Hi Everyone,  I just wanted to let everyone know that a newly restored
1921 fair organ by Jimmy Verbeeck will be shown for the first time this
coming Sunday, Sunday, August 3, 2014, from 12 noon to 5 p.m., at
Cranker's Museum of Mechanical Marvels in Honesdale, Pennsylvania.

The organ has 61 keys playing 256 pipes.  The pipes were modified at
some point to play at a higher pressure to increase the sound volume
of the organ.  Significant work on the cut-ups was necessary to correct
this problem.

Mr. Verbeeck built the organ in Birmingham, England.  The organ was
used by the Hatwell Brothers' travelling circus steam-driven carousel
which I believe was sold at auction in 1986.  Mr. Verbeeck did a
masterful job of constructing this organ and it has the most lovely
sound.  Noteworthy are the six ranks (136 pipes) of violin pipes in
different octaves that play the melody along with a baritone stop.

In addition to the premiere of this fine organ the museum has a lovely
84-key Mortier style L cafe organ that also has been rebuilt to
operating condition, with a fresh tuning and some needed repairs just
completed.  There are two additional large Mortier organs there that
are not operational at this time.

The museum is located in North East Pennsylvania.  They are having
their annual car show this Sunday, August 3, 2014 from 12 to 5.  The
museum has an extensive collection of vintage automobiles and a
collection of mechanical music devices, large and small.  The museum is
private and not generally open to the public except for the annual car
show which draws a large crowd.

At 1 p.m., prior to playing the organ for the first time to the public,
I will be giving a short talk explaining its history and the
restoration process.  The address is

  Cranker's Museum of Mechanical Marvels
  1012 Creamton Drive
  Honesdale, Pennsylvania 18431

Hoping to see some of you there.

Ben Gottfried - Ben's Player Piano Service
Richfield Springs, New York
http://www.bensplayerservice.com/