Hi all,  The strange cable tracker bar is from a Cable Co. "Solo Carola
Inner Player" player piano.  See page 340 of Bowers' "Encyclopedia of
Automatic Musical Instruments" for a great picture and description of
the Solo Carola.

I have three Solo Carola rolls in my collection:
   744 Silver Flute by Brahms, played by Ivan Kerouak
 71114 A Little Bit of Heaven, by Ball, played by Roger Hilliard
  7783 The Rosary, by Nevin, Played by Roger Hilliard

I don't think the Cable company wanted anyone to play Solo Carola
rolls on other player pianos as they added an additional circular
button on the left flange to make it difficult to put the roll in any
other companies player piano.  (That is easily solved by removing the
Solo Carola flange and putting a standard flange in its place.)

Also printed on the leaders of the roll they had the following
statement:

  "Patented Sept. 22, 1908, No. 899,469  (Reissued Dec. 3, 1912,) and
  No. 899,470  (Reissued Aug. 27, 1912), in combination with other
  elements recited in claims of such patents; applications for further
  patents pending.  This roll is designed, licensed and furnished only
  for use upon, and in the normal operation of, the Solo-Carola
  Inner-Player made by the Cable Company, and for no other purpose.
  All are hereby warned against putting it to other use.   The Cable
  Company, Owner of above mentioned patents."

One wonders what kind of legal action they would take against anyone
using the roll any other way -- it's certainly not very good sales
practice.  If I were a roll company (I guess I sort of am) I would want
to sell as many rolls as possible, even to people who might not have
a Cable Co. Solo Carola.

The rolls are very nice and do have some expression holes on the sides
of the rolls which I guess take into effect when these narrow slots are
cut into the paper.  Also to note that these narrow slots are in fact
playing notes.

Since I have never owned a Solo Carola, I have no idea how they sound
on playing on one.  I have also never found a Solo Carola in playing
condition to try them on.  Well, maybe someday?

Musically,
Larry Norman, from (the getting very dry) Smith Mountain Lake, near the
Beautiful Blue Ridge Parkway of Virginia