When I was in California, I rebuilt a unique Wilcox & White player with
the pouch-pull. The piano itself was plainly an American Piano Company
upright, identical to the Foster, except for the name tag, which simply
stated "White." I know the American Co. features and markings, having
written about them.
The case was the ranch style, identical to early Marshall & Wendells.
The scale count and plate casting were identical to what was marketed
by Foster, Marshall & Wendell, & Brewster. The serial number did not
make sense for a Wilcox and White. I did some research and found it
under Brewster, 1919.
Despite the fact that this was a Rochester-built stencil (most of which
had standard actions), this had the W&W pouch pull and was a real dog
to take apart.
Exactly why Wilcox and White would even need to purchase and use a
Rochester stencil piano is a mystery to me. If I understand correctly,
Wilcox & White, with Farrand, built their own pianos. American was one
of their competitors.
I have run across another odd one like this, under the Kingston name,
which was controlled by Wurlitzer. A Wurlitzer two-tier action in a
Rochester stencil piano. With their big factory, why would Wurlitzer
use someone else's piano?
I once owned a J.P. Seeburg, with a case deep enough to be a player,
but sold new as a regular upright piano. There were no screw holes
anywhere to indicate that a player had ever been installed. But the
piano had the player-type wippens. This Seeburg went to a rebuilder in
Maryland, but where it went from there I do not know.
I wonder what was going on in that era?
Andy Taylor
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