There is one of these pianos at the Musical Museum in London, and
another at Ashorne Hall in the Midlands. Having heard the latter play,
it's a rare (unique?) UK domestic attempt at the orchestrion market,
quite effective as I recall.
There were quite a number of Harper rolls mixed in several lots at
the Mickleburgh sale, and it does make you wonder what happened to the
piano! I fear these rolls are in that odd category of being so rare
they have no value, because nobody has the instrument.
I'm in the same situation, because I found about six of these rolls many
years ago in a junk shop. They sit on my shelf biding their moment of
glory, whenever it may be. These rolls were cut in the later 1930s,
so the Edwardian instruments clearly hung around for a fair while.
Julian Dyer
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