The complete story of the rescue of the magnificent Welte Brisgovia
Style D orchestrion, one of the finest large orchestrions in the world,
is told in my book "The Golden Age of Automatic Musical Instruments."

While writing the book, I had the opportunity to interview Arthur E.
Pierce, a radio announcer and player piano hobbyist from Plattsburgh,
New York, who saved it from being destroyed by a salvage company in
1962.  This happened just days before the mansion in which was located
was to be burned in a firefighter training drill.

This Welte was the first large orchestrion I ever heard, when it was
owned by Robert Johnson in Rossville, Georgia, in the mid-1960s.  For
the dramatic story in the words of the man who rescued it and many other
fascinating early collecting stories, with hundreds of professional
color pictures and important technical information, "The Golden Age"
is available by mail order from http://www.mechanicalmusicpress.com/ 

Art Reblitz
http://www.reblitzrestorations.com/