In 1917 the REO Motor Car Company built a social and
recreational facility for it's employees in Lansing, Michigan.
A Welte Philharmonic player pipe organ was installed in the
auditorium/ballroom.  My investigations suggest the organ lasted
there at least up through 1976 and was sold when the contents of
the building were auctioned off.  The building was torn down in 1979.

It has been suggested to me that the purchaser was Mr. Burton Burton
of Casablanca Fan Company, who had assembled a major collection of
automatic musical instruments.  Dave Junchen worked for Burton for
a time and installed a Barton theater organ in his Baranger Studios
where the collection was housed.

Is anyone here familiar with the Burton collection and did he
indeed acquire the Welte Philharmonic player pipe organ from the REO
employees' clubhouse?  If so, was it ever installed at the Baranger
Studios?  What happened to it?  I know Bob Gilson purchased a Welte
Philharmonic years ago (and then disbursed it).  Might that be the
same organ?

I would like to track it or its remnants down.  I would like to get
as much technical information and photos about the organ as possible
to document it.

Thanks!

Dave Krall