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 > March 2006 > 2006.03.02 > 03Prev  Next


Wurlitzer "Autograph" & Welte Rolls Comparison
By Mark Reinhart

>[ Despite the "Autograph" label, might they have been perforated by
>[ Wurlitzer for instruments that played the Welte-Mignon T-98 "Green"
>[ rolls (which resemble Licensee rolls without lock-and-cancel)?

M. Welte & Sons, Inc., made the rolls before 1920 for the Wurlitzer
Autograph piano.  In the one example of a Wurlitzer Autograph piano
that I examined, the components below the keyboard looked entirely
like USA-made T-100 "Red" Welte components, and all Wurlitzer above
the keyboard.

I looked at a couple of the rolls and they are cut on the paper
typically used in the teens at M. Welte & Sons, Inc. (New York).
I did not un-roll them enough to examine all the expression but the
first couple feet looked like the typical Licensee.  Perhaps I should
have spent more time and I would have seen what Spencer saw.

The rolls all had the usual fabric leaders and metal bar for the
[Wurlitzer Autograph] changer unit.  The roll labels were much like
the M. Welte & Sons, Inc., labels of the period.

The post-1920 Wurlitzer Autograph pianos, I am told, used Art Echo
masters as a source, but I have never examined any of these and have
no idea from first-hand experience.

Since contact with Germany was minimal after 1914 it would have been
impossible for Wurlitzer to have used a T-98 source, especially since
the M. Welte & Soehne T-98 pianos were not introduced until 1922 or '23.

This is all I know about the Wurlitzer Autograph pianos.

Thanks,
Mark Reinhart


(Message sent Fri 3 Mar 2006, 02:48:43 GMT, from time zone GMT-0500.)

Key Words in Subject:  Autograph, Comparison, Rolls, Welte, Wurlitzer

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