From: agr@lineone.net.geentroep (Adam Ramet)
To: Mechanical Music Digest <rolls@foxtail.com>
Date: Thu, 20 Jan 2000 15:59:05 -0000

Subject: Pianola Lessons at Hickie and Hickie Ltd. (UK)

I received a roll today with an unusual leader on it.  The roll was sold
by Hickie and Hickie Ltd., 153 Friar Street, Reading.  According to the
roll leader this was a well-known UK Aeolian dealership established
in 1864.  I can't recall if the firm is still trading.

I spoke with someone about this firm a while ago; I recollect that they
did player repairs well after WW2, only giving it all up a few decades
or so back.  The roll was an Aeolian roll with this new Hickie leader
stuck on.

The interesting thing about it is the central block informing about
the Hickie Music Library and most interestingly about the "Instruction
Class for Pianola Owners" that they were then offering, either on a
class or private tuition basis!  I've scanned this part of the leader
and am sending it for the MMD gallery for you to see.  The roll dates
from the mid-20s incidentally.

Has anyone else ever heard of commercially offered pianola tuition?
Picture it: rows of pianolas with pupils seated at their controls with
a teacher sat at, perhaps, a grand pianola at the front of the class.
;)

Best regards

Adam Ramet
http://website.lineone.net/~agr/index2.html