producing things like that.
In addition to this I can inform our readers that Coupleux Freres, in
Turcoing in Northern France, made 88-note push-up players in the 1920s,
a very good simplified model! I have had two of these and I have the
original publicity for these. Coupleux Freres were the official holder
of the name 'Pianola' in France, due to a contract with the Aeolian Co.
There were rather many Pianola and Duo-Art pianos in France made in
Toucoing -- did you know that?
Concerning the original idea to put two 65-note players together, I can
tell you that there are at least three different designs for the Aeolian
Pianola push-ups -- how shall that be overcome?
I can make the 88-note push-ups, certainly better than they ever were,
but even if I had an order for about 30 instruments -- they will be put
out for about 12-13,000 euros each -- where are the customers?
Best regards from Paris
Douglas Heffer
[ See "The Coupleux Brothers & Aeolian Co. SA of France" at
[ http://mmd.foxtail.com/MMMedia/AeoUni/AeoFr/index.html
[ Douglas says the new book by Olivier Carpentier about
[ Coupleux Freres will come out soon. -- Robbie
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