I have an early mahogany two-door Seeburg "L" with barn/silo artglass,
and grasshopper-style pump. It is in the best unrestored condition I
have ever seen. I bought it seven or eight years ago from a beachfront
Victorian-era hotel dining room in Cape May, N.J.
Inside the Seeburg I found a "Sunday lock" for the coin slot. It is a
stamped sheet-metal lock with a riveted brass tag that states "This
instrument not to be played for entertainment on Sunday by law."
Has anyone ever seen such a lock? The blue laws in Cape May prohibited
the playing of music on Sunday for entertainment. This Seeburg coin
piano is also set up for 25-cent play, not nickel play. All the coin
equipment appears to be original Seeburg-style, just like my other oak
"L" pianos, except that it is larger, to take the quarter.
Are there any more quarter-play pianos out there today? Had this coin
equipment been changed or was it in fact possible to order a Seeburg
for 25-cent play? Remember this was a mahogany "L" in a very high
class establishment in a wealthy New Jersey resort area dating back to
the early 1800's.
Of all the Seeburg "L" coin pianos existing today (I have three oak
models, myself), how many mahogany "L" pianos are known? Are there any
Seeburg pianos using the 25-cent coin?
Brad Hunter
near Philadelphia, Pa.
215-947-4676
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