That organ was indeed originally a cylinder played instrument, and
it indeed had a facade when it was installed on the Looff carousel.
There is a photo of it in the Carousel Art Issue Looff Family Album.
(Pieces of the facade are on the wall around the alcove where the organ
has been since the late 1960's when the current structure was built).

At that time it was probably playing books, which may have started the
speculation that it was a "catalog" organ, which it is definitely not.
By the 'teens it had been converted to play Wurlitzer Style 165 rolls,
most likely by Peter Bacigalupi in San Francisco.

Bruce R Pier