> This description is given in "Encyclopedia of Automatic Musical
> Instruments", by Q. David Bowers, page 352: ... Best sellers were
> the Reproduco (made by Operators Piano Company), American Photo
> Player Company instruments, ... Seeburg and Wurlitzer.
I never thought that a Reproduco was counted with the "big boys."
Add my 1927 Reproduco, with added percussion "toys" and a 26-note
rosewood marimba. (I would like some violin pipes to replace the
quints.) My unit came from a small neighborhood theater in Newton,
Kansas, back in 1976.
Ray Bauer
Lake Tahoe, California - where more snow is expected next Tuesday.
[ The "best-seller" Reproduco piano-organ had these advantages:
[
[ 1. it would play style NOS music rolls for almost one hour before
[ repeating (or two hours if equipped with a dual spoolframe)
[ without needing attention from an operator;
[ 2. it would also play standard 88-note piano rolls;
[ 3. the price was much less than instruments with side cabinets.
[
[ Piano-organ instruments were sold to both funeral parlors and
[ small theaters, and appropriate music was available for either.
[
[ -- Robbie
|