I became aware of the photos of this abandoned mansion more than
five years ago, so regrettably I would be surprised if anything is
left now.  On an on-line listing of original Welte Philharmonic pipe
organ locations, I saw mention of a 'Villa Amelie' in France, further
address unknown.  In searching for a house of this name I came across
a whole load of photographs on an 'Urban Exploration' site.

The photographs showed a beautiful, furnished but clearly abandoned
house of considerable size, bearing minimal signs of vandalism.  The
Library had been ransacked but in another reception room was a Welte
reproducing grand piano in a black case, looking to be in pristine
condition, while in the room mentioned in Jere Ryder's posting few days
ago was this empty organ case fronted by what appears to be a Welte
keyboardless reproducing piano.  The room containing the organ appears
to open out of a laboratory.

If this was indeed an original Welte organ installation, I conjecture
that the piano might have been playable from the organ, as with some
Aeolian installations.  Sadly, I have discovered some very upsetting
and apparently more recent photographs online which show the house in
a much more advanced state of dereliction, bearing the signs of heavy
vandalism.  The Welte grand has been pushed off its legs and smashed
up; This is all very sad and I wish that I had never seen these images.

It seems incredible that such a luxurious house could come to such an
unnecessary and wasteful end, but unfortunately this is something which
we see again and again, all over the world.

Greetings from the UK
Rowland Lee

 [ Welte Grand, Villa Amelie drawing room
 [ http://www.mmdigest.com/Attachments/16/10/13/161013_091841_Villa%20Amelie%20France2.jpg 
 [ Villa Amelie organ from Gallery
 [ http://www.mmdigest.com/Attachments/16/10/13/161013_091841_Villa%20Amelie%20France1.jpg