Mechanical Music Digest  Archives
You Are Not Logged In Login/Get New Account
Please Log In. Accounts are free!
Logged In users are granted additional features including a more current version of the Archives and a simplified process for submitting articles.
Home Archives Calendar Gallery Store Links Info
MMD > Archives > September 2015 > 2015.09.16 > 02Prev  Next


Restoring Berry-Wood Coin Piano
By John Rutoskey

I'm seeking some assistance from owners of Berry-Wood coin pianos.
I recently acquired an example with a very pretty case and art glass.
It's a standard size upright, and it plays just the piano using its
original rewind-type rolls.  The roll frame is mounted in the bottom
of the case in the center, with the stack mounted under the keyboard
right over top of the roll frame.  A pair of double doors covers the
lower area.

The pump and motor were originally on the back, but are now missing.
Inside the lower portion of the case to the far right is a wooden
friction wheel about eight inches in diameter, mounted on the roll
drive shaft.  This wheel can be adjusted left and right to control
the speed of the music.

There was evidently some type of shaft and pulley arrangement driven
from the motor to turn the roll which passed from outside to inside
the case through a hole in a heavily reinforced area of the soundboard,
but all of this is now missing except for the approximately 1/2-inch
bearing hole remaining through the back of the piano.

I'm seeking others who have one of these pianos, or photographs of
what it all looks like.  I have seen photos of several gutted examples,
and many with the roll frame mounted on the back, but not one like
mine that is still complete.

Help and advice from anyone with a Berry-Wood piano that has the pump
and motor on the back is very much appreciated.

John Rutoskey
Baltimore, Maryland


(Message sent Wed 16 Sep 2015, 19:54:20 GMT, from time zone GMT-0700.)

Key Words in Subject:  Berry-Wood, Coin, Piano, Restoring

Home    Archives    Calendar    Gallery    Store    Links    Info   


Enter text below to search the MMD Website with Google



CONTACT FORM: Click HERE to write to the editor, or to post a message about Mechanical Musical Instruments to the MMD

Unless otherwise noted, all opinions are those of the individual authors and may not represent those of the editors. Compilation copyright 1995-2024 by Jody Kravitz.

Please read our Republication Policy before copying information from or creating links to this web site.

Click HERE to contact the webmaster regarding problems with the website.

Please support publication of the MMD by donating online

Please Support Publication of the MMD with your Generous Donation

Pay via PayPal

No PayPal account required

                                     
Translate This Page