Here is the second part of an article I wrote for the Player Piano
Group Bulletin #140 in Autumn 1996 called "Aeolian roll numbering
explained (?)". It is written from a London perspective so fully covers
the American roll production of Aeolian in Meriden. The London factory
at Hayes issued many American roll masters but also added material of
its own. What follows was written in 1996, so could be improved.

From the various sources available, the following list identifies all
the numbering series Aeolian used to issue 65- and 88-note piano rolls
from 1897 through to 1939. Other than rolls 1-9999, the series are
identified by their 2- or 3-digit identifiers. All are 88n unless
identified as 65n. Duo-Art rolls were numbered entirely separately,

1 to 9999: The original American and London 65n series, both starting
at roll 1, London rolls prefixed with L. These are the original Pianola
rolls (earlier ones labelled as Piano Music or Aeriol Piano, later
becoming Universal or Metrostyle with the same number), and are plain
rolls without a Metrostyle line. Some were given Metrostyle markings
and occasionally Theme accenting later: normal Metrostyling adds prefix
Y or TY to the original number; Artist Interpretation Metrostyle lines
add prefix YA. Where a title was too long for one roll, sometimes rolls
were suffixed A, B, etc. A confusing variety of rolls can thus carry
the same number.

The American series continues up to roll 9964, and the London series
to L9219 (The Baboon Baby Dance, which sounds so much more fun than the
fox trot).

There are some 88n intruders in this number range: 900-949 are
classic mosaics, even numbers being 65n and odd numbers 88n. Specially
commissioned pieces composed for the Pianola are 950 onwards. Other
3-digit 88n series were used for hand-played (ex-Duo-Art) or special
series in later years.

Number series nnxxx where xxx could be from 001 to 999...

12xxx: Continuation of the London Metrostyle-only 65n series. This
series only runs to L12382, which looks to be sometime around 1910.
This suggests the series was discontinued, perhaps when Themodist
issues became the standard (the 15xxx series).

14xxx: Apart from the first 2 rolls, this is reserved for 65n
Interpreted rolls, all London series. Last number is L14205.

15xxx to 18xxx: 65n Themodist London series (TL prefix). Issues had
reached TL16075 by issue of the 1914 catalogue, and clearly continued
for some time as rolls are to be found in 17xxx and 18xxx series.

19xxx: 65n accompaniment rolls, only 10 issues by 1914 (TL19500-506,
800-803).

20xxx to 24xxx: The main London 88n series of Themodist and Metrostyle
rolls, sequentially issued from early 1909 onwards. These were either
originated in London, or were American masters that had been altered in
some manner in London so were not issued with their original 60xxx- or
80xxx-series number. These rolls were prefixed L (for Metrostyle rolls)
or TL (for Themodist) until about 1919, when the prefix for Themodist
rolls was reduced to T.

25xxx: Universal non-themed L series (This series complements the
incrementally-numbered S series of themed rolls, whose numbers do not
follow the structured style being discussed here.)

26xxx, 27xxx: Aeolian song rolls (English and foreign language
respectively)

30xxx: UK Themodist and Metrostyle series. In 1909 this was introduced
for Metrostyle rolls only, issues effectively ceasing when Themodist
became the standard. It was later resurrected for Themodist rolls after
1926 when the

2xxx0 to 24xxx number: series were exhausted. This was the final
Themodist series, surviving up to the end of roll production in the
late 1930s for new non-dance titles.

31xxx: Meloto and Regent dance rolls (1st series, 1925 to 1931).

32xxx: Meloto 65n versions of 31 series. Not all numbers were issued
in 65n, but those that were have the same final 3 digits as their 88n
original.

33xxx, 34xxx: Accompaniment rolls for singers or instrumentalists,
Themed and non-Themed respectively.

35xxx: In 1914 these are 88n Themodist rolls with interpreted
Metrostyle lines (the vast majority of interpreted rolls are in 65n
form only). Fairly limited in the number of issues, presumably
withdrawn early on.

From the late 1920s onwards re-used for Meloto small-size classical
rolls, which are popular classical items selected from the Themodist
catalogue. One of 3 related series (35xxx, 45xxx and 55xxx), being
small, medium and large rolls respectively!

36xxx, 37xxx: Universal Song rolls, duplicating the 26xxx/27xxx series.

38xxx: Meloto song rolls (superseding the 26xxx and 36xxx series in the
late 1920s). Rolls from 35000 are art songs and ballads, 35500 onwards
are song versions of 31xxx and 41xxx series dance rolls.

40xxx: By 1913 there were some 40 Metro-Art issues in this series,
although the vast majority of Metro-Art rolls were in the 200 series.
There are no 40-series Metro-Arts in the American catalogue, which
suggests that these rolls were recordings made in London and not issued
in America.

From April 1929 to April 1931, 245 dance rolls were issued on the
Metrostyle or Themodist label in the 40xxx series. These are parallel
issues of the Meloto 31xxx series.

41xxx, 42xxx: Meloto and Regent dance rolls (2nd series, 1931 to 1939)
88 and 65n versions respectively

45xxx: Meloto mid-size classical (see 35xxx series)

46xxx: 65n versions of Universal 36-series song rolls

55xxx: Meloto large-size classical

60xxx to 79xxx: American-sourced 65n series.

80xxx to 99xxx: In England, these numbers are reserved for
American-sourced Metrostyle-Themodist 88n series. London-cut versions
of these rolls use the same numbering as the original American series
unless the master was altered in some way, in which case they were
reallocated to the 20-24 series. American catalogues I have seen
suggest that these numbers were shared between the various Aeolian
labels in a fairly ad-hoc manner, so only a limited number of the rolls
in this range will have been Themodist.

100xxx: Late 65n series, see 300xxx series for discussion.

200xxx: Even numbers are themed Metro-Art 88n hand-played rolls.
The following odd numbers are the American Universal (i.e. unthemed)
versions, issued on various labels over the years, such as 'Universal
Uni-Record' from January 1915. Quite a number of performances in this
series were also issued for the Duo-Art.

300xxx: An unusual occurrence in British 88n form, and related to the
65n 100xxx series. The origin of these rolls is American, apparently
starting around 1911, judging from the 1913 American 65n catalogue in
which they abound.

By contrast, the 1914 British catalogue only lists 17 88n rolls in this
series, and perhaps 100 65n. American monthly bulletins from 1915 show
new issues in this series, with Themodist having even numbers and
Universal 'Melody Rolls' odd numbers. The 65n numbers aren't as
logical: 88n 301496/7 were matched by 65n numbers 104672 for Themodist
and 101025 for Universal. Few rolls with these numbers were listed in
British catalogues, and I could only speculate as to the reason. There
is scope for some more research here.

(Aeolian made many other rolls. Their own Duo-Art reproducing piano
issues. Regular 65n and 88n for other companies who had their own
numbering series. Most extensively Angelus Melodant Artistyle for
Wilcox & White. Other companies relabelled Aeolian rolls, notably
Kaster under their Triumph brand. These are not part of the above
listing.)

Julian Dyer
Wokingham, Berkshire, UK