BBC the History Channel is doing a story on John McTammany and will be
filming here in St. Joseph, Missouri, on February 13th and 14th.  Not
much survives of McTammany's early inventions.  He crossed Missouri in
1875 searching for backers and stayed briefly in St. Louis.

He soon left St. Louis and arrived completely broke in Boston where he
rented a garret above a piano factory.  There in this small quarters
his first 14-note organette was born.  The model I have bears the
Boston location and bears no serial number as very few were made.
The sales of these instruments moved him to Worchester, Massachusetts,
where he went on to fame and fortune.

A direct descendant of his will be here in St. Joseph.  She is bringing
a number of historical items and documents.  Sadly, she has never seen
or heard any of John McTammany's instruments.  Another one of his
organettes has even one of the original multi-tune demonstrator rolls
featuring all the different types of selections available.

Filming will be done in several of the many outstanding 1880s mansions
and literally will be a trip back in time.  The show should air around
Memorial Day.

Gregory Filardo