Early 20th century industrial expansion in the automobile business
now is being used as a basis for the Dodge car advertising.   The
advertising text states, "In 1914 the Dodge brothers left Ford..." to
form their own company, competing with each other to create wonderful
cars, or words to that effect.  In the last several months these
American TV ads have depicted wild parties with people swinging from
chandeliers, drinking champagne, and racing cars.

We all realize that this era has common ground with mechanical music.
Many of our collected machines come from this year, or near by.  In my
own case, my Aeolian organ was first installed in 1914.

Aeolian also found favor with the Dodge brothers.  In fact, they both
were huge patrons, each purchasing very large instruments for mansions
in the Detroit area.

Horace Dodge was first to own an Aeolian with a purchase in 1914.  Soon
bigger mansions were planned for both brothers and that included two
more Aeolians.   Sadly, both Dodge brothers died during 1920, probably
as a result of the flu epidemic.  Neither saw these large 80-rank
organs which were stored for years before the mansions were finished.
Horace even had an Aeolian installed on his yacht, the Delphine.
But their widows did keep up the pace of lavish living, including
installing the previously ordered Aeolian organs.

The organ ordered by John Dodge survives in Meadow Brook Hall.  A tour
of this mansion was included in the Detroit AMICA convention in 1985(?).

  http://www.meadowbrookhall.org/ 

The organ ordered by Horace was given to a church, but has since been
removed and remains largely intact in storage.  I own two ranks of
pipes from that organ.  A tour of that mansion, before it was razed,
is on YouTube at

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8t7GyK7Ymo 

So in this case, the commercials don't overstate the facts. The Dodge
Brothers did indeed compete and live in the fast lane and they really
did participate in mechanical music to the fullest.

The Dodge commercials are at

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ot8Yzm8pbew 

Bob Taylor
Missouri