Years ago, I acquired two original Duo-Art Jumbo piano rolls, P-301
and P-306, and enjoyed listening to them on a 1933 Steinway Duo-Art
piano with above-the-keybed electric roll drive that is capable of
accommodating long play rolls.  (In that instrument, the spool box is
slightly larger than the standard above-the-keybed Duo-Art mechanisms
with the usual air motor drive.)

Comparing the titles of these rolls with the listing on page 227 of
Charles Davis Smith's rollography, "Catalog of Duo-Art Piano Rolls"
(published 1987), I found that they did not match.  One of the original
rolls I acquired is entitled "P-301 Twilight Music (In Pensive Mood --
No.1)", and it consists of four pieces, played by Armbruster, Grainger,
Armbruster, Reisenberg.  The other roll is entitled "P-306 Composer
Series -- Victor Herbert No. 1", and it consists of 12 pieces composed
by Victor Herbert, all of which are played by Robert Armbruster.

This raises a number of questions regarding the Duo-Art Jumbo rolls.
How many of them were originally issued?  Nine of them are listed
in Smith's rollography.  Are any of the other Jumbo titles listed
incorrectly, and if so, which ones?  Were more than nine distinct
Duo-Art Jumbo rolls issued?

To help answer these questions, I would like to acquire some other
original (not recut) Duo-Art Jumbo piano rolls.  Does anyone have
one or more of these special rolls for sale or trade (for multiple
individual Duo-Art rolls, or other)?  If enough of these can be found
and their authenticity verified, I can compile their titles and post
a revised list for the benefit of all in Mechanical Music Digest.

If you can help, I would appreciate a phone call at the number below,
or an e-mail message.

Bill Koenigsberg
Concord, Massachusetts
tel.: 1-978-369-8523
billkberg@comcast.net.geentroep [delete .geentroep to reply]

 [ Compiler Charles Davis Smith wrote on page 227 of his Duo-Art
 [ rollography, "The so-called Program rolls or Jumbo rolls were for
 [ the most part very large rolls produced to be played on the single
 [ roll Concertola that Aeolian manufactured beginning around 1930.
 [ They were also produced to be played on a very few drawer-model
 [ Duo-Art pianos available in the mid-1930s.  This list has been
 [ compiled from collectors, literature on the rolls [is] unknown."
 [ -- Robbie