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

End-of-Year Fundraising Drive In Progress. Please visit our home page to see this and other announcements: https://www.mmdigest.com     Thank you. --Jody

MMD > Archives > January 2019 > 2019.01.01 > 02Prev  Next


"V'olin" = "V'Oleon" Self-playing Violin Device
By John McConnel

Troopers,  Posts regarding Robert-Morton's violin attachment are
spelling its name "V'olin", which is incorrect.  Its correct spelling
is "V'Oleon".  For a story on the V'Oleon, see pp. 530 and 521 of Vol.
II of the "Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ".  This volume
of the Encyclopedia was authored by David L. Junchen.

The V'Oleon's strings were "bowed" by a rotating cylinder of rosin.
Included in the V'Oleon story is a copy of a letter to an organ
builder that was written by Harry L. Boynton, the V'Oleon inventor.
Mr. Boynton says his instrument "is a marvel".  A V'Oleon advertisement
is reproduced on p. 530.

Kilgen offered a similar instrument, called a Mills Violano, for their
organs.  The caption on the V'Oleon ad mentions that very few of either
the V'Oleon or the Mills Violano were installed.

John McConnel


(Message sent Tue 1 Jan 2019, 23:46:52 GMT, from time zone GMT-0800.)

Key Words in Subject:  Device, Self-playing, Violin, V'Oleon, V'olin

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