The AMICA BULLETINAUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENT COLLECTORS’ ASSOCIATIONNOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2004 VOLUME 41, NUMBER 6

AMICA MINNEAPOLIS 2005June 29th - July 3 rd

(TENTATIVE SCHEDULE)

Wednesday, June 29th

.:. Registration

.:. International Board Meeting

.:. Optional half-day sightseeing tour

.:. Hospitality Room open

.:. Pumper practice

Thursday, June 30th

.:. Welcome breakfast with Foshay Tower video

.:. Foshay Tower and Mill City Museum visit /vintage bus shuttle

.:. Lunch on your own

.:. Heights Theater: Organ concert, movie and Miss Jane's Parlor

.:. Dinner on your own

.:. Pumper Contest

.:. Hospitality Room open

Friday, July 1st

.:. Breakfast and James J. Hill House video

.:. Pavek Museum of Broadcasting, Chain of Lakes tour, Ron Olsen's Residence

.:. Box lunch at Como Park Pavilion

.:. Carousel, Conservatory, Zoo and amusements at Como Park

.:. Transportation Museum tour

.:. Scandinavian Smorgasbord and tour of James J. Hill House

.:. Nicholson House (next door) for dessert, organ concert and fireworks

.:. Hospitality Room open

Saturday, July 2 nd

.:. Breakfast on your own

.:. Workshops

.:. Lunch on your own

.:. Mart and free time

.:. Banquet

.:. Hospitality room open

Sunday, July 3 rd

.:. Farewell Breakfast and Business Meeting

.:. Optional Home Tours

L

Entire contents © 2004 AMICA International Printed by Engler Printing Co., Fremont, OH • englerprinting@ezworks.net 321

VOLUME 41, Number 6 November/December 2004

FEATURESSeven Popular Reproducing Piano Myths Debunked — 325Test Roll Project — 326Music Quotes - From Igor Kipnis — 327Piano Roll Box Repair — 328Rebirth of the Player Piano — 330Agenda 2004 AMICA Board Meeting — 337Overview of “Music a Mile High” — 355Denver Convention 2004 — 357Amazing Photoplayers — 364

DEPARTMENTSAMICA International — 322

President’s Message — 323

Publisher’s Message — 323Letters —324

From Your Membership Secretary — 329They Shall Be Remembered — 366New Piano Rolls & Recuts — 368Chapter News — 373Classified Ads — 380

Front Cover: AMPICO Piano Roll - The Story of Christmas

Inside Front: AMICA Minneapolis 2005

Back Cover: Denver 2004 Sheriff Jere DeBacker, Don Johnson, Bob Andersen

Inside Back Cover: Cosmopolitan Magazine Ad Submitted by Robin Pratt.

THE AMICA BULLETINAUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENT COLLECTORS' ASSOCIATION

Published by the Automatic Musical Instrument Collectors’ Association, a non-profit, tax exempt group devoted to the restoration, distributionand enjoyment of musical instruments using perforated paper music rolls and perforated music books. AMICA was founded in San Francisco, California in 1963.

PROFESSOR MICHAEL A. KUKRAL, PUBLISHER, 216 MADISON BLVD., TERRE HAUTE, IN 47803-1912 -- Phone 812-238-9656, E-mail: Kukral@Rose-Hulman.eduVisit the AMICA Web page at: http://www.amica.org

Associate Editor: Mr. Larry Givens

AMICA BULLETINDisplay and Classified AdsArticles for PublicationLetters to the PublisherChapter News

UPCOMING PUBLICATIONDEADLINESThe ads and articles must be receivedby the Publisher on the 1st of theOdd number months:

January JulyMarch SeptemberMay November

Bulletins will be mailed on the 1st weekof the even months.

Dr. Michael A. Kukral, Publisher216 Madison Blvd.Terre Haute, Indiana 47803-1912Phone: 812-238-9656e-mail: kukral@rose-hulman.edu

MEMBERSHIP SERVICES

New Memberships . . . . . . . . . . $42.00

Renewals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $42.00Additional $5.00 due if renewed

past the Jan. 31 deadline

Address changes and corrections

Directory information updates

Additional copies ofMember Directory . . . . $25.00

Single copies of back issues($10.00 per issue - basedupon availability)

William Chapman (Bill)53685 Avenida BermudasLa Quinta, CA 92253-3586(760) 564-2951e-mail: shazam32@earthlink.net

To ensure timely delivery of yourBULLETIN, please allow 6-weeksadvance notice of address changes.

AMICA Publications reserves the right to accept, reject, or edit any and all submitted articles and advertising.

ISSN #1533-9726

322

AAMMIICCAA IINNTTEERRNNAATTIIOONNAALL

INTERNATIONAL OFFICERSPRESIDENT Mike Walter

65 Running Brook Dr.,Lancaster, NY 14086-3314

716-656-9583e-mail: mikew_14086@yahoo.com

PAST PRESIDENT Dan C. BrownN. 4828 Monroe Street

Spokane, WA 99205-5354509-325-2626

e-mail: pianola@cet.comVICE PRESIDENT John Motto-Ros

P.O. Box 908Sutter Creek, CA 95685-0908

209-267-9252SECRETARY Christy Counterman

544 Sunset View Drive, Akron, Ohio 44320330-864-4864

e-mail: stumpfad@earthlink.netTREASURER Wesley Neff

128 Church Hill Drive, Findlay, Ohio 45840419-423-4827

e-mail: rwesleyneff@aol.comPUBLISHER Dr. Michael A. Kukral

216 Madison Blvd., Terre Haute, IN 47803-1912812-238-9656

e-mail: Kukral@Rose-Hulman.eduMEMBERSHIP SECRETARY William Chapman (Bill)

53685 Avenida Bermudas, La Quinta, CA 92253-3586760-564-2951 – Fax 775-923-7117

e-mail: shazam32@earthlink.net

— COMMITTEES —AMICA ARCHIVES Stuart Grigg

20982 Bridge St., Southfield, MI 48034 - Fax: (248) 356-5636

AMICA MEMORIAL FUND John Motto-RosP.O. Box 908, Sutter Creek, CA 95685-0908 209-267-9252

AUDIO-VISUAL & TECHNICAL Harold Malakinian2345 Forest Trail Dr., Troy, MI 48098

CONVENTION COORDINATOR Frank Nix6030 Oakdale Ave., Woodland Hills, CA 91367 818-884-6849

HONORARY MEMBERS Jay Albert904-A West Victoria Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101-4745

(805) 966-9602 - e-mail: bkmeeder@aol.com

WEB MASTER Karl B. Ellison6 Lions Lane, Salem, MA 01970-1784

ellison1@localnet.com

BOSTON AREAPres. Bill Koenigsburg -(978) 369-8523Vice Pres: Bob TempestSec: Ginger ChristiansenTreas: Karl EllisonReporter: Don BrownBoard Rep: Karl Ellison

CHICAGO AREAPres: Curt Clifford - (630) 279-0872Vice Pres: John MuellerSec: Thad KochannyTreas: Joe PekarekReporter: Kathy StoneBoard Rep: George Wilder

FOUNDING CHAPTERPres: Bing Gibbs - (408) 253-1866Vice Pres: Karen Ann SimonsSec: Lyle Merithew & Sandy SwirskyTreas: Richard ReutlingerReporter: Tom McWayBoard Rep: Richard Reutlinger

GATEWAY CHAPTERPres: Tom Novak - Vice Pres: Bob CrowleySec,/Treas: Jane NovakReporter: Mary WilsonBoard Rep: Gary Craig

HEART OF AMERICAPres: Tom McAuleyVice Pres: Robbie TubbsSec/Treas: Kay BodeBoard Rep: Ron Connor

LADY LIBERTYPres: Vincent Morgan (718) 479-2562Vice Pres: Keith BiggerReporting Sec: Maureen SabodaCorresponding Sec: Richard KarlssonTreas: Ira MalekReporter:Marty RosaBoard Reps: Marvin & Dianne PolanNewsletter Editor: Bill Maguire

MIDWEST (OH, MI, IN, KY)Pres: Stuart Grigg - (248) 356-5005Vice Pres: Liz BarnhartSec: Sharon NeffTreas: Alvin WulfekuhlReporter: Christy CountermanBoard Rep: Liz Barnhart

NORTHERN LIGHTSPres: Phil BairdVice Pres: Sec: Jason E. Beyer - (507) 454-3124Treas: Howie O’NeillReporter: Dorothy OldsBoard Rep: Dorothy Olds

PACIFIC CAN-AMPres: Carl Kehret - (360) 892-3161Vice Pres: Peg KehretSec: Halie DodrillTreas: Bev SporeReporter: Mark Smithberg Board Rep: Carl Dodrill

SIERRA NEVADAPres: John Motto-Ros - (209) 267-9252Vice Pres: Sonja LemonSec/Treas: Doug & Vicki MahrReporter: Nadine Motto-RosBoard Rep: John Motto-Ros

SOWNY (Southern Ontario,Western New York)

Pres: Mike Walter - (716) 656-9583Vice Pres: Stan AldridgeSec/Mem. Sec: Gary & Anne LemonTreas: Holly WalterReporter: Frank WarbisBoard Rep:

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIAPres: Frank Nix - (818) 884-6849Vice Pres: Richard IngramSec./Reporter. Shirley NixTreas: Ken HodgeBoard Rep: Frank Nix

TEXASPres: Jerry Bacon - (214) 328-9369Vice Pres: Bill BoruffTreas: Vicki BradySec: Janet TonnesenBoard Rep: Dick MerchantBulletin Reporter: Haden Vandiver

CHAPTER OFFICERS

AFFILIATED SOCIETIES AND ORGANIZATIONSATOSPresident - Fr. Gus Franklin6508 Willow Springs RoadSpringfield, IL 62707-9500Phone: (217) 585-1770 Fax: (217) 585-0835E-Mail: franklin@atos.orgEditor - Dale BakerP. O. Box 51450Indianapolis, IN 46251-0450Phone: (317) 838-9345E-Mail: baker@atos.org

AUSTRALIAN COLLECTORS OFMECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS19 Waipori StreetSt. Ives NSW 2075, Australia

DUTCH PIANOLA ASSOC.Nederlandse Pianola VerenigingEikendreef 245342 HR Oss, Netherlands

FRIENDS OF SCOTT JOPLIN1217 St. Croix Ct.Kirkwood, MO 63122-2326

website: http//stlouis.missouri.org/fsjoplinfsjoplin@stlouis.missouri.org

INTERNATIONAL PIANOARCHIVES AT MARYLANDPerforming Arts Library,University of Maryland2511 Clarice Smith Performing Arts CenterCollege Park, MD 20742Phone: (301) 405-9224Fax: (301) 314-7170E-Mail: dm137@umail.umd.edu

INT. VINTAGE PHONO & MECH.MUSIC SOCIETYC.G. Nijsen, Secretaire General19 Mackaylaan5631 NM Eindhoven, Netherlands

MUSICAL BOX SOCIETY OF GREATBRITAINAlan Pratt, EditorP. O. Box 299Waterbeach, Cambridge CB4 4PJEngland

MUSICAL BOX SOCIETYINTERNATIONALRosanna Harris, Editor5815 West 52nd AvenueDenver, CO 80212Phone: (303) 431-9033 Fax: (303) 431-6978E-Mail: mbsi@estreet.com

NETHERLANDS MECHANICALORGAN SOCIETY - KDVA. T. MeijerWilgenstraat 24NL-4462 VS Goes, Netherlands

NORTHWEST PLAYER PIANOASSOCIATIONEverson Whittle, Secretary11 Smiths Road, Darcy Lever,Bolton BL3 2PP, Gt. Manchester, EnglandHome Phone: 01204 529939Business Phone: 01772 208003

PIANOLA INSTITUTEClair Cavanagh, Secretary

43 Great Percy St., London WC1X 9RAEngland

PLAYER PIANO GROUPJulian Dyer, Bulletin Editor5 Richmond Rise, Workingham,Berkshire RG41 3XH, United KingdomPhone: 0118 977 1057Email: jrd@ngcscd.demon.co.uk

SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTIONDivision of Musical HistoryWashington, D.C. 20560

SOCIETY FOR SELF-PLAYINGMUSICAL INSTRUMENTSGesellschaft für Selbstspielende Musikinstrumente (GSM) E.V.Ralf SmolneEmmastr. 56D-45130 Essen, GermanyPhone:**49-201-784927Fax:**49-201-7266240Email: president@musica-mechanica.de

The Holiday Season is upon us once more. Everyone is busy bustling around making last minute arrangements. The Christmas

goose is nearly in the oven and the Hanukah candles are being readied. It is a time of good cheer, sharing gifts with one another, and

for remembering the best parts of this past year. One of the most memorable moments of this year for us was going to the Denver

convention in August. The weather was great, the scenery was fantastic, the musical instruments and workshops were “the best” and

also unique, but most importantly, we had the opportunity to visit with fellow AMICAns who had also come to Denver for the very

same reasons. In a way, the AMICA convention each year is very much like a holiday gathering. We get together once a year to renew

old acquaintances, eat fantastic meals, share unusual sights with each other and pass on wonderful stories and information about a

shared interest, the player piano. And just like December’s gatherings, when we arrive back at our homes after our convention, we are

renewed, inspired and energized to do a bit more with our hobby, and for some, our passion.

For those who have never had the time or opportunity to attend a convention, I urge you to take the plunge and sign up for one!

You will never regret it. There are three marvelous opportunities for you on the near horizon: Minneapolis in 2005, Chicago in 2006

and Germany/Holland in 2007. Each convention will be entirely different from the previous one. Each location will offer a distinct

flavor and will have many unique attractions such as the Mall of America, the SanFilippo collection, and all of Europe. How much

more variety do you need? I am looking forward to seeing you at each one!

Best wishes for the holiday season!Mike Walter

MerMerrry Chry Chrisistmas and Happtmas and Happy Holiday Holidayys ts to All!o All!The holiday season is here and I hope that the spirit finds you, one and all, in good cheer and in good health. The leaves have

fallen and the snow is piling up as fast as Christmas rolls on the top of my player piano.Last month I hosted a group of continuing education senior citizens at my home for a program on the player piano and other

instruments. It was a wonderful experience for all of us and I promised another session soon. Wine was served and the afternoon was a great start to the holidays for me. Common questions that were asked: “Where do you obtain rolls,” and, “Are piano rolls stillmanufactured?” I was delighted to tell my curious guests that piano rolls are still being cut for both 88-note players and for the bigthree reproducing pianos.

How long will these rolls continue to be issued and reissued? The answer to that depends on YOU! As long as collectors support recutters and producers of music rolls, I imagine and hope that piano rolls will be available. Therefore, I suggest that you treatyourself and your friends to a holiday gift and buy some new tunes for that wonderful classic piano or other automatic instrument ofyours!

Happy New Year to All! Mike Kukral,

Publisher

323

President’s Message

From the Publisher’s Desk

P.S. Does anyone have an entire roll of “Good King Wenceslas?”

I have been looking for this roll for years and can only find

this Christmas song included very briefly in medleys.

P.S. - Please check the bulletin for a couple of

new and exciting projects that are “in the works”!

Dear fellow Amicans,Over the past few years my wife and I

have entertained many people fromaround the world with our Knabe Ampico piano. But today was the mostinteresting experience that we have everhad. We had three deaf people here, oneAmerican and two from Uzbekistan.They all wanted to know what thosethings were in the long boxes in our rollcabinet. I pointed to the piano and theyall wanted to “hear” a roll. They wereable to “hear” the music by placing theirhands on the sides of the piano as itplayed. They were all amazed and dulyimpressed that such a thing could exist.

We who are hearing seldom thankGod for the great gift of being able tohear. We hear music, cringe at loud noises, are lulled to sleep by softmelodies and sometimes wish we couldn’t hear when someone yells at us.But don’t forget that there are many people who, for one reason or another,don’t have this ability. The next time you listen to your mechanical musicalinstruments, or even when someone yellsat you, thank god that He has given youthe gift of hearing.

Vincent Morgan

AMICA ANNUAL AWARDS NOMINATIONS

It is time to submit nominations for the AMICA Annual Awards. Ifyou know of a deserving individual, please make a nomination (include abrief summary supporting the nomination). Recipients must be AMICAmembers. The two awards are:

Leo Ornstein Award: Contribute some way in a literary effort to furtherand promote the goals of AMICA, either by contributions to theAMICA Bulletin or by independent books, articles, etc. Contributionmust have been made during the past two years.

AMICA International Award: Contribute substantially to the promotionof automatic music and AMICA as viewed technically, musically,archivally or from the perspective of the general public.

Request that nominations be submitted to me as chairman of theawards committee no later than December 31, 2004. Please contact meif you have any questions.

John MottorosAMICA Awards Committee Chairman

P.O. Box 908Sutter Creek, CA 95685-0908E-mail:mottoros@volcano.net

Electronic form of the “AMICA Technicalities”The AMICA Technicalities - Our annually bound publication

of the prior years' technical articles compiled from the Bulletinsince the early 1970's - are currently available for sale in paperform.

An ad-hoc group is forming to consider the possibility andfeasibility of electronically scanning the existing Technicalitiesfor the purpose of:

1. Preserving them in a digital format

2. Indexing them so they're electronically searchable

3. To provide them to members on a CD (or any future media) at a reasonable cost - to be determined.

4. To eliminate AMICA's cost of maintaining cases of paper that must be stored, periodically shipped to new ‘care-takers’every few years, and re-printed from time-to-time at moderate expense.

The AMICA Board is interested in a scanning/preservationproposal, but would also like to know if there's a demand for

this publication to be made available in an electronic format.Sales of the printed Technicalities have been poor, so wouldthese documents going back to the early 1970's be of interest ifon a CD and searchable in a quality scanned form? The userwould use the CD to search an index of keywords on their computer and be directed to the article of interest - and couldprint out the article on their own printer if they wish.

If you feel you would be interested in purchasing the Technicalities in this form in the future - or have any comments regarding to - or offers of help in this effort, please email your thoughts to:

AMICA-Technicalities-Scanning@yahoogroups.com

or post a letter to:

Karl EllisonAMICA Scanning Project

6 Lions LaneSalem, MA 01970

ETTERS

324

EVEN POPULARBy Jeffrey Morgan

REPRODUCING PIANO MYTHS DEBUNKED

1. The Ampico Model B was developed as an improvement over the Model A; and, there are no compatibility problems with earlier rolls.

The Reality: The Ampico Model Bwas frantically developed to circumvent an infringement threatfrom a phony patent (filed in EdwinWelte’s name) concocted in the early ‘teens by Tolbert F. Cheek forGeorge Gittens and, later, assigned toGittens’ Welte-Mignon Corporation ofBronx, New York. Additionally, theModel B was developed at the cost of making obsolete Ampico’s entire library of recordings due to incompatibility between earliersoftware (rolls) and the new hardware.

2. Ampico editor Angelico Valerio was a talented musician.

The Reality: Actually, he wasn’t. He was trained by Clarence N. Hickman to edit by rote. After Hickman’s spark-chronograph wasincorporated into the Ampico recording process, the task of editingwas formulized by Hickman and entailed transferring spark-chronograph readings to note recordings. Such readings were first converted by Hickman-derivedprotocols to Ampico dynamic intensity values for each note. Theintensity values were then translatedby Hickman-derived intensity scalesinto (at first, 1926-7) Model A, andfrom November 1927 onward, ModelB Ampico expression coding language, which was subsequentlyhand-perforated onto a trial roll.

Such new editing methods yieldedsignificant cost savings in Ampico’sediting department as they were much more efficient than earliermethodology employed by EdgarFairchild (Milton Suskind). Hickman’snew methods allowed Ampico to replace such highly skilled and musically talented (read expensive) editors as Fairchild with less skilled

(and lower-salaried) editors like Valerio. While the new methods may have been more scientific and accurate, a strong case can be madethat artistry suffered at Ampico as aresult of the absence of Fairchild’scertifiably prodigious musical talentsin the editing department. Where isValerio’s post-Ampico musical career?

3. Tolbert F. Cheek was an ethical and honest person; he was not in any way an opportunist. He also was a genius in pneumatic technology.

The Reality: It seems Tolbert Cheekwas a very ambitious man! Hisemployment and patent histories puthim repeatedly at the epicenter ofmuch industrial espionage and patentexploitation. His pneumatic designsindicate a very poor grasp of fluidmechanics. While innately clever, hispersistent preference for non-linearand inconsistent leaf springs indicateslarge gaps in his command of mechanics and physics. By doggedlyadhering to inferior leaf springs, his patents reveal more focus on circumvention than creativity. Most ofhis patents are fully anticipated bydesigns patented previously by otherindividuals.

4. Charles Fuller Stoddard was a ruthless thief of other peoples’ ideas.

The Reality: Quite the opposite! Stoddard was the victim of TolbertCheek’s thievery connected withindustrial espionage, which occurredat the Auto Pneumatic Action Company during the early ‘teens.Individuals who actually worked withStoddard (Adam Carroll, LewisDoman, Clarence Hickman, & CarlSchneider) all regarded him highly intheir later lives. Research suggeststhat this myth stems from a deep-seated grudge held by Cheek (andpassed on to his protégés) againstStoddard for the tone of his testimonyin Interference #40,391.

5. The early metric T-100 Welte-Mignon recording process had electrical/magnetic instant-replay capability with expression.

The Reality: The inspiration for thismyth was the mid-1950s developmentof magnetic bank-check-reading capability culminating in the 1956introduction of Rand model E-13-BMICR ( Magnetic Ink Character Recognizer). The E-13-B representedsome of the very first equipment commercially available to read bankchecks magnetically; it revolutionizedthe banking industry and that was big news!

The E-13-B was manufactured by the Rand Corporation of SantaMonica, California. Just up the road inHollywood (at 6906 Santa MonicaBoulevard) was the headquarters ofThe Pacific Network Inc., which wasthe regional licensee of Muzak.Muzak was also an innovator in magnetic technology. It pioneered theproduction and distribution of musicalrecordings in magnetic-tape format.Muzak’s recordings were custom tailored to manipulate large segmentsof the population subliminally, e.g.,retail shoppers, factory workers, officeemployees, etc. The late Richard C. Simonton was president of ThePacific Network Inc.

6. The late Richard C. Simonton was a selfless champion of the Welte-Mignon.

The Reality: It seems Simonton’smotives were not entirely altruistic.Recent research and surviving writtenevidence both indicate that Simontonexploited the Welte-Mignon by producing and shamelessly promoting(see myth number 5) phonographrecords of the Welte-Mignon performing its recordings (rolls) to audiophiles of the 1950s and ‘60s.

Most latter-day scholars of thereproducing piano agree that many ofthese Simonton-produced phonograph

continue. . .

325

326

transcriptions of the Welte-Mignon areof highly questionable accuracy and,therefore, of little historic merit. Thelate Harold C. Schonberg (long-timechief music critic for the New YorkTimes) once remarked to this authorthat such recordings set the cause ofromantic-era piano music back some35 years!

Additionally, what better way to feed Muzak’s voracious appetite for new recordings than to acquireaccess to a sizeable mechanical-musiclibrary of uncopyrighted performances?Today’s parallel would be the relentless mining (scanning) of unpro tec ted mechan ica l -mus iclibraries by Midi-obsessed techno-opportunists whose pedestrian musicaltastes ill equip them to discern thedamage they are doing to the music they usurp…all while cloaked

in the ostensibly altruistic guise of“archivists.”

7. Lewis B. Doman was the victim of Charles Stoddard; Doman was the real inventor of the Ampico.

The Reality: Wrong! If not for thecapital generated by George Foster’ssuccessful efforts (assisted by Stoddard and Hickman) to sell theAmerican Piano Company (APC) toBankers Trust in the spring of 1927,Doman would never have been able toretire and pursue his other interests(pipe organ perforators and players). Moreover, Doman and Stoddard continued to exchange cordial correspondence well after Doman’sretirement.

It is possible that Stoddard got the idea for the Ampico’s pneumatic

spring from an October 7, 1913,patent issued to Doman, which depicts a similar but cruder spring.Doman’s rudimentary application of this device does not anticipateStoddard’s sophisticated, highlyadvanced and fully developed form.Even so, Doman’s patent is dutifully acknowledged as prior art in Stoddard’s patent application for the Ampico’s pneumatic spring. Itshould also be noted that Hickmanappropriated more of Doman’s ideasfor the Ampico Model B expressionsystem than Stoddard ever did for earlier Ampico models. By the time ofModel B development, Doman’sAmphion patent portfolio had longbeen the property of APC. In fact,Doman’s 1923 patent for the ArtEchoborrows heavily from earlier Stoddarddesigns.

continued. . .

For many members of AMICA the bi-monthly bulletin and its greatbrochures are the only tangible souvenirsof their annual dues. I would like to addvalue to all of your membership dollarsand also add to the enjoyment of yourtreasured musical instruments at the sametime! “How can this be done” you mayask? This can be done by offering toAMICA members only, test rolls notavailable to anyone else.

While at the Denver convention, I wasspeaking with a couple other AMICAnsand they were bemoaning the fact thatthere were no test rolls available formany automatic musical instruments. I thought that our organization could possibly be a supplier of these rolls to many members who want their instruments in tip-top shape but have nomeans of testing them. Since that time I have spoken to five people who haveperforators and they all were enthusiasticabout the project and agreed to help.

Step two is to borrow a supply oforiginal test rolls in (hopefully) goodcondition so that they may be able to be duplicated. So far I have lined up thefollowing rolls:

AMPICO61391 Model A Test Roll 70403 Model B Test Roll 70601 Model B Note Compensation Roll 55743 Installation Test Roll 58434 Special Amphion Tester

(uses part of roll # 50977) 50203 Ampico Tester

“Special Staccato Tester” (uses part of roll # 201893)

WELTE (LICENSEE)Bob Taylor's newly edited special test

roll (that eliminates, I believe, the twopersons in attendance problem)

RECORDOTest roll(s) from Bob Billings

At the present time there are no Duo-Art perforators in operation ofwhich I am aware. Hopefully by nextyear that will change.

The plan is to gather together abouttwenty-five different rolls for differentinstruments, have the rolls scanned, perforated, printed and then offered tomembers at cost. They will be availableonly to current members of AMICA.

What is needed:A variety of original test rolls

for various instruments such as nickelodeons, violanos, pipe organs, etc,that may be borrowed for a short period of time. AMICA will try to have a small supply of these rolls in stock at all times, so that if you find anApollo or an Orchestrelle in your town,you can be fairly certain that we willhave a test roll for it.

Also, since we will be trying to makethe rolls as close to original as possible,the original printing will be on the roll,instead of on a sheet that can be lost. Thiswill necessitate doing a bit of printingwith a wide carriage printer. If anyonewishes to assist in the printing part of theproject, please contact me. Your help willbe greatly appreciated!

If you have any comments, questionsor rolls to offer, please contact me.Remember that the success of the project depends on you! This is yourorganization. Let's make it the best organization that it can be!

AMICAbly yours, Mike Walter amicapresident@yahoo.com • 716-656-9583

TEST ROLLProject

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USIC QUOTESSubmitted by Robert Ridgeway

FROM IGOR KIPNIS“My sole inspiration is a telephone callfrom a producer.”

- Cole Porter

“I write [music] as a sow piddles.”- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

“Don't bother to look, I’ve composed allthis already.”

- Gustav Mahler(to Bruno Walter who had stopped to admire

mountain scenery in rural Austria)

“I would rather play Chiquita Banana andhave my swimming pool than play Bachand starve.”

- Xavier Cugat

“[Musicians] talk of nothing but moneyand jobs. Give me businessmen everytime. They really are interested in musicand art.”

- Jean Sibelius, explaining why he rarely invited

musicians to his home.

“The amount of money one needs is terrifying...”

- Ludwig van Beethoven

“Only become a musician if there isabsolutely no other way you can make aliving.”

- Kirke Mecham,on his life as a composer

“There is nothing more difficult thantalking about music.”

- Camille Saint-Saens

“I am not handsome, but when womenhear me play, they come crawling to myfeet.”

- Niccolo Paganini

“Of course I’m ambitious. What’s wrongwith that? Otherwise you sleep all day.”

- Ringo Starr

“What is the voice of song, when theworld lacks the ear of taste?”

-Nathaniel Hawthorne

“Flint must be an extremely wealthytown: I see that each of you bought twoor three seats.”

- Victor Borge, playing to a half-filled house in

Flint, Michigan.

“If one hears bad music it is one’s duty todrown it by one’s conversation.”

- Oscar Wilde

“Critics can’t even make music by rubbing their back legs together.”

- Mel Brooks

“Life can’t be all bad when for ten dol-lars you can buy all the Beethovensonatas and listen to them for ten years.”

- William F. Buckley, Jr.

“You can’t possibly hear the last movement of Beethoven's Seventh andgo slow.”

- Oscar Levant, explaining his way out of a speeding ticket.

“Wagner ’s music is better than itsounds.”

- Mark Twain

“I love Beethoven, especially thepoems.”

- Ringo Starr

“If a young man at the age of twenty-three can write a symphony like that, infive years he will be ready to commitmurder.”

- Walter Damrosch on Aaron Copland

“There are still so many beautiful thingsto be said in C major.”

-Sergei Prokofiev

“I never use a score when conducting myorchestra... Does a lion tamer enter acage with a book on how to tame a lion?”

- Dimitri Mitropolous

“God tells me how the music shouldsound, but you stand in the way.”

-Arturo Toscanini, to a trumpet player

“Already too loud!” - Bruno Walter

at his first rehearsal with an Americanorchestra, on seeing the players reaching

for their instruments.

“I really don’t know whether any placecontains more pianists than Paris, orwhether you can find more asses and virtuosos anywhere.”

- Frederic Chopin

“When she started to play, Steinway himself came down personally andrubbed his name off the piano.”

- Bob Hope,on comedienne Phyllis Diller

“Never look at the trombones, it onlyencourages them.”

- Richard Strauss

“In opera, there is always too muchsinging.”

- Claude Debussy

“An exotic and irrational entertainment.” - Samuel Johnson’s

definition of opera

“If a thing isn’t worth saying, you sing it.”

- Pierre Beaumarchais,The Barber of Seville

“Opera is where a guy gets stabbed in theback, and instead of dying, he sings.”

- Robert Benchley

“I’d hate this to get out, but I really likeopera.”

- Ford Frick (Commissioner of Baseball)

“Oh how wonderful, really wonderfulopera would be if there were no singers!”

- Gioacchino Rossini

“Movie music is noise. It’s even morepainful than my sciatica.”

- Sir Thomas Beecham

“I think popular music in this country isone of the few things in the twentiethcentury that have made giant strides inreverse.”

- Bing Crosby

“Theirs [the Beatles] is a happy, cocky, belligerently resourceless brand of harmonic primitivism...In the Liverpudlian repertoire, the indulgentamateurishness of the musical material,though closely rivaled by the indifferenceof the performing style, is actually surpassed only by the ineptitude of thestudio production method. (StrawberryFields suggests a chance encounter at amountain wedding between ClaudioMonteverdi and a jug band.)”

- Glenn Gould

“ponderous orchestral absurdity.” - Frank Zappa

on his rock symphony debuted by the LosAngeles Philharmonic

328

There are several valid reasons forrepairing roll boxes. First, new ones are not readily available and are not inexpensive. High quality replacementboxes can be quite expensive and canexceed the average price of used rolls.Secondly in my opinion if at all possiblea roll should be kept in its original box. Lastly there is a great sense of satisfaction in preserving for future generations an item that may already be80 to 100 years old.

Roll box repair can be divided intotwo stages, cosmetic and structural. Iregard cosmetic as not involving theaddition of any materials other than colorings and paint.

COSMETIC REPAIR:It is amazing how much the

appearance of a roll box can be improvedwith the use of a felt tipped marker. I usethe common brand Marks A Lot. I havehad the recent pleasure of repairing several hundred Ampico roll boxes whichare fortunately almost all black. In mostinstances even when a label is intact ithas become scuffed and abraded aroundthe edges. The appearance of these labelscan be improved by simply coloring overthe scuffed area with the appropriatecolor felt tipped marker. On edges andcorners where there is no structural damage abraded areas may be made toalmost visually disappear with the use ofa felt tipped marker. I keep a selection ofmore than a dozen different colors tomatch different box hues. A hint: alwaysreplace the lid of the marker even if youare only going to pause for a couple seconds, the solvents for the dyes arehighly volatile and this practice willenable your markers to last longer. If possible store your markers top down sothat the wick is always full

Before using the marking pen on thebox rub the area briskly with your handso as to remove the lose particles. Onseverely abraded corners I use a daubingtechnique so as to avoid further damage.On large areas where the paper covering

is missing I use black spray paint. ( blackboxes only of course)

On rare occasions you will find a boxthat is severely warped, probably by having been stored damp and distorted bythe weight of other boxes. This conditioncan be corrected by misting the box withwater i.e. making it damp and with a hotiron pressing it back into shape. I havemade a couple blocks of wood that fit inside the boxes so that there is something to iron against.

STRUCTURAL REPAIR:I regard structural repairs as those

where materials are applied to improvethe structural integrity of the box For thesake of convenience I also include labelreplacement in this category. It is the lastthing I do to a box and because of themanner in which I do it, it does lendstrength to the box.

My aim in structural repair is to makethe box look as original as possible andalso structurally sound. I do not considercellophane tape in whatever form to bean acceptable repair material especiallywhere it will be seen on the out side ofthe box.

Some restorers insist that one shouldonly use archival grade repair materials.I won’t argue with that but these materials are often hard to find and areusually quite expensive. Frankly most offthe shelf materials will out last the boxbeing repaired and the person doing therepairs.

To repair the inside of the lid or bottom of a roll box I believe ScotchMagic Tape is acceptable. It does the job, will hold up for years, will not benoticed on the inside and is inexpensive.However do not use cheap cellophanetape as it will disintegrate in a few years.

Given a worse case where the box hasbeen separated into its individual panels,lay the panels out on a table, out sidedown. Approximate the edges and laydown on the seam a long strip of ≤” wideScotch Mending tape. This tape will actas a hinge to keep the panels in position

while you are repairing the out side. Ifyou would like an archival grade materialand something stronger to do the aboveprocedure I would suggest you try Filmoplast by Neschen. I like this material but it is not inexpensive. It does make a very professional lookingrepair job. Another white tape thatappears to offer a lot of possibilities isreferred to in the medical field as papertape, is fairly thin, quite strong and isused to affix dressings. I only have a oneinch wide roll which is quite acceptablefor inside box repair. It is a 3M productthat they refer to as Micropore.

For out side box repair I believe itwould be hard to beat a tape sold by theArchival Company. They simply refer tothis product as Black Cloth Tape, 2”x 30yards. When ordering ask for 550-3000Bk. It comes in several different colorsbut I have only used the black. This tapeis designed to repair book spines. Theprice is $18.70 per roll but one roll willrepair hundreds of boxes. This tape is alittle heavy which makes it more thanadequate for the job. The way I use it istear off a piece the length of the pianoroll box. I then tear this piece lengthwiseinto thirds. These resulting pieces are justthe right width to repair the completeoutside length of a roll box if necessary.You may tear off pieces of the requiredlength for end repairs. The adhesive onthis tape is very sticky so make sure youhave it positioned correctly. If you try tomove this tape it will rip off the papercovering of the box. To repair that longrun where you placed that tape on theinside, place the box on the edge of atable so that the top and side of the boxare at right angles to each other. Laydown one of those long strips of yourblack cloth tape the complete length ofthe box. The same board that I use forironing out the boxes can now be usedfor support for the remainder of therepair with the tape. When you are finished the box is probably stronger thanwhen it was new. Another nice thingabout this tape is that it has a textured

IANO ROLLBy Tom Hutchinson

BOX REPAIR

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finish similar to a black Ampico box. Avery simple technique in case you arecompletely missing an end panel is to cutone of the appropriate size from posterboard and tape it in place. When youmake your new label and glue it on therepair will be completely covered. Whenyou are repairing a torn or loose box lidend panel do the sides of the end first.Make the last piece of tape you apply layon top of the side pieces, it looks neater.Now for the finishing touch take a felttipped marker and run along all the edgesof the repair tape to cover the torn edges.Your repair will virtually disappear.

So far I have only discussed repair ofthe box lid but basically the same techniques apply to the box bottom.However make sure you don’t get toomuch tape thickness on the out side orthe lid won’t go on.

One of the most important steps thatcan be taken to improve the appearanceof a roll box is the creation of a newlabel. The process of label making hasbeen greatly simplified by the soft wareprogram, “Piano Roll Box Label Maker”by John Miller. I don’t have enoughadjectives to describe how good I feelthis program is. The program is fairlyeasy to use even for an older computechallenged individual like me. The program has several thousand labelsstyles. Find the style you desire, type intitle, composer, artist, click on print andyou have a nice brand new label. Theprogram is extremely versatile allowingthe operator a wide range of choices suchas back ground color, type style and sizeand a list of special characters.

It also has a special section called theAmpico wizard, which is quite helpful inproducing an exact duplicate of theAmpico label for your box. Every label Iprint I make three copies, one for eachend of the box and one for the leader ifneeded. If one is not needed for theleader, as it won’t be for Ampico rolls, I simply place it loose in the box for posterity. I take great care to print labelsas accurately and completely as possible.However on occasion even on Ampicorolls there is little to go on if both boxlabels are missing and the leader hasbeen torn off. Ampico however in theirinfinite wisdom punched in the catalogroll# at the end of each roll. You can goto the “The Complete Catalog of AmpicoReproducing Piano Rolls” by ElaineObenchain, look up that number and itwill tell you the title, composer, and whoplayed that roll. It will not tell what styleof label to select but there are genericlabels for virtually all brands of rolls.

The label making program suggeststhat you use Avery labels. I prefer heavierstock so print mine on card stock and cutthem out with a paper cutter. I affix themto the box with 3M Spray Mount ArtistsAdhesive. I spray both the end of the boxand the label and let the glue dry for afew seconds before pressing the labelonto the box.

The label maker program has a niceextra, the box end reinforcement option.It takes a little extra time but undoubted-ly gives the cleanest repair of a box end.Simply put in the height and width of thebox end and print this out on card stock.I created a table of several different box

sizes and made templates for all of them.I keep these originals and when I needone I simply trace it out on card stock,cut it out and its ready to use. For therepair of the box bottom you want makeit fit the inside so that it does not inter-fere when putting on the lid.

SUMMARY: This article is not intended to be the

final word on roll box repair. It is hopedthat these ideas, for which I will take allthe blame, will encourage others to try tosalvage some of the boxes in variousstates of disrepair that they have on theirshelves. I would also hope that this willencourage others to contribute any ideasthat they might have in addition to what Ihave presented.

SUPPLIERS MENTIONED: The following two carry a wide varietyof archival products.

University Products The Archival Company 1-800-442-7576

Neschen USA, LLC 9800 West York Wichita, KS 67215 316-522-9438email: neschenusa@ipass.net

Piano Roll Label Maker By John W. Miller www.pianorollstuff.com<http://www.pianorollstuff.com/> email: info@ pianorollstuff.com

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From your MEMBERSHIP SECRETARYThis year, like every year, it is important to send in

your dues before the deadline of February 28. Thisdeadline was created to save us the expense of printing too many Bulletins for the number ofrenewed memberships for the coming year.

The layout of the new renewal form allows you toupdate your address, phone, email, and gives you an opportunity to update your instrument collectionlisting.

Thank you to the many loyal members supportingAMICA’s purpose – the promotion and preservationof the legacy of a bygone era and the enjoyment ofautomatic musical instruments and their music.

A short survey is included with your renewal letter.Your anonymous answers can help guide our directionas we move into the new millennium.

Bill Chapmanshazam32@earthlink.net

760-564-2951 (fax and phone)

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EBIRTH OF THE

INTRODUCTION Whether a vorsetzer, upright pumper,

or a reproducing piano, all are dependentupon rolls of paper punched with holes to provide the basic variable - music. The paper music rolls make it possibletoday to hear a real piano played by thelegendary masters.

While the piano itself can be repeatedly restored into perpetuity, theoriginal rolls cannot be restored. Time is their fatal enemy. All of the originalpaper music rolls will eventually becomeunusable as they deteriorate over time.

Back in September 1988, I wrote anarticle for the AMICA Bulletin, “Futureof Paper Rolls”, in which I stated:

“...we are totally failing to focus attention on the very heart of whatwe purport to support. We seem tohave become woefully complacentabout doing something about preserving our recorded music forall time. Paper music rolls areabsolutely guaranteed to one dayself-destruct and die. Yet so manyof us, myself included, tend to treat them as if they were an inexhaustible, self renewableresource. ...one of the goals for thisendeavour is the development of a process to “read” rolls into some kind of portable reader on the owner’s premises.”

Some 14 years later, the eventualdeath of original paper music rolls is coming into ever sharper focus. Theself-destruction process is now visiblyunderway.

A number of technically competentpeople, seeing this inevitability, havedesigned and constructed fine qualityperforating machinery to make newrecuts of the old rolls available. This is admirable, commendable, is widelysupported and making a huge contribution towards keeping playerpianos alive and performing well.

A PLAYER PIANO REBIRTHIn recent years, we are beginning to

see an evolutionary development of contemporary electronic devices to makeit possible to preserve the content ofpaper music rolls in electronic form.

The preservation of the content ofmusic rolls is now becoming a reality bymeans of lo-cost scanners that can bebuilt by most any technically competentperson, and migrated around the world tovarious people owning large collectionsof original rolls. The objective being toconvert the content of these rolls intomidi format. Over time, a huge library ofthese conversions can be made freelyavailable to anybody inclined to havethem.

While player pianos have been threatened by the predictable demise oforiginal paper music rolls, these newdevelopments marrying leading edgetechnology with turn-of-the-century technology are having the effect of provoking a rebirth of interest in, enjoyment of player pianos, and perhapsmost important - preservation for all time of the performances by legendarymasters of the piano as they personallyrecorded their artistry on paper rolls.

MY ROLL SCANNERWith a background in government

administration and management, I wasnot at all prepared to undertake thisendeavour. I could not have done it without the help (in random order) of Richard Stibbons, Jim Cullen, Bob Pinsker, Albert deBoer, Warren Trachtman, Gene Gerety, Spencer Chase,Kevin Keymer, Jack Breen, Ross Chapman, Bill Earnest, Peter Phillips,Wes Melander, Milton Schenk, JamesStoyka, John Klassen, Henry Bohncke,Bill Flynt, to name but a few. My apologies to those I may have overlooked. The essential issue is that if I can successfully build and use amusic roll scanner, then most anybodycan.

Basically, my scanner started out in life as a rusty old AutoTypist rollframe, an early automatic typewriter built around pneumatic player pianotechnology. After cleaning it up, painting,and substituting some conventional player piano spool box parts, I was ready to go, or so I thought. It has been an interesting adventure. Caution.....My scanner, while adequate from myviewpoint, is modest compared to whatothers have achieved. That does not makeit “poor”. Just simple and easy to buildusing common lumber and conventionalplayer piano spool box parts.

By Terry Smythe

PLAYER PIANO

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THE MK3 SYSTEMRichard Stibbons in the UK is the

developer of this MK3 system for scan-ning music rolls. After successfully scan-ning several thousand rolls, Richard per-ceived it would be possible to acceleratethe process dramatically and developed aconcept for doing so. Kevin Keymer inthe USA converted the concept into aworking circuit. Richard in turn thencame up with a final circuit board designincorporating the speed-up circuit, andnamed it the MK3a system.

ROLL SCANNER CONSTRUCTIONThe construction of a roll transport for

the scanner can be elegant and costly, orit can be modest, often benefiting from ahealthy dose of resourcefulness. Most ofthe scanners in use today are modest,built with a mix of conventional playerpiano spool box parts and ordinary hardware store products.

Two years ago, I built my first rollscanner based on an AutoTypist rollframe. At the time, I did not realize thatthis configuration offers some interestingpositive features not readily apparent.This is the second scanner I’ve built, this one also based on an AutoTypist roll frame configuration, but using conventional player piano spool boxparts/transmission.

Wood construction was good enoughfor original player piano spool boxes, so Ichose to continue with wood constructionfor this scanner, largely because of ease,working with limited tools. I do not havea machine shop, nor access to one forhobby purposes.

The 2 side panels are 3/4” clear pine approximately 16” x 5 1/2”. Severalcritical ingredients:

• Paper path must be sufficiently angular as to enhance probability of

the paper laying flat as it passes beneath the CIS sensor.

• With the scanner frame leaning back, the CIS sensor lens are protected from falling paper fluff.

• The 2 side panels, after being generally cut to size, must be clamped tightly together for slim pilot holes for later enlargement for the 4 corners of the roll transport. I use a 3/32” drill for these pilot holes. It is absolutely imperative that the roll ends up tracking perfectly. These pilot holes make it all possible.

• At same time, while clamped together, cut the notches to hold the CIS, absolutely at right angles to the paper path.

• Note that the unit is not vertical. It is important for it to lean back to make possible the use of gravity and friction to hold a loosely held encoder accurately in place during a scan.

• The two side panels are separated by three 1/2” hardwood dowels 13 3/8” long, the same width as a typical player piano spool box. Useful to use oak or birch carefully selected for straightness. Cut all 3 at same time to ensure all are exactly same length.

These are the parts from a typicalplayer piano spool box. Note that I havecut the frame in approximately 1/3 and2/3, by best guess. The objective is tolengthen out the paper path between theCIS and the source roll. At 8’/minute

paper speed, things happen very quickly,and very easy to tear a roll off its core.Note that the take-up spool rewind brakehas been removed. The source roll brakeis required, but set to provide a very light

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SingleBracketAnchor

Source rollbrake setvery light

ManualRewind

braking action, just enough to keep thepaper flat under the CIS. Automatic powered rewind following a scan is hazardous, so a manual rewind is provided for. Keep it simple. In this scanner, the upper portion needed a 1/2”hole to accommodate its bearing shaft.Elsewhere is a pic of the reverse side of this showing a 9/16” hole drilled half-way through. Note that the assemblyis anchored to the floor with only a pairof tiny angle brackets, nothing more thanthat needed as gravity does the rest tohold it in place. And finally, the originalcontrol arm, now too short, had to bereplaced with common 3/16” brass rod.

The 1/8” pilot hole for the upper left chuck can now be enlarged to accommodate this spring loaded idlerchuck. When searching for player pianospool box parts, try to find an idler chuck that has a dimpled face. Theseordinarily appeared in transitional playerpianos in approximately 1912-1913 toaccommodate both 88n and 65n rolls.Hard to find, but very desireable if thereis a likelyhood of scanning 65n and/or58n rolls. The lower left is simply anadjustable bearing screw, helps in centering the take-up spool. The 1/8”pilot hole here may not have to beenlarged to accommodate this friction fitscrew. Try it before enlarging it! Onceenlarged, it cannot be shrunk if screw istoo loose, then an aggravating repair jobis needed.

To change a roll, it will be necessaryto temporarily remove the CIS and parkit. A convenient method is attachment of

a strip of common right angle outsidewood moulding, commonly used to blend2 drywall surfaces on an outside corner.I slightly plane one corner to facilitatemounting it an angle. Let gravity hold itin place while changing a roll.

It is important that the CIS be mounted as centered as possible, eachand ever time it is inserted to scan a roll.A simple method of doing so is to inserta common headless finishing nail in adesired stop point. Every time the CIS is installed, it will always be correctlypositioned against the stop pin.

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Note that this idler chuck has adimpled face, far more desireable

for pin-end 65 and 58n rolls.

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The ccfl light source is a bit too strongfor the CIS/Bit Twiddling capability, sosome neutral density filter is needed. Inthis case, I added 3 layers to achieve alight source that made it possible toacquire a good image with the BT potroughly midway in its 10-turn travel.Desireable to have this filter as close aspossible to the CIS. I find this stuff trickyto handle, and a little difficult to get ittight and flat. This neutral density filter is

routinely available from suppliers thatcater to the theatrical industry. Note theselittle brackets I made to carry the ccfllamp. Makes it very easy to replace abulb. Bulb location is somewhat trial anderror to find the best spot. The lamp mustbe parallel to the CIS, both vertically andhorizontally. In use, avoid placing thescanner assembly with an outside window in the background, as the CIS issensitive to light sources other than justthe ccfl lamp.

I have positioned the ccfl lamp into apair of little brackets to facilitateeasy replacement. In photo (A)on the right is a fundamentalerror. At the time I did not knowthat the lamp and its companioninverter should be placed as closetogether as possible. Because of the high frequency and lowcurrent involved, the wiresshould be kept as short and faraway from each other as practical. Since then, I have cutthe length of that wire to anabsolute minimum. Both the ccfllamp and its companion inverter

come from All Electronics. They are recommended for one another, but theccfl lamp connector does not fit theinverter. I cut off the connector and substituted a connector I salvaged froman old motherboard.

These two 1/4” brass rods, commonlyavailable from Home Depot, make it possible for the paper roll to pass past the CIS as flat as possible. It is understood that the focal length of2.5mm is recommended. In this scanner,I ended up with a space of about 1mmbetween the moving paper and the faceof the CIS. In this scanner, a very goodimage emerged at this setting.

(photos on next page)The backboard of this scanner

provides a convenient place to mount theMK3a board, preferably on stand-offs.It is equally convenient for mounting a power bar, the type that is designed for 3 power supplies and 4 power cords. Everything, including a dedicated scanner computer can be run off thispower bar. In this case, I chose to use 3 power supplies, rather than a single multiple output power supply.

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ccflMountingBracket

(A)

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The stepper motor requires a12vdc/800mamp, the ccfl lamp/inverterrequire a 12vdc/400mamp, and the MK3a board, with its own voltage regulator, can accept a power supply ofanywhere from 6vdc to 15vdc of about400mamp. In the photo below (A2) I’veinstalled the stepper motor and its controller, and an idler salvaged from a player piano spool box. The idler isneeded to maintain a little tension on the ladder chain.

This is a curiously interesting installation of a high-end optical encoder. It is curious because its attached in a very sloppy manner. Itscompanion pick-off wheel must ride on the center of the roll regardless of

the roll’s diameter. So the relationshipbetween the top spreader bar and thesource roll position is important. As theroll diameter shrinks during a scan, theencoder rides in an arc progressivelycloser to the core. This positioning of thespreader bar and the source roll make fora very good installation. Its attachmentdoes not need to be precise because whenin place for a scan, the forces of gravityand friction keep it riding accurately on the roll. Works like a champ! At scan-end, I simply roll the encoder backwards and let it hang in behind whileI change the roll. I attached the encoderto the spreader bar using a short length of common plumbing strapping.

The short vertical front panel providesa convenient location for the Bit Twiddling 10-turn potentiometer. Thispot adjusts the quality of the image. If the scanner was a camera, this fuctionwould be called “adjusting the aperaturefor best exposure”. It is attached to theMK3a board. The toggle switch is splicedinto the 12vdc line to the stepper motorcontroller. As a roll scan is completed, itis critical that the scan software(CIS.EXE) be stopped before the motoris stopped, or at the same precisemoment. If the motor is stopped prior tothe software, the encoder is still reportingpaper movement, but with the paper at adead stop, final midi playback will sufferfrom a severe tempo problem. The MK3asystem does provide for splicing the stepper controller into the Mk3a board, amodification I will incorporate at someother time in the future. For now, thisapproach works well.

It is possible, using conventional 88nspool box parts, to provide for scanningnot only 88n rolls, but also 65n and 58nrolls. All that is required is a set of driverchucks for the right side of the sourceroll. In the above photo (B) is the line-upof 88n, 58n and 65n chucks. Photo (C)shows the same line-up, with an emptydrive shaft. In the pics following, it can

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(B)

(C)

(A2)

be seen that the spring loaded left idlerchuck compensates for overall roll width.The original drive shaft was 3/16”. Aconvenient substitution is 3/16” brassrod. The overriding objective here is tohave a set of chucks that ensure the roll iscentered under the CIS.

Here a conventional 88n roll is mounted. The above photo (F) shows the88n chuck installed and locked. Photo (D) shows how the left idler chuckcompensates under spring pressure.Photo (E) shows the roll centered.

Here a 65n roll is mounted. Photo (I)shows the 65n chuck installed andlocked. Photo (G) shows how the leftidler chuck compensates under springpressure. Photo (H) shows the roll centered.

Here a 58n roll is mounted. Photo (L)shows the 58n chuck installed and

locked. Photo (J) shows how the left idler chuck compensates under springpressure. Photo (K) shows the roll centered.

Here is the completed scanner in operation (Photo shown on next page).Not particularly elegant or pretty or portable, but quite effective in operation. Perhaps of some importance to some folks, it is inexpensive. The components shown here are the samecomponents illustrated elsewhere on<members.shaw.ca/smythe/rebirth>

THE ROLL SCANNING PROCESSWith the scanning software

(CIS.EXE) running and a roll in motion,an approximate image of the roll’s hole pattern will be displayed on thecomputer screen. At 8’/minute, a typical 88n roll will be scanned in about2 minutes. Here are a couple of images ofwhat I see on screen.

SOME OBSERVATIONSSome of my most delightful,

entertaining scans have emerged fromrolls absolutely unplayable because oftheir physical condition. In their earlylife, they were simply played to death.Richard’s MK3 software does not lookfor paper edge, so torn or worn roll edgesdo not cause a problem. Missing leadersdo not cause a problem because I simplytape the leading edge of the paper to the

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(E) - 88n Roll

(D) - 88n Roll

(F) - 88n Roll

(G) - 65n Roll

(H) - 65n Roll

(I) - 65n Roll

(J) - 58n Roll

(K) - 58n Roll

(L) - 58n Roll

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take-up spool.By chance a group of

severely fire damaged rollscame my way, ragged andcharred edges, spool ends melt-ed, et al…. Yet Richard’s Mk3system came through with fly-ing colours. All were scanable,producing decent qualitymusic.

At 8'/minute, my typicalscan is about 2 minutes, butafter watching carefullythrough about a dozen scans, Isuddenly noticed that duringone of them, the roll slipped tothe left slightly, then ran for afew feet like that, then slipped back tothe right. That roll was a badly damagedroll.

My brake on the source side was set alittle too tight. Because badly damagedrolls typically had been played to deathin their day, the drive slot in the rightspool end was badly worn, allowing theroll to slip out of lock, then slip back intolock a couple of turns later.

I found a couple of other rolls in similar physical condition, and noticed afew of them behaved similarly. I've justrelaxed the brake on the right side andincreased the spring tension on the leftside, and rescanned them successfully.

Some old rolls are severely damagedthrough strings of perforations, againmaking them totally unplayable on a player piano. However, on the MK3asystem, I’ve found I can crudely repairthe rolls with crystal clear mending tape right over the perforations. This desperate measure does work quite successfully to salvage the content of aroll that would otherwise end up in thefireplace. Light, not air, must passthrough the emergency tape repair.

CONCLUSIONS14 years ago, I wished for a method of

capturing the content of music rolls in some computerized form with theobjective in mind of preserving their content for all time, no differently thanrepeatedly restoring a player piano intoperpetuity. It has come to pass. A dreamhas been fulfilled.

True, methods of storing data in digital form has no proven perpetual life expectancy equal to that of paper. But

what we do have proven is the ability ofclever people to find ways over time ofconverting data from one digital form into another, thus ensuring theirpreservation for all time. Of that, I amconfident.

Julian Dyer has recently proven thatscans from the MK3a system can produce exact copies, punch-for-punchthe same as the originals, faithfully capturing the original roll content. So faithful that it is now possible to accurately recreate a new recut of an oldroll that is a precise copy of the original.It may look visually different, but a player piano will not be able to tell thedifference. This is a huge breakthroughfor those wanting to obtain high qualityrecuts of old production rolls.

The MK3a system is proving itself tobe remarkable robust and tolerant. In justa few short months, I have successfullyscanned over 2,000 rolls. Many of theserolls are virtually unplayable, but theircontent has been captured and preserved,hopefully for all time.

No doubt there are many collectorslike me with original rolls in tatters, butreluctant to destroy them. There is hope!They have a fighting chance of beingscanable to capture their content. Do notdestroy them! Those having such rolls intheir collection should consider donatingthem to any one of the group of peopleworldwide now owning homemade scanners.

Several people within the Rollscannerdiscussion group also own Disklavier,PianoDisc, Pianomation and Pianocorderpianos. All have found that the midi files emerging from roll scanning will

produce credible performanceson their instruments.

Through the magic of theinternet, it has been possiblefor me to successfully construct a roll scanner, something for which I am quite unsuited. I could nothave done it without the helpof many people, all throughinternet exchange of ideas andinformation. If I can do it, anybody can do it.

A word of caution…..Perseverance is critical. Veryeasy to become discouraged.There were heart-stopping

moments during my early efforts. However, with the enduring help of veryclever people within the rollscanningcommunity, I was eventually successful.

To see additional information aboutroll scanning and what other people aredoing, and what are scanning systems arein place, have a look at the followingweb sites:

My own home page showing what othersare doing, and my downloadable midifiles to date (~2,000 midi files to date):http://members.shaw.ca/smythe/rebirth.htm

Peter Phillips’(a pioneer in roll scanning) home page:http://members.optushome.com.au/eleced/

Spencer Chase’s E-Rolls and Midi Valve systemhttp://www.spencerserolls.com/

The International Association of Mechanical Music Preservationistshttp://www.iammp.org/

Discussion Group for Roll Scanninghttp://groups.yahoo.com/group/Rollscanners/

Stay Tuned……

Terry Smythe55 Rowand AvenueWinnipeg, MBCanada R3J 2N6

(204) 832-3982smythe@shaw.cahttp://www.mts.net/~smythe

continued. . .

GENDA - 2004AMICA BOARD MEETING

1. Roll Call and IntroductionsThe meeting was called to order onWednesday morning, August 4, 2004by President Dan Brown. Board members who were present include:Dan BrownLinda BirdMike WalterChristy CountermanWes NeffBill ChapmanJohn Motto-RosFrank NixKarl Ellison via telephoneRichard ReutlingerGary CraigRon ConnorDianne PolanMarvin PolanLiz BarnhartDorothy OldsCarl DodrillHolly WalterDick MerchantGuests were also in attendance.

2. Approval of minutes of the 2003 Board Meeting as published in the November/December 2003 AMICABulletin.

The next item on the agenda was to approve the 2003 minutes as published in the November/December2003 AMICA Bulletin. Dorothy Oldsmoved to approve the minutes as published, Liz Barnhart seconded themotion, which was passed.

3. Officer ReportsA. President’s Report – Dan Brown

Chapters have been reliable in communicating their activities andschedules this year. I have regularlyheard from all but the Gateway, Sierra-Nevada, and Texas chapters.The funds from the former SouthernSkies Chapter have been surrenderedto AMICA International. Membersand chapters have responded to my requests for membership-buildingsuggestions. The committee created at last year’s meeting has been in

periodic communication during theyear (myself, John Motto-Ros, BillChapman, and Bing Gibbs) and willconsider the ideas which have beenreceived. Membership and revenuedeclines continue and considerationmust be given this year to a duesincrease.

Overwhelmingly positive reviewshave been received to the content and appearance of The Bulletin sincepublishing duties were assumed by Mike Kukral. Robin Pratt has continued to oversee the publicationof reprints for inclusion in The Bulletin and these also continue to bewell received.

The need to reconsider the By-Laws definition of the purpose ofAMICA was initiated at the Boardmeeting last year and a committee was created to gather input on thetopic during the year. This committeeconsisted of myself, Gary Craig, JohnMotto-Ros, and Dick Merchant. Thiswill be included in the 2004 meetingagenda.

All Board members are online, socommunication is quick and at nocost. I have incurred essentially noexpenses during the past year. Therewas no need to convene the ExecutiveCommittee for action.

The Adopt-A-Piano project facilitated by Richard Reutlinger continues to move forward. Chaptersand individuals continue to work hard to increase AMICA’s presence in the public, including public demonstrations and concerts, television appearances, newspaper and magazine articles, and brochuredistribution. As had been suggested atthe Board meeting last year, thebrochure was modified to increase theemphasis on foot-pump player pianosand a copy of the new brochure wassent to each member in a Bulletin.

The AMICA website is the topic offrequent comments. Due to increasingdemands for her time, webmasterMeta Brown has found the need to

request that she be replaced in thisposition. At this time, I have notreceived any inquiries from memberswith the skill and time to take on thejob. I recommend that discussion ofthe contents and management of thewebsite continue at the Board meetingthis year. The proposal to create anAMICA-sponsored e-group has beenpresented at two previous Board meetings and continues to surface regularly. Clearly, further discussionof the topic is warranted.

I have enjoyed my years asAMICA President and look forward to many more years of active involvement in the organization.Many issues and topics persist, primarily centered around decliningmembership. From all the communications I have had and observation I have done as President, I firmly believe that the strength (and sometimes the weakness if Chapters don’t work hard to be inclusive of varied interests) ofAMICA lies in its chapters and thatgrowth and maintenance of the organization will depend on the vitality of these chapters.

Respectfully submitted,Dan Brown

AMICA International President

B. Past President’s Report – Linda BirdThe past year has been busy

since according to the By-Laws, the Immediate Past President is the chairman of the Nominating Committee. Otherwise there has beenquite a bit of e-mail among membersof the Executive Committee on various issues and proposals for the upcoming Board meeting. Danagain has done a good job of keepingthings moving along and has neededvery little advice.

As Chairman of the NominatingCommittee it was my responsibility tomake sure we have a slate of officersto be voted on at the general meeting

continue. . .

337

338

and that report is enclosed. It was niceto be able to find capable people verywilling to serve the organization.

My expenses again were minimaldue to the Internet. The NominatingCommittee met mostly by e-mail so I am not asking AMICA for any reimbursement of expenses.

Respectfully submitted,Linda Bird

AMICA Immediate Past President

C. Vice-President’s Report – Mike Walter

Good Morning.This past year has been an

interesting one to the eye of the VicePresident. Although the organizationhas not experienced any drasticchanges, there seems to be a growingconcern at the chapter level about the loss of membership in the organization. Some individuals arecommenting about the diminishingnumbers at the chapter level. Hopefully this concern will be converted into positive actions.

On another note, there have beensix chapters that have consistently sentout notices of their meetings to me. Igreatly appreciate this information.Other chapters have been a bit lax inthis area. I have urged chapters to visitthe AMICA website and see how theirchapter looks to the visiting net surfer.

The Vice President also is the chairof the AMICA Awards Committee.This year the committee included MelSepton and Larry Norman, both ofwhom are long-standing, knowledge-able members. There was one nomi-nee for the Leo Ornstein Award. Therewere three nominees for the AMICAInternational Award.

The winners in all categories are:

Leo Ornstein Award – Mike Barnhart

AMICA International Award –

Galen & Linda Bird

President’s Award – Keith Bigger

The cost of the plaques for theseawards is not available at the presenttime, but will be available by theBoard Meeting.

One thing that will have to beaddressed by the incoming Vice Presi-

dent is that the number of medallionsused on the award plaques is runninglow and will have to be reordered.

Respectfully submitted,Mike Walter

D. Secretary’s Report – Christy CountermanMy main duties as Secretary are

to record the minutes of the Boardmeeting and to prepare the reports andagenda for the meeting. After the Board meeting in Portland, I transcribed the tapes, adding the notestaken during the meeting to compilethe report submitted for publication in the Bulletin. It is an abbreviatedversion of the actual minutes. Severaltimes during the past year, membershave requested clarification on itemsdiscussed and voted upon in lastyear ’s meeting, and I sent the appropriate information to them via e-mail. In June, I sent out notices tothose Board Members listed in theBulletin as Officers, CommitteeChairs and Board Reps with a deadline for submission of reports.

As I received the reports via e-mail, fax and regular mail, I askedeach Board member for additionalinformation, if required, then proofread, formatted and copied thereports for compilation. I really appreciated the e-mail versions as they saved me a lot of work, avoidingre-typing. I also created pdf files fromthe e-mailed reports for posting on a Web page accessible by BoardMembers prior to the Convention.Those who did not submit reportsbefore the deadline were contacteduntil everyone either sent a report orresponded that they would not besending one. I also asked for changesin Officers, and tried to get an idea ofwho would be attending the Boardmeeting. Several Board membersrequested hard copies of the compiledreports be mailed to them for reviewbefore the meeting.

My expenses as of this writing areminimal, and include postage formailing the reports as well as costs forpaper and cassette tapes. I alsoshipped the reports to Portland lastyear via UPS since they weighed 19pounds and the airlines frown on

overweight luggage. I used my ownwork copier to avoid copying charges.The majority of correspondence wasby e-mail, saving some long distancefees.

I appreciated my opportunity towork with the Board for the past 3 1/2years and to learn more about whatgoes on behind the scenes to makeAMICA a successful organization. I wish the incoming Board well.

Respectfully submitted,Christy Counterman

AMICA SecretaryReports Web site:

http://home.earthlink.net/~stumpfad/reports/index.htm

E. Treasurer’s Report – Wes Neff2004 AMICA INTERNATIONAL

TREASURER’S REPORTJanuary 1, 2003 - December 31, 2003

And Fiscal Year 2004 ProjectionPrepared by Wesley Neff • May 31, 2004

INTRODUCTIONAMICA National had income

in fiscal year 2003 of $59,269.92. This was 16% less than the average for the prior 4 years with the2001 Australian gross convention receipts excluded. The expenses of $86,141.29 were up 25% from the prior 4 - year average, excludingthe Australian gross conventionexpenses in 2001. Expenses exceededincome in 2003 by $26,871.37. Thevariance is caused to a large part bythe timing of membership duesreceipts.

AMICA International income(National and Chapters) in 2003 was $121,201.81. Total AMICAInternational expenses (National andChapters) in 2003 were $148,774.41.Total AMICA expenses exceededincome by $27,572.60 in fiscal year2003.

INCOME (National Only)Income from bulletin advertising

in 2003 was off 38% from 2002 levels. The projection for 2004 showsa further decrease based on receipts to date in 2004.

Income from advertising in the2003 Directory was 1,755.00. Therewill not be any Directory advertisingincome in 2004.

continued. . .

continue. . .

Portland Convention income was$5,101.05. The projection for the 2004Convention in Denver, Colorado is$2,000.00.

Interest received in 2003 was off14% compared to 2002 due todepressed interest rates. At the end of 2000, there was $30,593.18 in amoney market fund earning 5.79%.During 2001 and 2002, there was$25,000 in a certificate of depositearning 4.75%. Currently there is$25,000 in a one - year certificate ofdeposit earning 1.92%. This CDmatures in July, 2004, and will likely be replaced with a CD earningabout the same amount of interest.Additional monies as available are shifted into and out of a passbooksavings account, currently earning0.28%.

Total National dues collected in2003 were $47,831.61, off $41,868.29from 2002. Most of this decrease is due to the early start of the membership drive in 2002 as compared with 2003. The projectionfor 2004 shows dues of $54,000.00,which is near prior year levels when compared on a “June to June”basis. The last increase in AMICAmembership dues was $5.00 per year to $42.00 in 2002.

Memorial Fund donations in 2003were $1,040.00. The projection for theMemorial Fund in 2004 is $955.00.

There were no books or AV sales in2003, and none are expected in 2004.

Bound bulletin sales in 2003 were$15.00. No sales are expected in 2004.

Sales of technicalities and leaderswere $115.00 in 2003, and are projected at $355.00 in 2004.

Total income for 2004 is projectedat $59,068.60, about equal with 2003.

EXPENSES (National Only)$86,141.29 of expenses was

incurred in 2003. The largest single item was the cost

of the “Bulletin” and associatedreprints. Counting the costs of thePublisher, printing, handling, postage,reprints and inserts, the “Bulletin”costs in 2003 were $60,197.84 (about70% of the total expenses). Thisequates to slightly more than$10,000.00 per issue and compares to

$7,600.00 per issue spent in 2002.Projecting year to date expenses for2004, the “Bulletin” is expected tocost about $55,000.00 this year, whichincludes $8,400.00 for reprints. Publishing of the “Bulletin” andreprints are an essential part of maintaining AMICA’s tax exempt status.

The second largest expense in 2003was publishing and distribution of the “Directory”. Total cost for the“Directory” was $10,761.53. Thisdoes not include the countless volunteer hours that were dedicated tocollecting, checking and assemblingthe data included in the “Directory”.

The next group of expenses includepostage, copies and miscellaneousoffice supplies used by the officers;and, mostly associated with membership renewals. Telephonecosts are negligible due to E-mail and reduced long distance rates used to conduct AMICA business. The total of these categories in 2003 was $3,339.31, and is projectedto be $3,727.00 in 2004. No officerother than the Publisher and Membership Secretary receives anyfee for his or her time.

Other Expense Notes:• The premium for liability insurance

coverage increased at an annual rate of 8%.

• Nearly all of the bank charges in 2003 are for credit card payment handling, amounting to $665.18. Fees average about 3% of the payments made by credit card, and are expected to be about $632.00 in 2004. AMICA’s bank, Fifth Third Bank of Northwestern Ohio, does not charge banking fees to non-profit organizations.

• Award expenses in 2003 were $116.61, and are expected to be around $450.00 in 2004.

• AMICA Brochures were printed in 2003 at a cost of $1,418.82.

MEMORIAL FUNDThe Memorial Fund account stood

at $7,930.33 at the end of 2003. During the year AMICA received$1,040.00 in donations and added$376.21 in interest. The Brochure

printing mentioned above was paidfrom the Memorial Fund.

CHAPTERSAt the end of 2003 AMICA had

thirteen chapters. The Southern SkiesChapter dissolved at the end of theyear, and their fund balance was forwarded to AMICA International inJanuary, 2004. The Northern LightsChapter did not submit a financialreport for 2003, and submitted a latereport in 2002. The Texas Chaptersubmitted a late financial report for2003, and their information is not included in the Chapter AccountSummary.

Chapter income is mostly fromdues and interest. The Pacific Can-AmChapter hosted a convention in Portland, Oregon with a net profit of$3,731.58. AMICA Internationalreceived 35% of the convention proceeds, or $1306.05. Expenses forthe chapters are mostly related toprinting, postage and expenses forchapter meetings. Other expenses ofnote include: The Sierra NevadaChapter hosted a Ragtime Concert;The Chicago Chapter hosted a Christmas Gathering at Sanfilippo’s;and the SOWNY Chapter hosted anevent at the Bevgwardt’s BicycleMuseum. The end of year 2003 balance for the chapters of $55,626.20is down about 1% from the beginningof year balance.

SUMMARYAMICA International continues to

be financially sound due to a steadyincome from membership dues,Memorial Fund contributions, convention profits and to a lesseningextent – advertising and interest. Forthe period 1999 through the projectionfor 2004, expenses exceed income by$18,629.20. A membership duesincrease is needed to provide the samelevel of member services with adeclining membership.

All required informational formsfor 2003 were filed in a timely fashion with the IRS, the CaliforniaFranchise Tax Board and the California Registry of CharitableTrusts. Since the gross receipts for

continued. . .

continue. . .

339

340

IINNCCOOMMEE

CCaatteeggoorryy 11999999 22000000 22000011 22000022 22000033 22000044 ((ppllaann))advertising (bulletin) 3,968.80 3,150.80 2,173.10 3,172.10 1,969.80 1,320.00advertising (directory) 2,830.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 1,755.00 0.00convention fund 1,053.81 0.00 167,654.31 2,246.33 5,101.05 2,000.00interest received 1,263.31 2,480.73 1,932.64 1,664.13 1,432.46 438.60membership dues 60,304.20 59,738.79 40,147.89 89,699.90 47,831.61 54,000.00memorial fund donations 322.00 329.00 322.00 1,329.00 1,040.00 955.00sales (books $ AV) 75.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00sales (bound bulletins) 6.00 252.00 764.00 744.00 15.00 0.00sales (tech and leaders) 313.75 413.50 239.50 265.00 115.00 355.00miscellaneous 290.00 45.00 745.70 0.00 10.00 0.00

TTOOTTAALL IINNCCOOMMEE 7700,,442266..8877 6666,,440099..8822 221133,,997799..1144 9999,,112200..4466 5599,,226699..9922 5599,,006688..6600

EEXXPPEENNSSEESS

CCaatteeggoorryy 11999999 22000000 22000011 22000022 22000033 22000044 ((ppllaann))AV 155.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00awards 613.86 774.56 44.75 653.30 116.61 450.00bank charges 254.91 429.13 653.81 643.16 665.18 632.00convention 296.12 3,116.37 158,632.80 1,082.25 4,745.00 1,000.00handling: bulletin 2,133.00 2,640.00 3,048.00 3,193.00 3,937.25 3,200.00handling: directory 448.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 497.00 0.00insurance 1,730.00 1,909.00 2,093.00 2,457.00 2,648.00 2,850.00internet 394.14 460.55 0.00 289.00 165.00 200.00legal & professional fees 20.00 20.00 35.00 35.00 35.00 85.00membership sect. stipend 2,465.00 2,283.00 2,219.94 2,174.83 2,049.00 2,000.00misc: copies 452.41 227.70 299.03 326.00 0.00 150.00misc: office equipment 250.00 1,099.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00misc: office supplies 366.50 678.93 298.75 482.10 754.24 965.00miscellaneous 730.50 1,919.00 -0.50 0.00 0.00 0.00postage: bulletin 7,922.61 8,354.90 8,533.43 7,378.63 8,722.03 8,342.00postage: directory 1,482.77 0.00 0.00 0.00 1,664.53 0.00postage: officers & misc 3,433.00 1,375.41 2,352.05 2,287.73 2,518.28 2,685.00printing: bulletin 26,889.00 25,238.00 24,076.00 21,086.00 29,819.00 25,000.00printing: directory 10,905.00 20.00 0.00 0.00 8,600.00 0.00printing: inserts 9,087.72 3,370.49 537.00 2,098.23 1,083.56 780.00printing: reprints 3,979.00 3,502.00 11,697.00 2,683.00 7,636.00 8,400.00printing: stationery 1,124.15 73.00 80.50 0.00 0.00 100.00printing: AMICA brochures 0.00 0.00 1,624.47 49.25 1,418.82 0.00printing: leaders 0.00 0.00 0.00 624.95 0.00 0.00publisher fees 9,000.00 10,500.00 7,500.00 9,000.00 9,000.00 9,000.00refunds 64.00 37.00 84.00 0.00 42.00 52.00telephone 1,652.57 581.27 33.14 2.55 24.79 25.00

TTOOTTAALL EEXXPPEENNSSEESS 8855,,884499..2266 6688,,660099..3311 222233,,884422..1177 5566,,554455..9988 8866,,114411..2299 6655,,991166..0000

NNEETT GGAAIINN ((iinnccoommee -- eexxppeennssee)) -15,422.39 -2,199.49 -9,863.03 42,574.48 -26,871.37 -6,847.40 -18,629.20

2003 exceeded $100,000.00, filing ofFederal Information Form 990 wasrequired. As in the past, the ChapterTreasurers have been very helpful inproviding the necessary Chapter infor-mation. Thanks to all of the ChapterTreasurers for their support.

Respectfully submitted,Wesley Neff

AMICA Treasurer

Wes pointed out that there is ananticipated $7000 budget shortfall in2004, and that 70% of our expenses

come from the costs of the Bulletinand reprints. These costs are risingeach year. Since this report was written, the mentioned CD maturedand was replaced by a smaller $20,000CD earning 3.15% interest. He reported that the individual Chaptertreasuries have healthy balances.

continued. . .

continue. . .

AMICA National 1999 thru 2003 Actuals and 2004 Budget

continued. . .

AMICA International 2003 Income and Expense Summary

National Memorial Fund

Chapters Total Income advertising convention income convention seed return events (chapters) interest received membership dues memorial fund sales: bulletins sales: tech and leaders miscellaneous

Total

Expenses awards bank charges convention expenses dues paid dues refund events (chapters)

2 handling bulletin handling directory handling dues notices insurance internet legal & prof. fees membership sect. memorial fund miscellaneous misc: copies misc:office supplies postage printing: bulletin printing: brochures printing: reprints printing: directory printing: misc. publisher fees supplies (chapters) tele'phone

Total

Account Balances 1 -Jan-04 1-Jan-03

continue. . . 34 1

xY//

AMICA 2003 Chapter Accounts

Northern Lights Chapter activity shown is fmrn 2002 which was reported late, no 2003 activity reported "Texas Chapter reported 2003 activity late. 2003 activity is not included in the totals. *"' Southern Skies Chapter dissolved - Balance of $260.37 forwarded to International in January, 2004

Chapter

Name

Boston Area

Chicago Area

Starting Balance

(111103) Cash

760.56

644.66

2003 Income

Savings

0.00

5344.22

Total

760.56

5988.88

Conv. Income

Interest

19.16

23.29

Dues

(chapter)

368.00

500.00

Events

242.00

5760.00

(national)

Miscellaneous Total Income

629.16

6283.29

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continued. . .

Rate of Applications:For planning purposes, the dropoutrates are as indicated.

No Longer Applications Members as of 2003

1994 118 76 64%1995 133 92 69%1996 126 77 61%1997 151 100 66%1998 144 92 63%1999 137 86 62%2000 123 64 52%2001 102 48 47%2002 92 33 35%2003 49 20 40%

About 40% of new applicants drop out after one year.

Note that applications peaked during1997, yet at that time the MembershipSecretary indicated that despite arobust economy, membership wasdeclining.

Membership Breakdown by MailCategory:

2002 2003 2004Bulk Mail: $42 1249 1167 1100

MEMBERS (USA ONLY)

Air Mail: $63 50 39 35

(OVERSEAS)

FirstClass: $52 130 82 81

(USA ONLY)

SurfaceMail: $43 31 31 30

(OVERSEAS, CHEAPER RATE)

Canada: $43 38 35 35(CANADA ONLY)

Total 1498 1354 1281

Additional information:New members: Of the 68 people

who joined in 2003 there were 21“trial” members who did not renew.These are probably people who joinedfor only 1 year to take a look at theorganization.

However 47 people who joined in2003 did renew for the new year.

Old Members: Of the 168 “drop-offs” noted at the renewal time foryear 2004, 70 date their affiliationback to as far as 2000. The remainderof the drop-offs range from the years

1999 to 1976. Twenty two (22) werevery early members who joined before1975. So it can be seen that age is definitely a factor for membershiploss.

Discussion: There will always be people who want to take a look at AMICA and find that the year’s trial did not meet their needs. Loss oflong-term members due to age ordeath will always occur. Those peoplewho are in the middle, i.e. maintainedmembership for 5 to 10 years are ofconcern and may warrant someinquiry as to how the organization didnot meet their needs.

Conclusion: There are a significantnumber of people who dropped out of AMICA after several years and this group warrants a follow-up todetermine what they would like to experience in order to remain members. The same might be said ofmembers who dropped out after onlyone or two years. AMICA is alsoexperiencing a natural decline reflective of an aging population.

Submitted by:Bill Chapman

Membership Secretary

Bill sent out packets of letters to allof the Board members prior to theconvention from people who were notrenewing their memberships. Heasked for our feedback on the lettersand for how to address the concerns ofthese former members. Many peopleexpressed concern that there is not amajor effort to reach people who dropout. John Motto-Ros said that we arecompeting with many other specialinterest organizations, so have to showmore initiative to recruit and keepmembers. Since the Chapters are thelifeblood of the organization, LindaBird suggested that we need to addchapters in areas where there areenough people to start a new one.Some of the concerns were related toeconomic issues. People can’t affordto maintain collections, or to attendconventions so lose interest. Only asmall part of the actual membershipattends the convention, observed

Marvin Polan. John Motto-Rosacknowledged that we have an expensive hobby, but also stressed that we get the word out to potentialnew members and pass out Bulletinsand membership applications atappropriate venues. Perhaps a trialmembership at a lower rate, much likethe Boston Chapter offers, could begiven to people joining for the first year. Bill Chapman drafted aquestionnaire to send to members whodrop out to see if we can address their concerns.

In maintaining the MembershipDirectory and instrument listings, Karl Ellison and his friends puttogether a format that will make it easier to update information on the list each year when renewals come in.The list is always available to members in digital format for a smallfee via disc or e-mail. Karl said that it will be easier to maintain each year because it will continually be based on a more accurate list. Bill said that in the future, it will costless to publish the Directory and instrument listing because the printercan use this updatable database.

C. Nominating Committee Report – Linda BirdIn accordance with the AMICA

By-Laws, a nominating committee ofseven members was elected at theBoard meeting in 2003. The followingpeople served on that committee:

CHAIRMAN:Linda Bird - Immediate Past President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Grandview, MO

MEMBERS:Liz Barnhart . . . . . . . . . .Dayton, OHGary Craig. . . . . . . . . .St. Louis, MOJere DeBacker. . . . . . . . .Denver, CODee Kavouras. . . . .Beverly Hills, FLHerbert Mercer. . Westlake Village, CADianne Polan. . . . . . . . .Melville, NY

The Nominating Committee hasselected the following members fornomination in the noted offices. Thisslate of officers will be presented atthe General Membership Meeting inDenver, Colorado.

continue. . .

PRESIDENTMICHAEL WALTER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Lancaster, NY

VICE-PRESIDENTJOHN MOTTO-ROS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sutter Creek, CA

SECRETARYFLORIE HIRSCH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Potomac, MD

TREASURERWESLEY NEFF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Findlay, OH

These nominees meet the qualifications as listed in the AMICA By-Laws and have agreed to be nominated for the specifiedoffice. After approval by the Board, I will present these nominees to the membership assembled at the 2004 General Membership Meeting in Denver, CO, for their approval tofulfill the duties of the prescribedoffices for the next two years.

Respectfully Submitted,Linda Bird

AMICA Past President and Chairman,AMICA Nominating Committee

Linda Bird announced the slate ofofficers and reminded us that therewould be an election at the GeneralMembership Meeting after breakfast.

D. Memorial Fund Report – John Motto-RosI assumed the position of

Chairman, AMICA Memorial Fundmid-2003, and I have collected anadditional $629 since the last year’sreport of $620. This makes a total of $1249 for 2003. Of this total, $950 was donated in memory of anindividual and $299 was donated withyearly dues.

From January 1, 2004, to May 31,2004, I have received $415. Of thistotal, $375 was donated in memory of an individual and $40 was contributed with yearly dues.

For donations in memory of anindividual, letters were sent to familymembers or a friend telling them ofthe memorial with copies to donatorsand to Wesley Neff (with check).

Thank you letters were also sent toeveryone who added a contributionwhen paying their dues.

Respectfully submittedJOHN MOTTO-ROS, Chairman

AMICA Memorial Fund

John gave the details of the financials and said that there weremore contributions with the duesrenewals this year. He would like to make the membership more aware of what the Fund is and what it is used for and will request to run an ad in every issue of the Bulletin.

E. Audio-Visual/Technicalities Report – none availableTerry Smythe would like direction

on how to continue with the Technicalities. He has been compilingnew issue using past Bulletins, butthere has been no request to publishthe next issue.There has been no activity in the past two years in theA/V committee. Marvin Polan toldabout other organizations who are duping VHS tapes onto DVD for longevity and easier access. Hesuggested that we make an effort topreserve what AMICA archives areavailable as they are the sole source ofinformation. It was agreed that weshould inventory what items we haveand make sure the items can preservedin a usable format so members coulduse these items. Mike Walter made amotion that we ask someone to viewthe tapes that are available and toreview the information contained inthem to determine the value of repli-cation. Dick Merchant seconded andthe board passed the motion. We alsoneed to find a new TechnicalitiesCoordinator. It is the President’s job toappoint committee chairs, so this willbe addressed by incoming PresidentMike Walter in the near future.

F. Archives Report – none availableG. Convention Coordinator’s

Report – Frank Nix2004 – Denver, Colorado

August 4 – 8 The Holiday Inn, Denver DowntownThis year we are in the spectacularly

beautiful state of Colorado enjoying

breathtaking tours through the RockyMountains. Jere DeBacker and hiscrew are in charge of this one.

Jere secured the Holiday Inn at$109 per night, single or double occupancy, with a 320 room nightobligation, plus $1200 for meetingrooms, with minimum number ofmeals served. With input from LizBarnhart, Jere and I were able tonegotiate the $1200 figure from asomewhat higher amount.

The efforts that Jere and friends put in, plus a first time in this wonderful state should guaranteeAMICA a very successful meeting.

2005 – Minneapolis, MinnesotaJune 30 – July 3

Minneapolis Mariott, DowntownAMICA is welcomed back to

Minneapolis, Minnesota where DonBarton is Convention Chairman.

2006 – Chicago, IllinoisJuly 25 – 30

Hyatt Regency, WoodfieldMel Septon is Convention Chair.

2007 – Germanyand surrounding areas

As of this writing, Liz and MikeBarnhart and Convention ChairsFrank and Shirley Nix are traveling inEurope to form plans and make travelarrangements.

Respectfully submitted, Frank Nix

Convention Coordinator

Frank Nix, Convention Coordinator,acknowledged the help of his wife Shirley and also Mike and Liz Barnhart in planning future Conventions. He also commendedJere DeBacker and his committee for the itinerary for this year ’s Convention.

The biggest concern going forwardis to keep the cost of attending a Convention within the reach of the members. There has to be a giveand take between the room costs vs.registration plus add-on costs. Heasked if it is better to present a lowerroom rate to attract more attendees.

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Quite a few people stay at nearbyhotels, thus cutting into our total roomnights. The room nights are used innegotiating for meeting rooms andother hotel services.

The 2007 Convention will be fromJuly 6-20, starting in Munich and ending in Amsterdam. We should haveat least 50 people attending to makethe trip practical. A deposit will be required one year in advance.

H. Publications Report – Robin Pratt

AMICA REPRINTS FOR 2003JULY 1, 2004

1--Explanatory Talk for Service Men on ARTECHO

Qty Printing Insert1861 $439 $180.

(includes 5 convention items)

2--A/E Aeolian Stroud art case pianosQty Printing Insert

1500 $1254. $30.(Richfield phono & Danbury)

3--Duo-Art Piano bookletQty Printing Insert

1500 $1666. $30. (2)

4--Wonder of the Duo-ArtQty Printing Insert

1500 $232. $90.(3,4 & 5)

5--Banquet Photos 2 kinds 4 shotsQty Printing Insert

1500 $194. $40. (6)

6--The Wonderful Boudoir Player Piano

Qty Printing Insert1600 $1081.

Total Printing -- $4866.Insertion charge -- $370.

Reprints are an important part ofour history and are fragile items. Witha total of $5236. spent on them in 2003, and divide that by 1400members, it comes to a small total of$3.74 per member spent on thesereprints. The high quality by Engler

Printing has resulted in praise worldwide and several of them are in theUnited State Library of Congress.

Some members feel that they areunnecessary while many membershave said that without the reprints,they would not renew their memberships. The members who do not care for them should donatethem to libraries or even sell them. I have seen them go on line auction.Plus it is good advertising forAMICA.

Respectfully Submitted,Robin Pratt

I. Award Committee Report – Mike Walter

J. Honorary Members Report – from Jay AlbertThe following show the Honorary

Members presently on the AMICAmembership list.

No new Honorary Members havebeen named since our most recentHonoraries, Emmett Ford and LarryGivens, in 1996.

Our most recent losses were RamsiTick and Leo Ornstein.

Please keep the lines of communication open. If you hear ofany news about our members whichmight be of interest please pass it on.

I would also request that the Boardmight consider the future of the Committee, i.e. adding any new Honorary Members, etc.

Respectfully submitted,John M. Albert

Santa Barbara, CA

Current List of Honoraries (* = still living )

Clarence Adler 1886 1969Pauline Alpert (Rodf) 1912 1988

Louis Alter 1902 1980Robert Armbruster 1896 1994

Herman (“Hi”) Babich (“Babit”) 1917 *Edythe Baker (Kane) 1997

Alan Bier 1973Robert W. Billings 1899 1985

Ruth Bingaman-Smith 1896 1996Eubie Blake 1883 1983

Alexander Brailowsky 1896 1976

Elmer F. Brooks 1987Julius Burger 1897 1995Adam Carroll 1897 1974Julius Chaloff 1892 1979

Abram Chasins 1904 1987Wilbur Chenoweth 1899 1980Shura Cherkassky 1911 1995

'Jan Chiapusso 1890 1969Zez Confrey 1895 1971

J. Lawrence Cook 1899 1976Charles Cooper 1888 1971

George Copeland 1883 1972Emse Dawson 1977

Ursula Dietrich Hollingshead 1886 1985Frederic Dixon 1895 1923

Lyle Downer 1979John Duke 1889 1984

Jose Echaniz 1905 1969Edgar "Cookie" Fairchild 1898 1975

Ted Fiorito 1900 1971Emmett Ford 1895 *

Rudolph Friml 1879 1972Rudolph Ganz 1877 1972Adam Gawlick 1903 1995

Larry Givens *Joe Gold 1894 1953

Gitta Gradova (Cottle) 1904 1985Ferde Grofe 1892 1966

William Haeseler, Jr. 1994Richard Hageman 1882 1966

Francis Hall Ballard 1899 Eddy Hanson 1893 1986

Myra Hess 1890 1965Clarence N. Hickman 1889 1981

Johnny Honnert 1908 1995Elmer H. Hunholz

Gertrude Huntley Durand 1888 1987Johnny Johnson 1876 1979

Herman Kortlander 1900 1987Frank Laffitte 1982

Carl E. Lamson 1897 1966Henry Lange 1895 1985

Ethel Leginska 1886 1970Edwin Lester 1895 1990Edwin Link 1904 1981

Matilda Locust Hart Vincent Lopez 1894 1987L. Leslie Loth 1888 1975

Dr. Mana-Zucca 1894 1987Flora Mora 1894 1987

Max Morath *Mieczyslaw Munz 1900 1976

Conlon Nancarrow 1997Elly Ney 1882 1968

Ray Noble 1903 1978Guiomar Novaes Pintot 1895 1979

Erwin Nyiregyhazi 1903

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Leo Ornstein 1892 2002Wilfred Pelletier 1896 1982

Gray Perry 1898 1995Genevieve Pitot 1980

Leo Podolsky 1891 1987John Powell 1882 1944Vera Richardson 1978

Claire Rivers Moody 1893 Douglas Roe 1903 1994

O. Fred Rydeen Domenico Savino 1883 1973

Carl I. Schneider 1976Germaine Schnitzer 1889 1983

Leonard Smith 1901 1993Sigmund Spaeth 1885 1965Ernest L. Stevens 1894 1982Reginald Stewart 1899 1984

Alexandre Tansman 1897 1986Ramsi Tick 1925 2000

Donald D. Voorhees 1903 1989Pete Wendling 1888 1974Maurice Roy Wetzel 1895

Isabelle Yalkovsky Byman 1906 1981Victor Zuck 1908 *

Only five of the Honoraries are stillliving. Karl Ellison requested that JayAlbert update the dates on the listaccordingly. As chair, Jay again askedif the nominations should be reopenedfor new Honoraries. Dan Brown hashad several suggestions for nominees.Honoraries receive perks such as freeBulletins with their membership.Dorothy Olds made a motion that wereopen the request for nominees andto change the name to the AMICAHALL OF FAME. Mike Walter seconded the motion. Discussion wasinitiated by Ron Connor, reminding usof previous criteria that prevents therecipient from using the impliedendorsement of AMICA for commercial gain. The criteria in theby-laws address the concerns of Ronand other Board members. We mustmake sure that new nominees havecontributed substantially to the field ofMechanical Music. A vote was takenand the motion was carried. Since theoption to add new Hall of Famers nowexists, Marvin Polan moved to addHarvey and Marion Roehl as nominees to the AMICA Hall ofFame. John Motto-Ros seconded anda vote was called for by Dan Brown.The motion carried. Mike Walter thenmoved to add roll artist Rudy Martin.

Dianne Polan seconded. A vote wastaken and the motion passed. ThenRon Connor moved to place DickHowe in the Hall of Fame. Linda Birdseconded and the vote approved thechoice.

K. Webmaster Report – none availableThere was no official report this

year with the transition between Web-masters. Karl Ellison requested per-mission to give a facelift to the entireAMICA Web site. Earlier he showedus an example of a layout created inFront Page®. He said he could updateand maintain the Web site, but wouldnot be able to handle all of the corre-spondence generated by the site. JohnMotto-Ros said that he and JackEdwards would work to provide con-tent for the site. Karl also suggestedchanging the host for the site to onewho provides the space, service andbackup protocol that we require. Hewill investigate further.

Larry Kerecman of the DenverConvention Committee created theConvention site and was getting a lotof hits from search engines onmechanical music related terms. Hehoped that we will add a strong Fre-quently Asked Questions page to sup-port the most popular questions askedvia e-mail. He also thought that theshared responsibility for maintenanceof information would help the newWebmaster in maintaining the site. Itwas suggested that Jack Edwards beasked to handle the e-mail questions,and it was hoped that there would be acommittee of advisors to consult forquestions in various areas of expertisewhen needed. Others suggested thedecision on whether to add linksshould be evaluated on and individualbasis, but if they are added, theAMICA window would remain activeso we don’t lose visitors to our site.We hope to have cooperation and reci-procal links with other appropriateresources. After further discussion,Dan appointed Karl as Webmaster,with Jack Edwards and Larry Kerec-man assisting as needed.

A 15 minute break was allowed.

L. Executive Committee Report – no report this year

M. Chapter ReportsThe Board meeting resumed with

a review of the Chapter Reports thatfollow.

BOSTON AREACHAPTER REPORT

Officers:President: . . . . . . . .Bill KoenigsburgVice President: . . . . .Robert TempestSecretary: . . . . .Ginger ChristiansenTreasurer: . . . . . . . . . . . .Karl EllisonReporter: . . . . . . . . . . . . .Don BrownBoard Rep: . . . . . . . . . . .Karl Ellison

The chapter has met an average of4 times a year, at varied venues. • Oct. 3, 2003: Home of Ginger and

Chris Christiansen, Nashua NH• Dec. 13, 2003: Chapter Christmas

Dinner (restaurant) and reception at Dorothy Bromage’s, Billerica MA

• Mar. 28, 2004: Home of Bill Koenigsberg, Concord MA

• Apr. 24, 2004: Mason & Hamlin Piano Company - Factory tour and Luncheon, Haverhill MA.

The chapter has 49 paid householdsfor 2004, compared to 45 in 2003, 49in 2002, and 66 in 2001. There are nochapter members that are not Nationalmembers.

There is $1233.58 in the bank as ofMay 16, 2004.

Submitted by, Karl EllisonBoston Board Representative

The Boston Chapter is making aneffort to step up their meetings andhave added four new members thisyear. They send notices to everyonewithin their geographical area.

CHICAGO AREACHAPTER REPORT

Officers:President: . . . . . . . . . . .Curt CliffordVice President: . . . . . . .John MuellerSecretary: . . . . . . . . .Thad KochannyTreasurer: . . . . . . . . . . . .Joe PekarekReporter: . . . . . . . . . . . .Kathy StoneBoard Rep: . . . . . . . . .George Wilder

Chicago Area Chapter currently has

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85 paid members. We have had a great year and finished 2003 with aholiday party at Jasper Sanfilippo’s.The holiday party had 188 attendeesand brought in 6 new members. Ourmost recent meeting was to hear thatcelebrated maestro of ragtime, MaxMorath, play at the Woodstock OperaHouse. Currently we’re all workinghard to get everything ready for the2006 AMICA International Conven-tion! We’re planning to make 2006 amemorable convention for all whocome to The Windy City.

Submitted by, George WilderChicago Area Board Rep

FOUNDINGCHAPTER REPORT

Officers:President: . . . . . . . . . . . .Bing GibbsVice President: . . . . . .Karen SimonsSecretary: . . . . . . . . . .Lyle Merithew

. . . . . . . . . . . .and Sandy SwirskyTreasurer: . . . . . .Richard ReutlingerReporter: . . . . . . . . . . .Tom Mc WayBoard Rep: . . . . .Richard Reutlinger

The Founding Chapter of AMICAcurrently has 32 members on the rolls.We have been encouraged to have hadseveral new enthusiastic memberssign up this past year.

We lost two members who passedaway this past year, Luis Chardon andElmer Klein, both of whom wereactive members in the past. LuisChardon will be remembered for somevery spirited local meetings.

We have had meetings quarterly in the past year. We would like to promote having meetings every othermonth with new members, perhapsthis will be a possibility. At our March meeting the chapter voted to contribute $3000. toward theAdopt-A-Piano project in VirginiaCity/Nevada City, Montana. This project was initiated by FoundingMember Richard Reutlinger.

The Founding Chapter is concernedabout the loss of members nationallyand supports the idea of a more active,appealing Web site to promoteAMICA.

Submitted by, Richard D. Reutlinger

Founding Chapter Board Rep

The Founding Chapter regrets toreport that long time member DaleLawrence passed away this year.

GATEWAYCHAPTER REPORT

Officers:President: . . . . . . . . . . . .Tom NovakVice President: . . . . . . .Bob CrowleySecretary/Treasurer: . . . .Jane NovakReporter: . . . . . . . . . . .Mary WilsonBoard Rep: . . . . . . . . . . .Gary Craig

The Gateway Chapter continues tostruggle with membership. We arehaving a hard time getting people tohost meetings. Attendance at thesemeeting was quite small. Part of the problem is the unwillingness ofpeople in this area to join the nationalorganization. They will join a localgroup primarily for social purposes.They see no point to joining thenational. Many of the people in thisarea are not willing to go out of townto meetings. They are content to go to someone’s home on a Sunday afternoon and listen to a piano ormusic box.

I will report on our July meeting at the Board Meeting. We have thesame people as officers year after yearbecause we cannot get others to beofficers.

If anyone has any suggestion ofsomething we have not already tried,we are open to suggestions.

Submitted by, Gary CraigGateway Board Rep

HEART OF AMERICACHAPTER REPORT

Officers:President: . . . . . . . . . .Tom McAuleyVice President: . . . . . .Robbie TubbsSecretary/Treasurer: . . . . .Kay BodeReporter: . . . . . .Varies with meetingBoard Rep: . . . . . . . . . . .Ron Connor

The Heart of America Chapter continues to be an active chapter withwell attended meetings. In Septemberthe Chapter met in Branson, MO

where members enjoyed a dinner andtheater. At the meeting Past PresidentLinda Bird presented the Leo Ornsteinaward to Ron Bopp, who had not beenpresent at the Portland Convention toreceive it.

October found us in Abilene,Kansas to play our band and monkeyorgans at a festival held by the Dickinson County Historical Society.Of interest here was their Parkersteam carousel, up and operating. Theday ended with dinner at a local landmark, the Brookville Hotel. In themorning we were off to ManhattanKansas for a meeting at Blaine andArmenda Thomas’ musical museum.

In December we gathered at the new home of Paul and ShirleyMorganroth for the annual ChristmasParty. The usual gift exchange tookplace along with a performance of theHeart of America Thespians which isalways good for a laugh. The dayended by attending a nearby theaterfor a performance of “A CountryChristmas”. In the morning we visitedCraig and Ellen Brougher for a brunch and a chance to hear theirinteresting instruments and see Craig’slatest projects. The fun was followedby a business meeting.

The current year began with ameeting at Galen and Linda Bird’s inApril. They had a pig roast and we allgot reacquainted to the music ofGalen’s new Mason and HamlinAmpico grand. The next morning wereturned for brunch (if nothing else,you won’t starve at the Bird’s) and abusiness meeting.

There was an organ rally in Topeka, Kansas on June 19th. It wasthe free day on their carousel, the trainthat runs through the park and the zoo.There were thousands of people in the park with lots of interest in theorgans. In fact, one of the police officers is very interested in acquiringa monkey organ and may joinAMICA. We put on a demonstrationin the amphitheater that evening andexplained about the different organs.On Sunday morning H.C. & MarleneBeckman invited us to their home for a delicious brunch and businessmeeting.

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During the year we have had a number of discussions at our business meetings about the problemsAMICA is having getting and retaining members and the relatedproblem of finances. One thing everyone seemed to agree on is thatwe should drop the reprints that frequently come with the Bulletin.There is almost no interest in these inour Chapter and we think this is oneplace we could cut costs.

Another thing that keeps comingup is getting more variety in the Bulletin. There seems to be somemove in that direction and we understand that it will take some time for the new Publisher to makechanges and the word to get out thatarticles on subjects other than pianoswill be considered. It was suggestedthat some of those whose articles hadbeen turned down might resubmitthem. Some of the problems discussedare not in AMICA’s power to do anything about, such as the weakenedeconomy.

An additional problem that wasoften mentioned is the lack of placesto get things rebuilt. Our chapter hastaken on a project this year. Two ofour members have been having healthproblems and they greatly miss their player piano which has stoppedworking. The Chapter has decided to rebuild it for them. Parts have been passed out to various volunteer members who will rebuild them and then in the fall these subassemblies will be brought to Craig Brougher ’s house and the piano will be reassembled and returned to its owners.

Submitted by, Ron Connor, Chapter Rep

Heart of America Chapter

LADY LIBERTYCHAPTER REPORT

Officers:President: . . . . . . . .Vincent MorganVice President: . . . . . . .Keith BiggerSecretary: . . . . . . . .Maureen SabodaTreasurer: . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ira MalekReporters: . . . . . . . . . . . . .Buzz Rosa

Board Reps: . . . . . . . . . . . .Dianne & . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Marvin Polan

Membership Chairman: . .Keith Bigger

We have four meetings a year:October 19th, 2003: Dave Calen-

dine played at the home of Bob and Catherine Martin. He is an Organistfor the Detroit’s Radio City MusicHall.

December 28th, 2003: Joe Huttergave workshop on the AeolianOrchestrelle at the home of the Polans.A month later the meeting was held again in the Polans’ home for a video taping by the local PBS Channel which was shown in two segments over the next few months.

May 15th, 2004: We held a meeting at Dr. Lenwood Wert’s home.We had a hands on workshop on acrank organ and band organ. As anadded extra some members went toRuth and Bill Kromer’s home to seehis fantastic tool workshop.

July 17th, 2004: There will be ameeting at Bill Maguire’s home. Billwill do hands on workshops. ”How ToRemove The Action From A PlayerGrand Piano.”

Besides meetings, Chapter Members participated in the grandopening of the New York State EmpireState Carousel by bringing playerpianos, band organs and street organs. Our member Randolph Herrgave a concert at our local library onhis Pianola. He also played at theMuseum of the American Piano inNew York City. Videos of his concertsare available upon request.

New Members: 46

New Business: We request thatAmica International MembershipChairman notify Chapter Presidents ofnew members so chapters can contactthese new members to welcome them.

Respectfully Submitted,Dianne and Marvin Polan

MIDWESTCHAPTER REPORT

Officers:President: . . . . . . . . . . . .Stuart GriggVice President: . . . . . . .Liz BarnhartSecretary: . . . . . . . . . . . .Sherri NeffTreasurer: . . . . . . . .Alvin WulfekuhlReporter: . . . . . .Christy CountermanBoard Rep: . . . . . . . . . .Liz Barnhart

The Midwest Chapter has a total of74 household memberships. Our chapter is having a problem trying tofind meeting dates. We can’t meet inthe snow months and between Mayand September there are 8 organ rallies plus 2 meetings all in our areaand held by other music groups.

We knew we could not fit in a meeting last fall, so we held one in the upstairs lobby at the PortlandDoubletree Hotel. All 18 Midwestmembers attending the conventioncame and all officers were presentexcept our president. We voted todonate $1200. to the “Adopt a Piano”project when names of specific instruments become available.

Our December meeting was inFindlay, OH with hosts, Bev and TomGustwiller and Sherri and Wes Neff.A highlight of the weekend was playing “Name That Tune” usingexcerpts of old piano rolls put togetheron one roll and pumped by Wes Neffon his upright player. We voted tocontribute to the AMICA MemorialFund in memory of Judy Wulfekuhl,Frank Rider, Lewis Schwartzkoph,Donna Counterman and LawrenceFrazer. We also visited the Piano RollShop operated by Elizabeth Rettig.

In May we gathered at the Cleveland Museum of Art and thenhad our choice of going there or to theother museums, Natural History,Botanical Gardens, and CrawfordAuto-Aviation. That evening and ourSunday meeting were at Carol andKarl Thiel’s in Chagrin Falls. Karl’sfather, Al, was secretary of the Midwest Chapter in the 70’s and Karlhas inherited his pianos. We also heldan informal mart.

Our next meeting will be July 17-18 in Indianapolis hosted by JodyTrittipo, Miriam Hanscom and Tim

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Needler and will include a trip to Boggstown Dinner Theater.

Respectfully Submitted, Liz BarnhartMidwest Board Rep

NORTHERN LIGHTSCHAPTER REPORT

Officers:President: . . . . . . . . . . .Phillip BairdVice President: . . . . . . .Paul WatkinsSecretary: . . . . . . . . . . . .Jason BeyerTreasurer: . . . . . . . .Donald B. JonesReporter: . . . . . . . . . . .Dorothy OldsBoard Rep: . . . . . . . . .Dorothy Olds

There has been only one generalmeeting of members since the Portland meeting and that was held inDecember, our annual ChristmasParty.

On that same day, prior to themeeting and dinner, the ConventionPlanning committee met. We have hadseveral meetings since then. Plans aremoving ahead. A presentation isplanned for the Denver convention.

Respectfully submitted, Dorothy OldsNorthern Lights Board Rep

PACIFIC CAN-AMCHAPTER REPORT

Officers:Co-Presidents: . . . .Carl(now deceased)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .& Peg KehretVice President: . . . . . . .Halie DodrillSecretary: . . . . . . . . . . . . .Brian TateTreasurers: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jack &

. . . . . . . . . . . . Mary Lou BecvarReporter: . . . . . . . . .Mark SmithbergBoard Rep: . . . . . . . . . . .Carl Dodrill

MembershipAs of March 20, 2004, the Pacific

Can-Am Chapter membership consisted of 32 individuals who comefrom 20 households. This is a significant reduction from the previous year, primarily due to thenonpayment of dues. As can be seen,in many cases, two members from ahousehold are both actively involvedin our chapter. Deaths this year amongour membership prominently includedCarl Kehret who was Co-President

when he passed on. He will be greatlymissed as he contributed in vital waysto our chapter back to its start in 1994.

TreasuryIn March 2004, we had $340.76 in

our checking account, $2,056.32 in acertificate of deposit, and a savingsaccount with a balance of $2,778.47.This is a near doubling of our financial assets since last year becauseof money made on the Portland convention in August, 2003.

Chapter Activities Chapter activities have continued

regularly. Each year we have fourmeetings with 15 to 40 people inattendance, and our meetings occur onSaturday or Sunday afternoons.Members and visitors come to thehosting home at around 2 PM andthere is approximately two hours ofvisiting with other members while theinstruments in the home are viewedand played. This considerable periodof time for interaction with otherAMICAns has proved to be one of the most valuable features of ourmeetings, and people become wellacquainted with others during thistime. At approximately 4 PM, we haveour Business Meeting and show andtell time. At roughly 5 PM, we shareour potluck meal together. This schedule works very well indeed.

The largest activity of our chapteras a whole this year was the 2003AMICA Convention which was heldin Portland, Oregon from August 20 to 24, 2003. Carl Dodrill was Convention Chair and Al Menashefrom Portland was the Convention Co-chair. Our committee consisted ofpersons from the state of Washington(Dan Brown, Halie Dodrill, CarlKehret, Dean Randall until his deathearly last year, Beverly Spore) andalso from Oregon (Nathan Bello,Bruce and Juanice Cartwright, JohnCollins, Bill and Marilyn Englund,Don McLaughlin, Al Menashe, AnnSmith). The convention registered 183people, including a significant number

of people who were not AMICAmembers, who were comfortably situated in the Doubletree DowntownPortland Hotel which had a most helpful staff. Ann Smith coordinatedall our tours for the convention anddid a splendid job! We had an entirebus of 47 folks attend the 1/2-day Pre-Convention tour that included visits to the Rose Gardens, JapaneseGardens, and Pittock Mansion in Portland. On Thursday we all boardedbuses for a daylong tour of the Columbia River Gorge. The tourincluded the Gorge itself, Mt. Hood, Multnomah Falls, and the International Museum of Carousel Artin Hood River, Oregon. This museumis home to the world’s largest andmost comprehensive collection ofantique carousel art. Furthermore, wehad a chance to see a restorer at work.

A particular highlight of the convention was being able to featureour young guest artist, Nathan Bello.Nathan is one of AMICA International'syoungest members, and although hehas been a member of AMICA forseveral years, he was only 17 years ofage. Specifically for this convention,Nathan composed “The Rose CityRag,” which is a real toe-tapping tuneof exactly the type that AMICAnsenjoy, and this became the convention’s souvenir roll. Nathanperformed a full length piano concertof both popular and classical pieces to an enthusiastic audience. CarlKehret organized the Technical Sessions which were especially broadin scope this year. Karl Ellison, demonstrating unbelievable control of the piano’s expression, won the Pumper Contest. On Saturdaymorning, AMICANs went to the OaksPark Roller Rink and AmusementPark in Portland where all enjoyed awonderful concert on the Wurlitzerpipe organ by Jonas Nordwall. Thiswas followed by an extended visit tothe Sellwood Antique area of Portlandwith more than 50 shops. Thatevening, the banquet was held in theballroom of the hotel with excellent

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food and with dancing to the musicprovided by the Dick SaundersOrchestra. The convention concludedthe next day with the Farewell Breakfast and with visits to six openhouses which had been arranged byDon McLaughlin of our conventioncommittee. Free transportation wasprovided to all open houses for anyone who wished to go and who did not have a way to get there.

The AMICA - 2003 - ConventionCommittee wishes to thank everyonewho helped with the convention (a host of folks from our Can-Amchapter), the wonderful hotel staff atthe Doubletree, our guest artistsNathan Bello and Jonas Nordwall, andpersons who offered their homes.Special recognition goes to my wife,Halie, whose commitment to this convention in the hundreds of hoursshe spent resulted in a conventionwith no significant weaknesses and toBev Spore who assisted in manyways.

Other activities beyond the convention occurred throughout theyear. The chapter voted to undertakethe rebuilding of a player piano forplacement in the American Museumof Radio in Bellingham, Washington.Kurt Morrison, Troy Taylor, MarkSmithberg, Ron Babb, and CarlKehret (until his death) have pressedahead on this project. A rebuild of theplayer grand piano in the ParamountTheater in Seattle was approved bythe Chapter, and this will be done astime permits. Norm and Sally Gibsonsponsored the third band organ rally inJune in Ocean Shores, Washington.Bill Masterman maintains a Wurlitzerband organ that he has rebuilt, and hehas been successful in getting itinstalled in Washington State’s largestcounty fair, the Puyallup County Fair.Brian Tate continues to go to schoolsto illustrate automatic musical instruments. Other members furtheredthe mission of AMICA by volunteering their time on a consistentbasis.

Carl Dodrill, Pacific Can-Am Chapter

Representative to the AMICA Board

SIERRA NEVADACHAPTER REPORT

Officers:President: . . . . . . . . .John Motto-RosVice President: . . . . . . .Sonja LemonSecretary/Treasurer: . . . . . . .Doug &

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Vickie MahrReporter: . . . . . . .Nadine Motto-RosBoard Rep: . . . . . . .John Motto-Ros

The Sierra Nevada Chapter has 19 memberships; most of these arecouples, but we have a few individualmemberships. The Chapter has metthree times since the 2003 Conventionin Portland. We have another meetingscheduled for June 27.

Our continuing goal is to exposemore people to automatic musicalinstruments. Long-time members Boband Sonja Lemon are developing achapter web page to link to theAMICA International web site. Thiscould be a tool to attract new members. We have a new, very youngmember who is obsessed with PhotoPlayers, and he does own one. Hisgoal is to place it in the ballroom ofthe Stockton Hotel (being renovated)and show silent movies. The chapteris currently talking about a playerpiano with trailer to use on weekendsin malls and other locations to promote AMICA.

Respectfully submitted,John Motto-Ros

President/Board RepSierra Nevada Chapter

John Motto-Ros reported that sincethe writing of this report, their newChapter Web site has been launchedand can be accessed from AMICA’sChapter page.

S.O.W.N.Y.CHAPTER REPORT

Officers:President: . . . . . . . . . . . .Mike WalterVice President: . . . . . .Stan AldridgeSecretary: . . . .Garry & Anne LemonTreasurer: . . . . . . . . . . .Holly Walter

Reporter: . . . . . . . . . . .Frank WarbisBoard Rep: . . . . . . . . . .Holly Walter

The S.O.W.N.Y. chapter of AMICAis alive and well, although the numberof chapter members has declined. Ourchapter has 18 current members with a few more new members on the horizon.

During the past twelve months wehave had five chapter meetings at various homes throughout the region.We are looking forward to two or possibly three more before the end ofthe year.

Concerning finances, we currentlyhave $1,487.30 in our chapter checking account and $3,400 in a CD account to be used for chapterprojects.

Our current chapter project is therestoration of a Weber Duo-Art grandpiano in the workshop of HaroldHodgkins.

We are looking to find ways of increasing membership in our chapter and also the internationalorganization. Chapter president MikeWalter has mentioned auctioningmemberships to our organization on P.B.S. TV auctions here in the Buffalo/Toronto market and alsoP.B.S. stations across the country. Thechapter feels that it would be a greatway of advertising our organizationand we unanimously endorse the idea.

Respectfully Submitted, Mike WalterPresident, S.O.W.N.Y. Chapter

Holly WalterS.O.W.N.Y. Board Rep

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIACHAPTER REPORT

Officers:President: . . . . . . . . . . . . .Frank NixVice President: . . . . . . . . . .Jerry PellSecretary: . . . . . . . . . . . .Shirley NixTreasurer: . . . . . . . . . . . .Ken HodgeReporter: . . . . . . . . . . . . .Shirley NixBoard Rep: . . . . . . . . . . . .Frank Nix

2004 has been a busy year for ourchapter. The December meeting washeld at the home of Bob and DianeLloyd. AMICA invited MBSI

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members as usual, and the crowd waslarge with many old friends. TheLloyds have a large collection ofmusical machines, clocks, and other“goodies”, all in good working order.

In February Mike and MarilynAmes hosted our meeting in SolanaBeach. This meeting was well attended, with many of us taking thetrain from L.A. and back. The Ameshave a wonderful collection, and the star of this meeting was the newly restored Weber Solea, playingbeautifully.

April was a busy month, with anorgan rally in Redlands on the 17th.This one got rained out! The nextweekend we had our annual rally inDescanso Gardens. It was, as usual, avery successful rally with largecrowds and a beautiful setting.

In May we had our meeting at theNix home in Woodland Hills. Twoinstruments many had not seen beforewere the newly restored HupfeldHelios 1C31 and the Ruth 35-A, both pleasing the crowd. We had apotluck luncheon, so no one wenthome hungry.

May 16th found us having a rallyin Pasadena at historical locations fortheir celebration, very well attended.

June 20th, Father’s Day, foundmany of us back in Pasadena at theHistorical Museum, with a few of usat the Father’s Day Classic Car Showplaying for the crowds at the CalLutheran College.

July 10 and 11 will find us at ameeting planned at the home of Jimand Caroyl Westcott in Lompoc, andat the Print Shop of Doug and AudreyMussell. This will be our last chanceto see the Westcott collection, sincethey are selling the whole thing andmoving. They have a large collection,and put on a very entertaining meeting. Doug and Audrey also have a large orchestrion collection, so itwill be a weekend filled with musicand fellowship.

Our treasury is healthy, with 86paid members. (The organ rallies andword of mouth seem to be our majorsource of new members.)

Submitted byFrank and Shirley Nix

Southern California Board Reps

TEXASCHAPTER REPORT

Officers:President: . . . . . . . . . . . .Jerry BaconVice President: . . . . . . . . .Bill BoruffSecretary: . . . . . . . . .Janet TonnesenTreasurer: . . . . . . . . . . . .Vicki BradyReporter: . . . . . . . . .Haden VandiverBoard Rep: . . . . . . . .Dick Merchant

Our main objective has been tomaintain an active and viable chapterthis year with emphasis on havingquality and enjoyable meetings.

To summarize meetings that wehad in 2003 since the last conventionto date in 2004:

Sept. 26-28, 2003 – Joint Meetingwith Sunbelt Chapter MBSI – BandOrgan Rally at Fair Park in Dallaswith open houses at Walter & JessieMoore's and Richard & Janet Tonnesen’s homes.

Dec. 13, 2003 –Jerry Bacon Christmas dinner meeting/gift swap –Dallas

Feb 15, 2004 Sal & Elaine Mele,home visit and Organ/Choir concertfollowing dinner – Dallas

May 1, 2004 Olden Year MusicalMuseum – Duncanville

Two more meetings are planned for 2004 - a fall meeting and theChristmas meeting.

Attendance at meetings hasincreased and averages 20-25 in attendance. We had quite a few members that didn’t renew from lastyear dropping us down from lastyear’s 73 memberships to 66 this year.

We still struggle to find hosts for meetings and to find volunteers for office. We are working to increasethe Chapter membership and theinvolvement of the members.

Regards, Dick MerchantBoard Rep., Texas Chapter

5. Old BusinessA. By-laws revision consideration

concerning the statement of purpose of AMICA – Gary Craig, John Motto-Ros, Dick Merchant, Dan BrownThe header describing AMICA’s

intent on the information page in each

Bulletin does not reflect the currentby-laws.The question was raised onwhether to change the by-laws toreflect a new definition of our intent.Since it was determined that the by-laws are not a recruitment tool,they are not restrictive in their meaning. Mike Walter said that a better solution would be to create anew tag line to be used under theheader opposite the inside front cover.Dick Merchant represented the opposing view, saying that we need torewrite the by-laws to accuratelyreflect AMICA’s direction today. He said we should include the preservation of the music as a priorityof the organization. After much discussion, Linda Bird reverted toMike’s original premise. She movedto leave the by-laws the way they are,but requested revision of the Bulletindefinition of AMICA’s purpose to reflect the broader scope of theorganization. Frank Nix seconded the motion and the vote passed, withDick Merchant, Gary Craig and BillChapman disagreeing.

B. Adopt-A-Piano Program – Richard ReutlingerRichard gave an update on the

program. One of the main concernswas the method of transferring fundsto the project. The Montana HeritageCommission does not want to administer an endowment fund. Oneof the goals of the program is to make the public aware of AMICA.Approximately 100,000 visitors peryear pass though the Nevada CityMusic Hall during the season whichruns from May to September. One ofthe first steps will be to determinewhich instruments are to be restoredand a priority order for restoration.Frank Nix was concerned about thespeed of the restoration due to ArtReblitz’s busy schedule, but thereseems to be no time schedule set as ofyet. Richard will provide updates tothe Bulletin when necessary. DanBrown said that no further Boardaction is necessary to move the projectforward.

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C. Emmett Ford photo collection disposition/use – Dan BrownDan Brown asked for suggestions

on what to do with the collection,which has been in the possession ofseveral AMICA members since it wasdonated to the organization. When theBarnharts stored it in Ohio, they madean inventory of all of the items. DanBrown has recently reviewed thematerials and found most of them to be copies of articles or actual clippings from publications. There areperhaps two dozen real photos in thecollection. He has now given theimportant articles to Mike Kukral touse for the Bulletin.

D. Membership growth ideas – John Motto-Ros, Bill Chapman, Bing Gibbs, Dan BrownBill Chapman is concerned about

membership loss and asked for suggestions on how to maintain andadd to membership. He had compileda group of letters from former members and also a possible survey todetermine why people drop out. DanBrown maintains that Chapter activityis the way to get people to join. Publicdemonstrations are often used sincemany people have never seen any ofthese instruments, especially youngpeople. Dianne Polan asked if therewere any other Chapters who had aMembership Chairman. Keith Biggerof their Lady Liberty Chapter took itupon himself to call everyone in theirChapter area to invite them to come.They now have a thriving Chapterwhich was recently featured on thelocal PBS station.

The book “Pianos in America–1800 to 1940” was cited by JohnMotto-Ros as a great example on howto present the history of instruments.He wondered if perhaps the history ofinstruments of interest to AMICAcould be profiled on our Web site.Mike Walter proposed the idea of promoting AMICA on the nationwidePBS television auctions. For a $75.00investment, we could essentiallyreceive a 30 second “commercial”about AMICA. He will investigate thepotential of how many households can be reached in each geographicarea to determine the feasibility of the

proposal. On a Chapter level CarlDodrill found that every one who didnot renew merely forgot to do so.Other Chapters will make the effort topersonally contact members who didnot renew.

As Dan Brown stated earlier, weneed to get instruments in front of thepublic. He suggested that we revisitthe possibility of making funds available to get an instrument into aprominent location. John Motto-Roswants to make sure that AMICABrochures are available in all kinds ofvenues and at events where peoplemay be interested in antiques ormusic. Karl Ellison suggested that we coordinate our Convention dates to avoid conflicts with like organizations so attendance at Conventions could be improved. Dansaid that this is already is being done to some extent, citing last year’s Portland Convention and thepossibility of riding the train to theMBSI convention the following week.Liz Barnhart suggested inviting college students from music educationprograms to see our collections to generate interest. We hope to publish ideas for recruiting new members in an upcoming bulletin.

E. AMICA e-groupKarl Ellison explained the

workings of a Board Member only e-group to use in facilitating conversation between Board Members. It would be a closed, private group where others could not participate. Each e-mail on Boardaction would be sent to the entiregroup. There would be automaticarchiving so we could look up topics of interest. There would also be free disk space for images or commonly needed documents such as the by-laws. It was decided that Karl would send an introductorye-mail to each member of the Board,inviting them to register for the group.If enough people approve of the groupit will be implemented as our mainmeans of communication, but we willmake an effort to include others whocan not participate due to lack of Webaccess.

6. New BusinessA. Webmaster replacement and website design and contentThis was previously addressed

earlier in the meeting.

B. Notification to chapters of new International members – Dianne and Marvin PolanThe Polans request that the

Chapters be notified immediatelywhen a new member joins in theirarea. That way they can be invited tojoin the chapter and participate inlocal activities.

Note: the order of the agenda waschanged at this point.

D. Historic reprints – Ron Connor and Wes NeffRon Connor, representing the Heart

of America Chapter, said that their chapter took a vote and themajority do not think that the reprintsare necessary. Gary Craig from the Gateway Chapter agreed. John Motto-Ros said that we need to to promote the reprints more as a perk to AMICA. Discussion followedon just what should be considered for a reprint. Should they relate to the Bulletin articles? The subject wasthen diverted from the reprints to a discussion of Bulletin content.There had been a concern that a recentBulletin had been dominated by onelarge article. The Board agreed theneed for diversity in articles. CarlDodrill revisited last year’s suggestionof creating a Publications Committeewhich would have several people representing different interests. Thesemembers would determine if theauthor of an article was presentingvalid information. They would alsosolicit and review articles submittedfor publication. Carl moved that thePresident be directed to form an adhoc Publications Committee withwhich our Publisher and Printer wouldserve. It should include people with expertise in various areas ofmechanical music in which AMICAshould be involved. The chair will be appointed by the President andshould have a broad knowledge of

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mechanical music and the skills tomanage the committee and evaluatesubmissions to the Bulletin. MikeWalter seconded the motion. The votewas carried.

We then returned to the originaltopic of Historic Reprints. The Midwest Chapter discussed the topic at their July meeting and all agreed that they find the reprintsvaluable and enjoy reading them and displaying them. They suggestedcertain kinds of reprints they wouldlike to have reproduced. Dan Brownpointed out that Robin Pratt hadnoticed the reprints selling online and suggested we do the same withsurplus reprints. John Motto-Rosmoved that we scan or photograph theexisting ones and get them ready toput them on our Web site to sell.Christy Counterman seconded themotion, and the vote was approved.Wes Neff reviewed the current budget and how much each reprinthad cost, and how much the cost hadvaried over the past months. Christysuggested that we determine a set budget for reprints to alleviate thefinancial problems caused by such avarying amount spent each time. CarlDodrill suggested that the PublicationsCommittee could make that decision.Wes Neff made a motion to stop publication of the reprints until thePublications Committee evaluates theprocess and makes a decision. CarlDodrill seconded the motion. The votewas approved with two dissenting.

C. Membership dues increase – Wes NeffThere will only be a minimal profit

from this convention. Ron Connorsuggested that we table any discussion

of increasing dues until we have further information on the need to doso. When the Publication costs areevaluated, it may not be necessary toraise dues if the budget can betrimmed otherwise. Gary seconded themotion and Dan pointed out that nomotion is necessary in this case. Ronwithdrew the motion.

E. Airmail sending of Bulletins to overseas members and affiliates – Bill ChapmanBill Chapman discussed the costs

of sending overseas subscriptions Airmail vs. Surface mail. It wouldtake 4-6 weeks to receive a bulletinvia surface mail for most members.No motion was made as there wouldnot be enough savings to merit changing the way we mail the items.

F. Request to change AMICAconvention days from Wednesday-Sunday to Tuesday-Saturday – Karl EllisonWhen it was pointed out that most

discounted airfares require a Saturdayovernight stay, Karl realized that there would be little savings fromleaving the Convention Saturday andwithdrew the suggestion.

G. Future of Technicalities – from Terry SmytheThe future of Technicalities was

covered earlier in this meeting.

H. The petition for the re-establishment of the Rocky Mountain Chapter – Larry KerecmanOn July 31, 2004 thirteen members

of the Denver Convention Committeevoted unanimously to petition the

AMICA International Board of directors to re-establish the RockyMountain Chapter of AMICA. Allpetitioners are current members ofAMICA International. They submitteda copy of the by-laws that were ineffect at the time the Chapter was dissolved that will be used as provisional by-laws. Larry listed the states previously covered by theChapter: Colorado, New Mexico,Wyoming, western Kansas, and west-ern Nebraska. They request that theterritory remain the same. RichardReutlinger made a motion to re-establish the Rocky MountainChapter of AMICA. Gary Craig seconded the motion. A vote wastaken and the motion unanimouslyapproved. The Chapter will hold itsfirst official meeting this fall.

Dan Brown asked if there were any more items to be discussed. LizBarnhart showed the brass AMICAplaques suitable for engraving andasked to sell them at the Mart. MikeWalters asked how many membershave foot-pumped player piano intheir homes, and if we know if themajority of our chapter members havethem. He was trying to gauge thefocus of future membership efforts.After these discussions, President DanBrown adjourned the meeting, and reminded Board Members to beprepared to give a brief report at theMembership Breakfast.

The Board reconvened later in theevening as the new Publisher, MikeKukral had arrived. We discussed thedirection of the Bulletin and suggestedpossible subjects for future bulletins.The Publications Committee was alsodiscussed.

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VERVIEW OFBy John Motto-Ros

“MUSIC A MILE HIGH” AMICA CONVENTION

DENVER, COLORADOAugust 4-8, 2004

I spent Wednesday at the AnnualBoard Meeting in the Gold NuggetRoom. The convention committee hadarranged for a phone for conference calls,which worked out great. The continentalbreakfast was superb. Later in the day, I checked out the Hospitality Roomwhich was large and accommodatingwith lots of instruments to play.

Day 1 - Thursday: The WelcomeBreakfast was second to none. The welcoming remarks and Denver orientation were very informative. Themulti-media presentation “100 Years of Automatic Music in Colorado” byDick Kroekel and Art Reblitz was bothinformative and entertaining. What agreat trip to Silver Plume and theGeorgetown Loop Railroad, Georgetown,and Central City. During a torrentialdownpour in Georgetown, Halie Dodrilland I took refuge in a doorway prior togetting back on the bus. The PumperContest was one of the best ever. The

Hospitality Room was great. I enjoyedYousuf Wilson’s banjo; the workmanshipis unbelievable—it is the best.

Day 2 - Friday: The convention committee did a “travel agency” joborganizing our visit to Garden of theGods in Manitou Springs. Our eveningtrip to 4-Mile Historic Park was like stepping back in time to the Old West.The chuck wagon dinner was fun and thecowboy poetry by lantern light was anice way to end an exciting day.

Day 3 - Saturday: The work shopswere very informative. I attended three:Yousuf Wilson – Back to Basics, ChrisFinger Pianos – The Piano Disc System,and Bob Billings – Perforators. All werevery good. I had a good day selling at theMart as I sold a few extra things I had onhand. Thanks to everyone who made apurchase.

Jeri (in top hat and tails) gave Nadineand I a ride to the Banquet in his Lincolnconvertible. That was a real treat. Myfirst thought was why were we going acouple of blocks away from the hotel?As soon as we arrived at the Pinnacle

Club 38th Floor, I knew why. What aview and the dinner was excellent.Music by the Queen City Jazz Band wasthe frosting on the cake for Nadine and I.Their vocalist Wendy is the greatest. Didanyone see the fireworks off in the distance—just for us?

Day 4 - Sunday: The Farewell Breakfast and Annual Meeting went verywell. After seeing the Northern LightsChapter presentation, no one should missnext year’s convention in Minneapolis,MN. We missed the concert at the Paramount Theatre and Open Houses aswe headed off to Mount Rushmore.

An important thing for me was visiting Art Reblitz—Art is amazing.Getting the Rocky Mountain Chapter on line again is a good thing for all AMICAns in the area. It is apparent that Jere had a good group of people all working together. Each year the conventions get better. I say that everyyear and mean it. Thank you Jeri andcrew. Those who did not have fun eachday must have stayed in their room.

Sierra Nevada Chapter’sAlex Thompson playinggames at 4-Mile Historic Park.

David and Dianne Reidy onthe bus to somewhere.

This was a load test of this bench at 4-Mile Park.

It passed the test.

Christy Countermanenjoying salad and pizza.

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Art Reblitz centerattraction in his

shop.

Art’s beautiful Seeburg “G” with AMICA member dreaming it was his.

Dianne and Marvin Polan couldn’tresist this musical merry-go-round in

Georgetown.

Linda and Galen Bird enjoying the pizza.

Janet and Peter Tallent in Silver Plume.

Carl and Halie Dodrill getting on the bus for a tour.

John Motto-Ros holding sign at VanBriggle Art Pottery which says: “If

you break something, it’s our respon-sibility. Enjoy yourself.”

Board members on Mount Rushmore.

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Frank had wanted to have a convention in the Denver area evenbefore he became Convention Chairman,and when he approached Jere DeBackerabout it Jere said he would see what hecould do. Next thing we knew Jere hadtaken the bull by the horns and the 2004Denver Convention was on the way withits theme “Music a Mile High”.

This convention was so much fun, andthe time was so filled with events that it just seemed to fly by. Jere and his committee used the area and the Westerntheme and went with it to great effect.

The Holiday Inn Hotel was situatedright in downtown Denver, close to manyof the sights Denver is famous for: TheDenver Capitol Building, with its goldendome, the Molly Brown House, theBrown Palace Hotel, and many more.Add to that all the restaurants and shopsin easy walking distance and you have agreat setting.

Wednesday started off the activitiesfor the officers and board meeting, butfor the rest of the attendees it was a dayto arrive, get settled in and relax. Therewas a tour of the Chris Finger PianoShop, and the hospitality room was openwith an assortment of reproducingpianos.

Thursday started off with a welcomebreakfast followed by Art Reblitz and his remarkable presentation of “100+Years of Automatic Music in Colorado”.Art has spent 36 years researching automatic instruments and their history inColorado’s old mining towns to the west,major cities along the front range, andhigh plains to the east.

His multimedia presentation includedmany photos of historic instrumentsalong with their “then and now” locations, presented in a thoroughlyenjoyable manner. Many of us urged Artto make this fascinating presentation into a CD or other venue available toother chapters for presentation at theirmeetings.

After breakfast and the presentationwe boarded buses for the Georgetown-Central City Tour.

Central City used to be a small town,not quite a ghost town, but a quiet, quaintplace. All that changed when a few Casinos opened, and now it is a thrivingarea for gambling.

We, however, were more interested inthe old section of town, and many of ustook a tour of the old opera house. This isa lovely old theater, and the paintings onthe walls alone were well worth the trip.

Others of us wandered down to see“the face on the barroom floor” in theTeller House. This is an interpretation ofthe famous picture made famous in thepoem by Hugh Antoine D’Arcy in 1887.Now lest you think that’s too far back foranyone today to know, this poem hasbeen the subject of a movie in 1914directed by Charlie Chaplin, anothermovie in 1998 starring Mickey Rooney,on television adapted for “Touched by anAngel” with Roma Downey as the face,and even a Star Trek episode. The original poem told of a down and outdrunk coming into a bar begging forsomeone to buy him a drink. Finallysomeone does, and he tells the bar hangers on that he was once a famouspainter, but his downfall came when hefell in love and his girl left him for hisbest friend. After a couple of drinks heoffers to show them what she looked like,and he paints her portrait on the floor, then promptly falls over dead on the portrait. This was also made intoan opera, but the story was expandedsomewhat.

As you might guess, this whole area isan historical treasure trove.

We had a fine lunch in Georgetown,complete with accordion music, furnished by Joe Saman and JohnRoberts in costume.

From there we went by bus to take theGeorgetown Loop Railroad trip. What a fun trip it was, and the scenery wasbeautiful. We skirted the storm clouds,and while we got a few “drops” of rain,for the most part it was fine.

Thursday evening was the pumpercontest, and boy, these things are gettingbetter and better. This was really a good

group of contestants, and this time the audience had to choose, and threewinners were selected, with Roger Stumfol from Kansas the #1 winner, Alex Thompson was #2 and Julian Dyerwas third.

When the contest was over the pianoroll for the Convention was presented,and when I say “presented” I mean it wasquite a presentation, with four “cowboys”singing and acting out the songs, who inreal life were not actually Tex, Slim, theKid or Monty, although they certainlywould fit the parts. Actually, they wereJoe Saman, Jan Myers, Barry Weiss andJerry Hutt, with Art Reblitz on the PlayerPiano and Dick Kroeckel on the piano.(These guys all might have an up andcoming career in “show biz”????) I havenever seen anything like it, and it wasmarvelous. They were such a big hit thatthe audience voted to have them repeatthe performance at the banquet on Saturday night.

After a good night’s sleep we roseearly Friday, had breakfast and boardedthe buses again for a lovely trip to Colorado Springs, nestled at the base of Pikes Peak about 60 miles south ofDenver. The scenery is decorated by theRockies (Colorado has more peaks over14,000 feet high than anywhere else), and the trip detours through the Gardenof the Gods. This is one of the most photographed spots in the Rockies, withits ever-changing panorama, and its redrocks jutting up from the ground in manyshapes and sizes. Yes, they really, reallyare red.

From this wonderland we went to theworkshop and home of Art Reblitz, a realtreat. Art’s shop is a place where many of the world’s largest, most rare, andcompletely fantastic mechanical musicalinstruments are reborn. Add to that the fact that this is where many of the hobby’s most referenced books have been written. Art is a walking encyclopedia of this hobby, and we weremost honored to be able to visit his homeand shop. He and his wife Jeannie

ENVERBy Shirley Nix

CONVENTION 2004

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opened their home to us, and Art’s associate Bob Grunow helped with showing the shop and the instruments invarious stages of restoration there.

Our lunch stop today was Fargo’sPizza, which was a fitting stop beforegoing to visit Art and Jeannie, since thisis home to a large orchestrion which wasbuilt by Reblitz Restorations over 20 years ago, and is still splaying beautifully. There are other nickelodeonsin this great Pizza Parlor, too, and all youhave to do to hear them is put a coin inthe slot.

A century ago, several daily narrow-gauge steam trains made the trek fromCripple Creek, “The World’s GreatestGold Camp” on the west side of Pike’sPeak, downhill and around the mountainfrom Colorado Springs, delivering tonsof gold ore to several large mills forrefining. The ore mills are gone, exceptfor one large smokestack, but an enormous pile of mine tailings and twohistoric stone buildings remain: the Midland Terminal car repair shop and theoriginal roundhouse, which marked theeastern end of the railroad.

Today, the repair shop houses thePikes Peak Ghost Town Museum, whichprovided old-time fun, including severalcoin-operated pianos restored by Art Reblitz in the early 1970’s. Theroundhouse is occupied by Van BriggleArt Pottery. We had the good fortune to be able to explore both places. A lot of pottery items went home with AMICANs.

For our evening meal, Jere and hiscrew had arranged for us to go to FourMile Historic Park for a real, live chuckwagon meal, put on by a gentleman who owns an authentic chuck wagon and

prepares everything just as the cookwould have done on a trail ride. The foodwas really fantastic, and there was lots of it. Four Mile Park was the last stagestop outside of Denver, and the distance?You guessed it…Four miles! The homein this park is the oldest residence inDenver. This is part of the Colorado StateHistorical Society, not just a touristattraction.

The park is really a neat place, andnearly everyone managed to take a stagecoach ride around, and go throughthe old homes. It was interesting.

After dinner, the “chef” put on a program of cowboy poetry, and he wasjust great. He told several stories, all inpoetry, some funny, some sad, but allentertaining. He is really a showman, andwe enjoyed his show immensely. It was a real taste of western history andhospitality.

Saturday was workshops and the mart,which kept us busy until about five p.m.,then up to the room to freshen up, dressup a bit and walk the block and a half tothe restaurant where the banquet washeld on the 37th floor.

The view from this banquet room wasjust breathtaking, with all of Denver litup for our pleasure. We also had one ofthe prettiest sunsets you could ever want,and Jere said it was the first one they hadfor weeks due to bad weather, so we werereally fortunate.

The “Queen City Jazz Band” furnished the music for dancing and listening, and they were a big hit. Thewhole evening had such a wonderfulambience to it.

Sunday morning was the businessmeeting and breakfast. There was anorgan and piano concert at the Paramount

Theatre in the afternoon, “An Afternoonof American Music” with Dick Kroeckel(ragtime pianist) and Patti Simon.

There were open house tours in theevening, with the hospitality room open,too.

This was convention filled with funand friendship, and we owe Jere and hiscrew a big vote of thanks. They didn’teven have a Chapter of AMICA whenthey started, although they did start oneback up now.

Jere gave me a list of people whoworked on the convention, and we wantto thank all of them. I am not going to listtheir jobs, since most of them probablymanaged to do much more than just onejob.

Here are those who made this successful: Kathe Graham, Anita NickelsJohnson, Art and Jean Reblitz, DickKroeckel (who played the souvenir roll,which Art recorded and edited), BarryWeiss, Ben Haass, Don and Ginger Hein,Don and Owanah Wick, Jan and LucyMyers, Jerry Hutt, Jim Bratton, JoeSaman, Joe and John Roberts, JohnWilkens, Larry Kerecman, LouiseLucero, Clara Wingfield, SteveMcCormick, and Tom Zook.

Frank and I also want to thank MikeKukral, who gave us such great coveragein the bulletin for the convention. Another special thanks to Bob Berkmanand QRS Rolls for the super job on the convention roll.

Great job, everyone. We all know it isa big job to put on a convention, and youmade it look easy, which shows what agood job you did.

continued. . .

Roy Beltz and Frank Nix Diane Lloyd and Roy Beltz (it’s a friendly chapter)

Dianne and Dave Reidy

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On the Georgetown Loop Railroad

The Queen City Jazz Band

Bill Klinger

Robin Biggins and Ardis Prescott

“Ragtime Cowboy

Jere”

RichardIngram

Bob & Diane Lloyd

Ken Hodge andhis daughterMarlowe

A stagecoach with AMICA members

Pumper Contest-Alex Thompson Pumper Contest-Joyce Brite Pumper Contest-Julian Dyer

Pumper Contest-Dick Merchant Pumper Contest-Jere DeBackerPumper Contest WinnerRoger Stumfoll

Yousuf Wilson & Automatic Banjo

Automatic Banjo

Art Reblitz

PUMPERCONTEST

PUMPERCONTEST

Photos Contributed by

Tom Rosenbusch

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Miriam Hanscom, Jodi Trittipo, Anne Saul, Liz Barnhart

Richard Reutlinger, Cynthia Craig

Richard Reutlinger, Cynthia Craig

Arnold & Annegret Guminski

Dick Kroeckel, Patti Simon

Richard Reutlinger,Cynthia Craig

BANQUET

David & Anne Saul

Durrell Armstrong, Jack Johnson, Steve Holland

Cowboy Dinner

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AMICA

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AMICA CONVENTION

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MAZINGPHOTOPLAYERS

By Alex Thompson

In 1895 Thomas Edison invented themotion picture projecting device. Whenthese early machines were first marketedthey were sold to small theaters that werequickly converted storefronts to show thenewfangled motion picture. At this timethe novelty of the motion picture wasenough to draw an audience. These earlyfilms that were usually five minutes inlength startled their viewers to the pointthat patrons in the front seats of the house when viewing a film about theocean moved back in fear of getting wet.Immediately after the invention of thesilent film it was obvious to many peoplewho wished to make a fast dollar that thiswas much easier to own and operate thanmany of the current vaudeville showsthat required hours of rehearsal and werelimited to the stage in which they werepresented.

Around 1905 it was decided in manyof the larger motion picture houses that something was needed to cover theclicking of the projector. The simplestanswer was music. First orchestrasaccompanied the silent films, but thenickel admission price to the movie was not enough to cover the wages of the band members. At this time Nickelodeons and their larger brother the orchestrion were being widely distributed in cafes and dance halls and places of amusement across thecountry. So it was not a longtime beforethey made the jump into the pit of thetheater. Cremona, Coinola, Wurlitzer,Seeburg, and all the other large names inthe field soon became commonplace inthe silent theater. This did the job untilthis too began losing the audience. It wasquickly decided that it is necessary tohave control of the music being heard bythe audience. Oftentimes on a ten tuneroll a funeral march may accompany aWild West shootout!

In the East San Francisco Bay nearBerkeley a visiting piano salesman fromNevada was having lunch a local café.Overhearing two gentlemen discussingthe designs for a new musical instrument

he quickly introduced himself. As it happened the two men were the VanValkenburg brothers, the inventors of theAmerican Fotoplayer and founders of the American Photo Player Company ofBerkeley California. The piano salesmanby the name of Harold J. Warner wantedin on the company. The original agreement was that he could sell moreFotoplayer than the two brothers couldbuild he could be president of the Company. In six months he had sold hundreds more Fotoplayer than the twobrothers could build in years. Every theater in the country wanted what hehad to sell. This new device allowed the operator complete control over themusic being presented to the audience.Of course all the big Nickelodeon manufactures tried to flood the marketwith inadequate copies which infringedon their patents. These machines becamewidespread around 1915 even thoughthey reach the market around 1911.American Fotoplayers contained withintwo side chests a pipe organ, reed organand a complete set of sound effects which ranged from (on some of their more custom machines) crockerysmashes to antelope mating bleats. These sound effects were found on thestyle 50. It was the company’s largestmachine; it was 21 feet long, 5 feet deep.It had traps and effects as follows; a set of orchestra bells, pistol shots orGatling gun, bass drum, xylophone telegraph key, crackling flames or breaking brush, symbol, Tom Tom, thunder or tympani, snare drum with jazz effect, doorbell or telephone bell,fire gong, 5 Cathedral chimes, waves,bird whistle, wind, cowbell, triangle,tambourine, castanets, horse’s hoofs, autohorn, sleigh bells, siren, Chinese crashsymbol, Steamboat whistle or locomotivewhistle, automobile exhaust, locomotiveexhaust, Chinese wood drum. All ofwhich were controlled from a consolewhich was an 88 note piano with a playerdevice with double trackers whichenabled the switch between two different

piano rolls of which could have differentmusic on each which allowed an instantchange in mood.

In 1926 the American Photo PlayerCompany was bought by the Robert Morton Theater Pipe Organ Company.Sadly in 1927 Western Electric introduced the talkie and put an end to the theater pipe organ business.

In the 1960’s, seventies and eighties,when automatic musical instrumentsbecame popular again among collectorsthese machines which were found in closed theaters, barns, garages, andbasements were soon bought by collectors and restored, giving new life tothese machines which bared 80 years ofneglect in damp theaters and in somecases were actually used to support thestage when the theater remodeled andwere buried under lath and plaster. Noone will ever know how these amazingmachines met their fate to a demolisherswrecking ball. Some of which were actually removed as the theater was torndown around them.

These wonderful machines, now onlysix of which play in the entire world,should be shared with as many as to careto listen. Included in this article are manypictures of my own American style 40Fotoplayer which proudly sits in my garage. It was bought from Bob Ayers of Salem, Oregon. When I wasinformed that this instrument was for sale I boarded a departing train from Sacramento and arrived the next day. Imet Bob at the station where I traveled tohis house to help move my new Fotoplayer home. I rented a U-Haul atfive minutes till five on Easter weekendand began loading the many parts. Bob’sbasement door is 2 feet wide and a Fotoplayer side chest is 3’10” from frontto back; we had to take the door off itshinges just to get the piano out. But inless than a week it was reassembled andmaking noise.

The mechanism to produce soundeffects is quite simple and basic, compared to a reproducing piano. The

continue. . .

365

style 40 Fotoplayer has a full array ofsound effects actuated by pull cords thathang from the lid of the piano above thedouble tracker device. These include:pistol shot, ship’s bell, cathedral chime,

wind Siren, crash symbol, jazz symbol,bass drum, ceremonial Indian Tom Tom,sleigh bells, a train whistle, and asqueeze bulb auto horn. This machinealso has an array of pneumatic soundeffects which are actuated by telegraphkeys that stick out of the music desk.These include: a thunder or timpanieffect on the bass drum, castanets, tambourine, snare drum, triangle,

woodblock (repeating), horses hoofs, andan electric doorbell or telephone bell. On this same rail are the stops for theorgan and they include clarinet, oboe,principal, Diapasion, Echo, and harp trio.These machines also had pipe stops thatinclude violin, flute, cello, vox humanna,trimolo, tuba, an orchestra bell and xylophone kit. The player action wasmade by the Standard Pneumatic ActionCompany and operated like a regularhome player in that it played 88 note rollssupplied by the Filmusic Company ofLos Angeles. These rolls were namedPicturolls and played background music

such as sentimental music and gallops forchases. These rolls were cut with longsustains for the organ while the pianoplayed the fast accompaniment.

Included are photos of the toy counters in treble and bass chests, alldevices therein contained should be self-explanatory.

It is a shame that more of these instruments are not playing so that morepeople can hear and enjoy the beautifulmusic that these machines create and betaken back to the days of grand moviepalaces, honey haired heroines, and vilevillains.

continued. . .

Double tracker device, 2 air motors, 2 tracking drives, 2 duo tracker bars.

Treble chest showing pipes, snare,horse hoof’s, wash symbol, wind siren, ships bell, etc.

Close up of the one and only sidechest.

Style 35 Fhotoplayer owned byRichard Reutlinger.

Bass chest, reed organ, bass pipes,bass drum, symbol, sleigh bells,

train whistle.

366

BEN LILIEN1 9 11 - 2 0 0 4

Submitted by Shirley Nix

The world of Automatic Music lost a giant with the passing of Ben Lilien last week. We all lost a good friend andmentor, and his loss leaves a very bighole. I am reminded of what the Wizardsaid in the “Wizard of Oz”…a heart isnot judged by how much it loves but byhow much it is loved by others…if that isthe true measure, then Ben had a greatheart, because he was loved by so manypeople. He had friends all over the world,including Japan, Australia, New Zealand,Germany and more, and everyone whoknew him was touched by the scope ofhis friendship and love.

Ben was born in the Ukraine nearKiev in 1911, and the family emigratedto Winnipeg in 1915. Eight years later they managed to emigrate to LosAngeles, and that was home for Ben fromthat time on.

He was a second child, living with hisfamily in Boyle Heights and graduatingfrom Roosevelt High. He married hischildhood sweetheart, Pearl, shortly aftergraduation and they had two sons.

Ben’s father had a Butcher shop andBen helped out in the family business.Surely that influenced his later life, sincehe and his brother Aaron founded theL.A. Meat Company, a wholesale meatpacking plant in Vernon. It was a hugesuccess, and for 40 years furnished meatto wholesale venues like restaurant andhotels.

In 1966 Pearl died, and a couple yearslater he married Mary Walker Holt. Shehad two daughters. Of course, we all

know and love Mary, and wish her thebest. Our condolences go out to her inher loss, but I know she has so manywonderful memories to keep her goingnow, and a great family support system.

Ben was extremely proud of his family, and I remember when one of thelast great grandchildren was born he toldus how happy he was the Lilien familywas growing so well. His children andgrandchildren remembered so manyhappy times growing up with Ben. Oneof his sons mentioned getting in troublefairly often for turning on the band organwhen he wasn’t supposed to.

Alex Thompson at Fotoplayer.

Joe Rinaldo’s Style 41 or 20 Special.

Ben and Mary Lilien in 1994 receiving the AMICA International Award

from Ken Hodge

367

DALE LAWERENCE

Submitted by Jack Edwards

Back in 1963, Sally and Albert “Dale”Lawrence joined with other like minded people and founded the Automatic Musical Instrument CollectorsAssociation, AMICA. The two of them worked and played for years with the idea of keeping our instrumentsmaking music on into the future. Theywelcomed new ideas and new peoplewith great enthusiasm. Theirs was an attitude of “I like you now, and you’regoing to have to work hard to make mestop.”

On May 16 of this year DaleLawrence passed away and joined his beloved Sally. Once, at a meeting, the host mentioned in passing that hisupright pumper wasn’t doing exactly

what it was supposed to. Knowing whatwas about to happen, Sally rolled hereyes and headed for the refreshments.Dale disappeared into the innards of the piano. He was next seen just a fewminutes later saying that the patient had recovered fully and would be performing the way it should. It still is.As a matter of course, Dale was oftenseen in the official AMICA position,lying flat on his back beneath a piano tweaking it to make sure this orthat function performed the way it wasmeant to. Dale paid the same kind of attention to his friends as he did to their instruments.

People of all ages felt at home and comfortable with Dale. He could discuss how to adjust the expression on an Ampico, tell “back in my day” stories, or cuss some politician or otherwith great ease and good humor. Dalewould take his daughter Penny and hisgranddaughter Rosie all over the place

doing the most wonderful things. Dalewould take Rosie to explore tide pools; with infectious enthusiasm, hewould teach Rosie and her friends how to make and fly kites or how to use a blade of grass as a reed to makewhat he called a “finger flute”. Age wasless important than the openness and honesty he found in children, and we all found in him.

Nearly every tombstone has thedeceased’s birth and death dates. In reality, those dates aren’t too terriblyimportant; what is important is the dash between them. That dash is the person's life. With his Sally, Dale leda wonderful dash, and we are privilegedto have Dale Lawrence a part of ours.Since “amica” is the Italian word for friend, it is fitting that Dale was afounding member. Dale Lawrence was a great friend to the organization and to all of us who knew him.

We went to his funeral, and the lovefor this wonderful man was so apparentyou couldn’t help but feel it.

Anyone who knew Ben also knew of his wonderful work shop in the garage, and oh, what marvels he createdthere. Ben could make anything in his garage, and often did, from parts for Nash Metropolitans, table favors,gears for music boxes, parts for orchestrions….anything you needed,Ben’s workshop was the place to go, andgo the people did.

When we would visit Ben and Mary,Ben and Frank would disappear into thegarage and Mary and I would have to pry them out to take a trip to Burger Kingfor lunch, then when we got back home it was back out to “work”. Sometimes I had to wonder how muchwork was done compared with thefun….The camaraderie was the best part,and Ben had a way of making you feel like you were part of the family, anda favored part at that.

Ben and Mary amassed a wonderfulcollection of automatic music, and Benwas justifiably proud of it. He always felt it was one of the best anywhere,mainly because of the variety of instruments and the quality of each one.

He and Mary had a calliope in a circuswagon trailer, and they were a familiarsite at parades, usually pulling the trailer with their Metro. They added a lotto many neighborhood functions, as wellas organ rallies and charity events, andanyone who was at their home duringconventions always was greeted by the calliope playing in the front driveway.

The Lilien home was the site of many wonderful meetings, and usually included dinner (with meat from the L.A. Meat Company, of course)served by Ben. Anyone who was fortunate enough to have enjoyed one of the meals there will never forget the experience. They served hundredsduring conventions, and Ben was very active along with Mary in manycharities, many times having groups at their home where again Ben serveddinner and showed off his collection.Mary put on fashion shows for charitiesand rest homes, and Ben packed their old station wagon floor to ceiling with boxes and boxes of clothes to taketo the event, unpacked when they got there, packed back up to return homeand then unpacked again. Nothing was too much trouble if Mary wanted it done.

He was very active in the Nash Metropolitan club also, and I know they feel the loss as well, which was evident at the funeral.

Ben started many people on the roadto automatic music collecting along the way, and changed many lives as hedid. Dave Reidy told at his funeral of answering an ad for a square grandpiano, and when they got there and Benfound out neither Dave nor Dianneplayed a note on the piano he showedthem a reproducing piano, told them who to contact, and started them off onthe road to a new life, filled with fun,love and music, much of it centeredaround Ben and Mary.

We joined MBSI and AMICA justbefore the Queen Mary Convention andat one of our very first meetings Maryand Ben were asking for volunteers to help with the table favors. We figuredwe were able to do that, and once you volunteered Ben and Mary had your number and you found yourself“volunteers” from that time on in all sortsof venues.

We in the Southern California Chapterof AMICA feel the loss particularly hard,but our memories will keep Ben alive inour hearts and minds, and perhaps that isthe best memorial of all.

continued. . .

368

New Releases from David Caldwell400 Lincoln Lake Ave., N.E. Lowell, MI 49331 • Phone: (616) 897-5609 • DavidWFrom Mi@webtv.net

Ampico 210031-E Golden Gate (Jolson-Dreyer-Meyer-Rose) FoxT P/B Carroll. The 78 record by Al Jolson is as hot as it gets andthe music roll is no second stringer either.

Ampico 68633- Some O These Days P/B Lee Sims. Written for Sophie Tucker, this became her theme song. Lee Sims does a wonderful interpretation of the song setting the mood with many changes for which he was famous.

Ampico 209481-My Blue Heaven. FoxT. E Flat. Whiting-Donaldson. P/B Reichenthal. One of the great FoxTrots from years goneby, that will stir memories from your past.

Ampico 53894-Hallelujah! Chorus, Handel's "The Messiah" P/B Howard Brockway. A glorious inspiring 1915 interpretationby musican Brockway.

Ampico 202941 Yankee Doodle Blues. This number is good enough for the Piano Trio, it must be good enough for us.

EW PIANOROLLS & RECUTS

AMPICO ROLLS

Duo Art 10105- Fantasy On Christmas Hymns...O Come O Come Emmanuel; While Watched Their Flocks By Night; It CameUpon The Midnight Clear; Shout The Glad idings; Joy To The World. Arranged & P/B Dion W Kennedy.

Duo Art713351- Muddy Water. Written & P/B Peter DeRose. This is an unusual recording. Not many of these bluesy type rollsrecorded.

Duo Art 0609-I'll Get By. FoxTrot. Ablert. Arranged & P/B Gene Kerwin. (1928).

DUO-ART ROLLS

New from Joyce Brite - Player Piano and Mechanical Music Exhange

Home Page: http://mmd.foxtail.com/Exchange/ • Roll Page: http://mmd.foxtail.com/Exchange/rollpage.htm

NEW ROLLS LISTING! 88 NOTE ROLLSHAND-PLAYED ROLLS:“I Want To Be Bad” (song from the 1928 musical, “Follow

Thru”. Hand-played roll by the young French ragtimer Benjamin Intartaglia.

“Syncopated Impressions for Piano: 1. Zebra Stripes, 2. CrazyTop” - novelty piano tunes, both composed by Lothar Perl.Played by Frank Himpsl.

ORIGINAL ROLL:“Brasillian Maple Leaf” - Scott Joplin's Maple Leaf Rag played

to a Latin beat. Arranged by Robbie Rhodes. Previouslyissued by Hot Piano Classics and BluesTones Music Rolls.

THEMODIST RECUTS:“Carmen” (Overture) by Bizet. Recut of Themodist-Metrostyle

roll No. 98342.

“Serenata (de la Fantasia Morisca, in B minor)” by Chapi.Recut of the Themodist-Metrostyle roll No. 84454.

88-NOTE RECUTS:“Whose Izzy Is He? (Is He Yours or Is He Mine?)” - QRS 2620 -

Played by Pete Wendling.

“The Mosquitos Parade” - Recut of the Artistyle roll.

“Don’t Bring Lulu” - Recut of the Vocalstyle roll No. 13299played by Rudy German.

J

LEEDY BROTHERS FALL 2004 LISTPlease send us your order by the mid-November as we plan on shipping orders in early December.

WELTE LICENSEE MUSICC-1112 Hungarian Rhapsody No.8 Liszt, played by Elly Ney. A superb recording of one of Liszt's lesser

known rhapsodies is authentically played in the romantic style of the era.

E-2961 Scenes from Tiefland d' Albert, played by the composer, Eugene d' Albert. This rarely heardcomposition played by the composer was recorded in Freiburg, Germany in 1913.

B-6185 Album Leaf Op.45 No.1 Scriabin, played by Austin Conradi. A splendid recording of this twentiethcentury composition. Conradi was at his best with these "modern" compositions.

A-6498 Washington Post Sousa, played by Lutter & Spencer. Wow - a Sousa march on Welte! This marchwas Sousa's first big hit!

C-7149 Allegro Classique Op.94 Ravina, played by Marguerite Le Grand. One of the wonders of owning areproducing piano is all the great music recorded for them. We recommend this wonderful piano solowhich is never performed today. It has a beautiful soaring melody written in the classical style.

C-7842 Liebesfreud Rachmaninoff / Kreisler, played by Reginald Stewart. Rachmaninoff's powerfultranscription of Kriesler's violin masterpiece is truly "Love's Joy." This is an exceptional recording!

Y-75231 Sunday Miller, Cohn, Stein & Kruger. played by Henry Kiselik. The roll offers clever touches byKiselik, in that Welte style we all like! The song was a hit for Chicago's Arnold Johnson Orchestra.

Y-75320 What'll You Do? Cohn, played by Sanford MacGregor. Nice Welte pop tune from January 1928.

Y-75387 Imagination Meyer & Kahn, played by Johnny Johnson. A terrific tune smartly played in that bouncyWelte style-a highly recommended recording from October 1928.

... Y-75514 Lady Play Your Mandolin Caesar-Levant, played by Frank Milne. One of the rare "triplets," This same~~ arrangement was available for Ampico and Duo-Art as well as the Welte-it's a terrific tune too!

Y-75525 When Your Lover Has Gone Swan, played by Arden & Carroll. One of only four Welte producedArden & Carroll recordings. It's one of their best efforts recorded in May, 1931, and is also a "triplet."

AMPICO MUSIC

60261-H Waltz Op.70 No.1 G Flat Major Chopin, played by Fannie Bloomfield Zeisler. An nice performance ofthis well known waltz. It was composed when Chopin was 25 and published after his death.

64423-H 64433-H· 64493-H 64443-H Symphony In G Minor No.40 Mozart, played by Suskind & Buerger. Wehave tried to complete this superb symphony set for years. Finally, we are able to offer this complete fourroll set, the best known and well-liked of Mozart's symphonies!

66153-H Waltzes Op.39 Nos.1, 2,14,16 & 13 Brahms, Benno Moiseiwitsch. A nifty collection of Brahms' shortwaltzes. Moiseiwitsch's artistry shines through these clever pieces.

70553 Valse Caprice E Flat Rubinstein, played by Moriz Rosenthal. A wonderful caprice in the form of a waltz.Rubinstein wrote many fine piano compositions that are not performed today. Broil.

50304-E You'll Always Be The Same Sweet Girl Von Tilzer, played by Pete Wendling. A neat early recordingby Wendling.

71463 Melodies in Blue 1. Chlo-e; 2. Solitude; 3. Sophisticated Lady; 4. Manhattan SerenadeVarious, played by Frank Milne. Perhaps the best popular Ampico recording ever produced! Included arefour great song adeptly transcribed and smoothly recorded. An extremely long B roll-longer than some ofjumbo rolls-produced in 1930. Originally released by Ampico with a blue box label.

)i '\ 71853 Dinner Music No.17 1. All the Things You Are; 2. Heaven in My Arms; 3. All in Fun; 4. That Lucky~ Fellow; Various, played by Frank Milne. Another terrific Milne recording from the last years of Ampico roll

production. This superb B roll was recorded in the spring of 1940.

369

204641-E Mindin' My Bus'ness Donaldson, played by Henry Lange. A nice hot Ampico roll. This song wasoriginally released by Frank Crumit and the Virginians. It was revived in 1938 by Glen Fray and the CasaLama Orchestra. ["">.

206191-E Charleston Mack-Johnson, played by Zez Confrey. First sung by Elizabeth Welch in the black revue ~

Runnin' Wild, it quickly became the dance craze of the 1920s!

216273 1. This Never Happened Before;2. True Confession; 3. Sweet Someone; 4. You're a SweetheartVarious, played by Robert Farquhar. A nice selection of songs from 1938 played by Frank Milne underone of his many pseudonyms. A recommended Broil.

216483 1. From Now On; 2. Get Out of Town; 3. The Shortest Day of the Year; 4. This Can't Be LoveVarious, played by Frank Milne. More delightful tunes on this very late B roll from 1939.

If you have any questions or suggestions contact us at:

email: leedyrolls@pianorollcenter.com

web site: www.leedyrolls.com

phone: 269-468-5986

fax: 269-468-0019

Mail your order to: Leedy Brothers Music Rolls4660 Hagar Shore RoadColoma MI 49038

PLEASE MAKE CHECKS PAYABLE TO LEEDYBROTHERS MUSIC ROLLS & REMEMBER TO INCLUDEYOUR ADDRESS WITH YOUR ORDER:

WELTE LICENSEE ROLLSC-I112 Hungarian Rhapsody No.8 Liszt $18.50_

E-2961 Scenes from Tiefland d' Albert 16.50

B-6185 Album LeafOp.45, No.1 Scriabin 12.00

A-6498 Washington Post Sousa 12.00

C-7149 Allegro Classique Op. 94 Ravina 17.00

C-7842 Liebesfreud Rachmaninoff/Kreisler__l 7 .50 _

Y-75231 Sunday - Henry Kiselik 12.00

Y-75320 What'll You Do? - Sanford MacGregor_12.00_

Y-75387 Imagination - Johnny Johnson 12.00

-,,---,~:/

Y-75514 Lady Play Your Mandolin Frank Milne_12.00-r~

Y-75525 When Your Lover Has Gone played byArden & Carroll 12.00

AMPICO ROLLS60261-H Waltz Op.70 No.1 Chopin 13.00

64423-H Symphony G minor part 1 Mozart sold

uuv~ pu.~ l. '" only64433-H Symphony G minor -~..+ "PLEASE VISIT THESE SUPPLIERS OF RECUT ROLLS

.U.J.J.VJ. 1oJu,.l l. v as a64493-H Symphony G minor part " -='__=_

64443-H Symphony G minor part 4 set 60.00

66153-H Waltzes Op. 39 Brahms 15.50

70553 Valse Caprice E flat Rubinstein 15.50

50304-E You'll Always Be The Same Sweet Girlplayed by Pete Wendling 12.00

71463 Melodies In Blue Frank Milne 23.00

71853 Dinner Music No.17 Frank Milne 18.00

204641-E Mindin' My Bus'ness Henry Lange__12.00_

206191-E Charleston Zez Confrey 12.00

216273 This Never Happened Before +3 moreplayed by Robert Farquhar 17.50

216483 From Now On - Get Out of Town - ThisCan't Be Love +1 more plb Frank Milne_IS.OO_

TOTAL ENCLOSED IN US DOLLARS---- _

TOTAL COST OF ROLLS ORDERED----- -rSHIPPING CHARGE-------------------------------- >-

Rob Deland: Blues Tone Rollswww.bluesrolls.comrdeland@bluesrolls.com Phone 847-548-6416

Larry Norman: Rollertuneswww.home.earthlink.netl-rollertu nesrollertunes@earthlink.net Phone 540-721-7188

David Saul: Precision Music Rolls1043 Eastside RoadEI Cajon, CA 92020-1414davesaul@pacbell.net

Tim Baxter: Meliora Music Rollswww.members.aol.com/meliorarollindex.htmmeliorarol@aol.com

SHIPPING INFORMATIONUSA $4.00 for the first roll, 80 cents each extra roll.Canada $8.00 for the first 3 rolls, $1.25 each extra roll.Europe & Australia $12.00 first 6 rolls, $1.25 each extra roll

Keystone I Magic Melodies360 Lawless RoadJamestown KY 42629Phone 270-343-2061 Fax 270-343-3534

370

Duo-Art Recuts

57143-G Waltz, Op. 70, No.3Composer.' ChopinRoll Performance by George Copeland$14.50

70463 Tango Medley No. 2-1. La Seduccion-2. La Rumba

Composer : Arr. FuiksRoll Perfo rm ance by : Lewis Fuiks$15.50- "B" ROLL

212123 Can't We Be Friends -from "The Little Show"

Composer: James-SwiftRoll Per for mance by: Adam Carroll$15.50

60873-H Eugene Oneguine -Concert Paraphrase

Composer : Tchaikovsky-PabstRoll Performance by: Juan Reyes$14.50

68871-H E Minor Valse(posthumous)

Composer: ChopinRoll Perfo rmanc e by .' Benno Moiseiwitsch$14.50 - B ROLL

56156-H Ballade, Op. 10, No.1"Edward"

Composer .' BrahmsROll Performa nce by .' Max Landow$15.50

Ampico Rolls '(Recuts

Meliora~M U S I C R OLLS it'~

70233 The Flatterer, ElevationComposer : C hamin adeRol l Perfor mance by : L . Leslie Loth$16.00 - "B" ROLL

"A" ROLLS UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED

65991-H Prelude, F, from"Suite Bergamasque"

Composer: D ebussyRoll Per form ance by : E . R obert Schmitz$14.50

63523-H PastoraleComp oser , Scarlatti-T ausigRoll Perform ance by : F. Bloomfield- Z eisler$14.50

66893-H Danse, EComposer : D ebussyRoll Perfor mance by : D ai Buell$15.50

55863 Arabesque No.2, GComposer : DebussyRoll Performance by: Katherine G oodson$14.50

64173-G Cortege (Procession)Composer, DebussyRoll Performance by : M athilde Coffer$15.50

69901-H Arabesque No.1 , EComposer: D ebussyRoll Perform ance by , Mischa L evitzki$14.50- "B" ROLL

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69349 Red Mill SelectionsComposer: H erbertRoll Perfor mance by : Robert Armbruster$16.00

713068 Southern RoseComposer , Billy Mayer!Roll Performance by : Moran & Leith$14.50

67359 Cavalleria RusticanaSelections

Composer : M ascagniRoll Per formance by, Robert Armbruster$16.00

70600 May Breezes (SongWithout Words)

Composer: M endelssohnRoll Per form ance by : Ernest Hutcheson$14.50

70488 Gavotte(Dans Ie Styl e Ancien)

Composor: MowreyROl l Perform ance by: D ent Mowrey$15.50

66919 Liebeswalzer; Op. 57, No.5(Love Waltz)

Composer: MoszkowskiRoll Perfor mance by : Shura Cherkassky$15.50

88-Note Selections& Descriptions

Meliora '~MUS IC ROLLS Il~

62130 Concerto PathetiqueComposer : LisztRoll Perfor mance by : L erner & Shavitz$16.00

72539 Siciliana EbComposer: Bach-ZadoraRoll Per formance by : Dai Buell$14.50

71497 On the Mall - MarchComposer: ColdmanRoll Performance by Leith & Addison$14.50

536 Magic Flute OvertureComposer: MozartRoll Performance by. G anz & Hutcheson$15.50

5984 Invitation to the DanceComposer : WeberRoll Per form ance by : Tina L erner$15.50

7286 Perpetual Motion RondoComposer: WeberRoll Per for mance by : Josef Hofmann$14.50

67788 Estudiantina WaltzesComposer.' WaldteufelRoll Performance by: Genevieve Pitot$14.50

27. Painting the Town Red, White & BlueComposer: Stephen K. GoodmanRoll Performance by: Timothy BaxterWonderful patriotic one-step in the WW-I song tradition , with the feel of aconcert band! Perfect for an election year. $13.00

W-J

Fall Cata log 2004 6 Meliora M us«: Rolls Fall Cata log 2004 7 Meliora Music Rolls

--)

WE-2 "April in Paris"Composer.· DukeRoll Performance by: Edgar Fairchild$16.00 - (or;g. Amp;co 104945)

7750 Songs My MotherTaught Me

Composer : DvorakRoll Performance by : Jean Fabre$15.50

7728 Etude, c, "Revolutionary"Op. 10, No. 12

Composer: ChopinRoll Perfor mance by : Leonid Kreutzer$14.50

7811 Ben Hur Chariot Race-March

Composer , E.T. PaullRoll Performance by : Don Ricardo$14.50

75537 Dancing in The DarkComposer: SchwartzRoll Performance by: Frank Milne$15.50

7610 Saudades do Brazil(Nostalgia of Brazil)

Composer . MilhaudRoll Perfor mance by: Darius Milhaud$15.50

7523 Caprice, Op. 44, No. 14Composer: SindingRoll Performance by : E va Yeargain$14.50

Welte-Mignon(L icensee) Rolls

Welte Recuts

Fall Cata log 2004 8 Me ltora Music Ro lls

Meliora~ M U S I C ROL L S •~

WE-l "Stardust"Composer' Parish-CarmichaelRoll Performan ce by: Emse Dawson$16.00 - (or~g.J~mp;co 213701)

•

7195 Prince of PilsenSelections

Composer: Gustav LudersRoll Perfo rmance by: Edna S. Hart$16.50

7894 Memories,Lotus Blossums

Composer : FrimlRoll Perform ance by: Edna S. Hart$14.50

7220 Pas des AmphoresComposer: ChaminadeRoll Per forma nce by : Claude Duret$15.50

6619 Bohemian Girl SelectionsComposer Michael William BalfeRoll Perfor mance by: Edna S, Hart$16.50

7824 "O b eron " UvertureComposer : Cad Maria von W eberRoll Perform ance by : G eorge Liebling$16.50

6352 Valse ArabesqueComposer : Theodore LackRoll Performance by : Julius Koehl$14.50

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373

NewsFrom

The Chapters

On Sunday, September 19, the Founding Chapter enjoyedan interesting and fun-filled meeting at the home of RoyPowlan in Orinda, California, an East-Bay suburb of SanFrancisco. Roy’s home is situated in a hilly, rustic area and hehas furnished it very comfortably and decorated it with a variety of Tiffany-type lighting (that he constructed himself)and beautiful western paintings. He took pains to put togethera meeting attractive to all interests of our collectors from ragtime to serious classical music. His instrument collectionincludes an early Berry-Wood O-roll orchestrion (Roy rescuedthis machine years ago and added a couple of solo instruments), a Steck upright foot pedal Duo-Art upright, aSteinway upright pumper, a 1906 Welte Red Paper Vorsetzer,a Steinway OR grand duo-Art (which has a concertola attachment not at present working) and a newly acquiredPeerless coin piano…a real powerhouse nickelodeon.

The serious music lovers enjoyed listening to the WelteVorsetzer playing Chopin and Liszt beautifully…Welte wasthe first company to produce reproducing pianos and this is their centennial year. Roy had thoughtfully placed a largemirror under the Duo-Art Steinway after removing the coverso that interested people could watch the mechanism workwhen the Duo-Art was playing. He had invited Spencer Chaseto bring his electronic attachment to a Duo-Art which plays via a floppy disk controlled by a lap-top enabling one tohave over 1,500 Duo-Art selections at your finger-tips.Spencer explained the process to interested members and also

FOUNDING CHAPTERReporter: Bing Gibbs

President: Bing Gibbs - (408) 253-1866

demonstrated how he can scan rolls and tranpses the information onto an electronic disk.

The sing-a-long crowd put the upright Steck to good usewith a variety of funny popular selections from the teens andtwenties. Great enthusiasm by Bonnie Gonzalez kept the songbirds trilling away. Later, the Peerless provided some greatfoxtrots and one-steps for those who felt like dancing…themeeting was supposed to end at 5:00 p.m. but a few memberswere still enjoying the music and fellowship at close to 9:00.

As usual, members brought a varied and bountiful buffetwhich contributed to the stamina of the members. During ashort business meeting President Bing Gibbs announced thatone of our Founding Members, Dale Lawrence, had passedaway in late May. We voted to contribute to the MemorialFund in his name. Richard Reutlinger gave an update of information on the Adopt-a-piano campaign and someinformation on the Denver convention. Our newly electedVice-President of AMICA, John Mott-Ros talked about thenew AMICA web-site and encouraged us to create a chapterweb-site. Sandy Swinsky volunteered to work on this projectwith some pointers from John and Jack Edwards.

Thank you, Roy, for hosting a very good meeting.

Peerlesss Model A-A Roll Player.

Spencer Chase settingup e roll system onSteinway OR

German Red Paper-Welte

Vorsetzer.

374

BOSTON CHAPTERReporter: Ginger Christiansen

President: Bill Koenigsburg - (978) 369-8523

On Sat. 8/21/04 the Boston Area Chapter of AMICAmet and took a most wonderful tour of the Andover OrganCompany in Lawrence, MA. AOC’s tonal director John Morlock conducted the tour. Believe me, it was impressive tosee different organs in the process of being built or “in theshop” for an overhaul. AOC is located in one of the old mill buildings that are prevalent here in New England. Yes,we climbed up two flights of stairs to see more. But it waswith enthusiasm and great curiosity to see what was on thenext level. It’s not often one gets a firsthand look at suchcraftsmanship. Computers and machines do so many things,so it was a real treat to see actual hand crafted work.. The AOC has designed some absolutely beautiful instrumentsfor: Lee Memorial United Methodist Church in Norwich, CT,Westminster Presbyterian Church in Clinton, SC, CochranChapel – Phillips Academy in Andover, MA are among over300 instruments built. Andover Organ Co. is also kept busy maintaining over 500 organs in New England, NY andthe southeast US. I highly recommend that you visit theirwebsite: www.andoverorgan.com

Roy Powlan atGeorge Steckpumper. BonnieGonzales & Lyle Merithewobserving.

Roy Powlantalking to

Jack & DianeEdwards.

Roy Powlan’shouse andpool.

Bing Gibbs holding business meeting. Richard Reutlinger sitting at desk.

375

is an accomplished painter and her artwork as well as paintings and pottery of others decorated the home. She also has a fun collection of Borden's Elsie the Cow items as her husband was a milkman for many years. After brunchwe moved outside to the patio where we held the businessmeeting. Liz Barnhart gave updates on upcoming conventionplans and we discussed ways to encourage new members tojoin. We had members in attendance from four states, andhope to have as many at our next meeting in MichiganNovember 13-14.

We'd like to thank our hosts, Tim Needler, MiriamHanscom, Jody Trittipo and the Boggstown Cabaret for a funweekend. And we invite any AMICA members from Indiana,Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, Southern Canada and WesternPennsylvania to come to our chapter meeting when it's in yourarea. Contact information is in the front of this Bulletin andon our Chapter Web site which can be accessed fromAMICA's newly designed site at www.amica.org.

MIDWEST CHAPTERReporter: Christy Counterman

President: Stuart Grigg- (248) 356-5505

Tim Needler was the host of our first stop of the day inIndianapolis, Indiana on Saturday, July 17th. His wonderfultudor-style home was the perfect setting for the 1929 Mason& Hamlin Ampico A with a B drawer. Duo-Art enthusiastswere entertained by the 1926 Steinway grand, and the collection was rounded out by his Welte in a Louis XVstyle case. Several members enjoyed the double MillsViolano-Virtuoso in the sunroom. Many of us took a hometour to see the wonderful original tile work and period detailing as well as a roll collection and retro furniture downstairs. After everyone arrived Tim treated us to a concertin the living room on the Conn organ. Since the weather wasso nice, the mart was held outside on the front porch, wherewe traded and sold rolls before traveling across town.

Not far from Indianapolis, but seemingly far away fromeverything, was the Boggstown Inn Cabaret. AMICA member"Howie Carlisle" (his stage name) was the host for a funevening of great food and entertainment. He headed up a cast of singers and musicians who believed in audience participation. And as you can see by the photos, our chaptermembers were happy to oblige. Alvin Wulfekuhl sang a duetwhile Miriam Hanscom - in her 20's dress - graced the stagein a dance with Howie. The lobby of the dinner theatre has agreat oak upright player to entertain guests before and afterthe shows.

Sunday morning, sisters Miriam Hanscom and Jody Trittipo hosted a delicious brunch at Miriam's home. Miriam

Wes Neff starts another tune on Tim’s Mason &Hamlin, Ampico ‘A’ with ‘B’ drawer.

Carole and Dan Harrett take a turn at the keyboard.

Mike Kukral examines rolls at Tim’s front porch sale.

376

Host Tim Needler gave us animpromptu concert at the Connorgan.

Senator Capehart of phonograph fame once lived in Tim’s home.

Sue Ricca and Liz and Mike Barnhart enjoy the music at Tim’s.

Miriam Hanscom and JodyTrittipo wore their 20’s finery

to the Boggstown Cabaret.

l to r: Tom Whitehair, Sherri and Wes Neff, BobAndersen and Don Johnson enjoy dinner.

Alvin Wulfekuhl and friend Mary, Carole and Dan Harrett, Marva Rasmussen and son Ben are ready for the show.

Dan Tuttle and Gary Ras-mussen at intermission withBoggstown Cabaret’s playerpiano.

Howie recruited MiriamHanscom for the show.

Our business meetingwas held on Miriam’s

patio.

Miriam Hanscom at work in her studio as sister Jody Trittipo looks on.

Liz Barnhart takes a turn on the dance floor.

377

SIERRA NEVADA CHAPTERReporter: Nadine Motto-Ros

President: John Motto-Ros - (209) 267-9252

On Sunday, September 26, the Sierra-Nevada chapter metat the Heidrick Ag History Center in Woodland, California.This meeting was well attended. The chapter has a Gulbransen piano on display, and it does get played. AlexThompson brought some movie music rolls, and played untilclosing time. The group toured the Center, which contains the world’s largest and most unique collection of antique agricultural equipment and trucks. Computer interactive displays complement the collection.

The highlight of the day was chapter members, Ray andBetty Stacey of Big Horse ranch in Ione, brought their 1923Tangley Calliope in the wagon (without the horses today). Itplayed most of the day in the large parking lot in front of theCenter. It drew quite a bit of attention, and people reallyenjoyed the circus music. We attracted a few extra peoplebecause the Woodland DAILY DEMOCRAT newspaper ranan article on the calliope on September 24. Several peopleasked about the calliope and AMICA. Of course, we handedout old BULLETINS and membership applications. Specialthanks are extended to Betty and Ray and to the staff of theHeidrick Ag History Center.

We did break for lunch at our favorite BBQ place-Luddy’s-in downtown Woodland. At lunch, we presented Bob andSonja Lemon a plaque in appreciation for developing andposting our Chapter web site. We also had a short businessmeeting and discussed the revised AMICA International website and how exciting it is. After lunch, it was back to the AGHistory Center and more music.

S.O.W.N.Y. CHAPTERReporter: Garry Lemon

President: Mike Walter- (716) 656-9583

SUMMERReported by Garry Lemon

Photography by Nancy Group and Anne Lemon

The Tenerowicz family had a special August day plannedfor SOWNY Chapter. Members traveled from near and far tovisit one of Western New York’s well known homes-Graycliff.Daniel and Nika had arranged our tour of this Frank LloydWright summer home built for the Darwin E. Martin family.This home, its siting and relationship to nature are significantnot only to the local community but also to the nation

Ray Stacey installing the roll with Alex

Thompson tapping the keys.

Ray and Betty Stacey, Don & Sally MacDonald, Rose & DeanHeiman, Vickie & Doug Mahr, Sonja & Bob Lemon,

Alex Thompson at the keyboard.

The inside of the calliope.

Sonja and Bob Lemon receiving plaque from John Motto-Ros.

378

because Wright furthered his vision with his next creation-Fallingwater. As restorers of musical instruments, Amicansunderstand the challenge and opportunity to make historicinstruments once again speak. As visitors at Graycliff, webecome aware of the power of the original design concept andare humbled by the restorer’s dedication and artistry.

Upon returning to the Tenerowicz home, Daniel welcomedus to his family and introduced his collection of instruments.His appreciation of antiques and old world craftsmanship isrewarding and his sense of humor and talent made our visitmemorable. The Victrola of 1926 performed the fox trot, MySuppressed Desire, while the Stroud Duo Art sang out theBarber of Deville and the thrilling Boston March. The Wilcoxand White player pump organ from Meridan, Connecticutplayed another march-the Marionette’s March from Gounod’sFuneral March. This musical theme was used to great effectby Alfred Hitchcock on his television program. Daniel’s latestacquisition sits proudly in the family room and is a rare 1938Hammond AB Aeolian Player Organ with external speakerand over 70 rolls. While munching on our mid afternoonsnack goodies and listening to Daniel’s rendition of Bach’sJesu Joy of Man’s Desire, we looked up at each other andquestioned…did Daniel contrapuntally juxtapose between themusical lines of Bach’s popular gigue another well knowntune-I’ve been working on the railroad?

Our congratulations went out to our chapter president,Mike Walters for his appointment as national president. Mike and Holly overviewed highlights of the Colorado Convention, the good times with fellow Amicans, the wonderful homes they visited, the concerns with promotingmechanical instruments in this new century and the inclusioninto the Hall of Fame of our local member Rudy Martin.

Discussion of efforts such as the implementation of theInternational website, the distribution of complementary Bulletins with membership applications and our own club initiatives were reviewed and discussed. Our next meetingwill offer more surprises and discoveries from SOWNYterritory.

Tour group atGraycliff

Entry toGraycliff

Horizontallines at

Graycliff

Audrey &Daniel-StroudDuo Art

Daniel at PlayerPump Organ

Janet, Audrey, Ed and Garry listening to pump organ.

Anne-admiringparlor

379

SOWNY-OCTOBER 10, 2004Reported by Garry Lemon

Photographs by Nancy Group and Anne Lemon

On October 10, 2004 SOWNY Chapter met at AudreyCannizzaro’s home near the Allentown District of Buffalo.Allentown is the meeting place for young and old who enjoydowntown Buffalo’s art, music, theatre, café and dinner. Themain street is busy and active while Audrey’s side street isquiet and has an attractive continuous crown line of lindenand maple trees that collectively shelter pedestrians whileindividually framing the homes. Her 1902 home with its double porch, generous in both width and depth, offers a welcoming rest place after a busy day. Natural quarter sawnoak is the principal building material for floors and the architectural features such as pocket doors and Corinthiancolumns. This home was built when Buffalo had celebratedthe Pan-American Exposition and was anxiously anticipatingthe promise of hydro electricity and prosperity.

We SOWNY members were also anxiously anticipatingour surprise tour and visit. Audrey and Daniel led our convoyalong the venerable Elmwood Avenue and told us our destination was in sight. We drove under a most resplendentarchway, along a winding pathway, viewed idyllic scenes andlistened to ringing bells. We were in Forest Lawn Cemetery!

Daniel suggested that a visit to the chapel, crematory andcolumbarium would be of interest. The Organ Historical Society had recently ‘selected for recognition as an instrumentof exceptional historic merit, worthy of preservation’ the 1933Wurlitzer chapel organ. Daniel gave us a tour of the chapel,the crematorium and columbarium. For many of us, this was afirst time experience! Daniel offered to demonstrate the playing characteristics of this smaller organ and explainedhow the pipes were enclosed behind the ‘false window’ so theinterior of the chapel would have a minimum of decoration.That the organ is well maintained by Daniel and is still an important member of the chapel is evident. That olderinstruments still play and are enjoyed is a testament to thedesigners, builders and service technicians.

Upon returning to Audrey’s home, she had a delicious mealof German potato salad, spinach-cauliflower casserole, slicedroast beef, sausages and several desserts. We were certainlymost appreciative and well fed! All the foods were delicious!

Audrey has a mid-1920’s Weber Duo Art grand piano thatconvincingly rendered the popular dance medley, “You NeverLooked So Beautiful.” The Weber sits in the front bay windowand keeps good company with the Clough and Warren organ.

Next meeting is the Christmas party at Mike and Holly’shome.

Chapter president, Mike and longtime member and former boardrepresentative, Ed sharing the

‘granite sofa’ while Audrey, Anneand Garry await their turn.

Supper time and Stan recounts SOWNY stories (Stan is our vicepresident and ever knowledgeable technician, restorer and conserva-

tor of piano-making and piano roll history.) Ed, Daniel, Anne andour treasurer, Holly, enjoying the delicious meal.

Daniel at the Wurlitzer in the Forest LawnChapel. Mike, Holly and Anne are listening.

Holly, Nika, Mike and Daniel

sampling dessertsAudrey, our hostess, and Anne sharing the

‘tete a tete’ sofa.

Audrey and Mike amusingly wonder if

a player roll might work on the organ.

Mausoleum of parents grieving overthe loss of their son.

380

ADVERTISING GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT

ALL ADVERTISING IN THE AMICA BULLETINAll advertising should be directed to:

Mike Kukral216 Madison Blvd.Terre Haute, Indiana 47803Phone: 812-238-9656e-mail: kukral@rose-hulman.edu

Ad copy must contain text directly related to the product/servicebeing offered. Extraneous text will be deleted at the Publisher’sdiscretion. All advertising must be accompanied by payment inU.S. funds. No telephone ads or written ads without payment willbe accepted. This policy was established by a unanimous vote ofthe AMICA Board at the 1991 Board Meeting and reaffirmed atthe 1992 meeting. AMICA reserves the right to edit or toreject any ad deemed inappropriate or not in keeping withAMICA’s objectives.

The BULLETIN accepts advertising without endorsement,implied or otherwise, of the products or services being offered.Publication of business advertising in no way implies AMICA’sendorsement of any commercial operation.

AMICA PUBLICATIONS RESERVES THE RIGHT TOACCEPT, REJECT, OR EDIT ANY AND ALL SUBMITTED ARTICLES AND ADVERTISING.

All items for publication must be submitted directly to thePublisher for consideration.

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING: $.20 per word, $5.00 minimumfor AMICA members. Non-members may advertise double themember rates ($10.00 minimum). Because of the low cost ofadvertising, we are unable to provide proof copies or “tear sheets”.

DISPLAY ADVERTISINGFull Page — 71/2 " x 10" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $150.00Half Page — 71/2 " x 43/4" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 80.00Quarter Page —35/8 " x 43/4" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 45.00Business Card — 31/2 " x 2" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 30.00

Non-member rates are double for all advertising. Special 6 for 5 Ad Offer - Place any ad, with no changes, for afull year (6 issues), and pay for only 5 issues. Payable in advance.Photographs or halftones $15.00 eachLoose Sheet or Insert Advertising: InquireWe recommend that display advertisers supply camera-readycopy. Copy that is oversized or undersized will be changed tocorrect size at your cost. We can prepare advertisements fromyour suggested layout at cost.PAYMENT: U.S. funds must accompany ad order. Make checkpayable to AMICA INTERNATIONAL. Typesetting and layout size alterations charges will be billed.DEADLINES: Submissions must be received no later than thefirst of the odd months (January, March, May, July, September,November). The Bulletin will be mailed the first week of theeven months.

(Rev. 6-98)

FFOORR SSAALLEE1914 Steck Duo-Art 5’2” Ivory keys, rebuilt but requires some repairwork from 2 years of storage, bench, 67 large and 42 small Duo-Artrolls included for $5200. Contact: Yale H. Crandall, 5329 FountainPalm St., Las Vegas, NV 89130, phone (702) 396-8305. (6-04)

1923 AMPICO UPRIGHT MARSHALL & WENDELL; 1926DUO-ART STROUD UPRIGHT; 1928 DUO-ART STROUDUPRIGHT; 1930 AMPICO “B” 5’2” KNABE GRAND; 1937AMPICO SPINET MARSHALL & WENDELL. No reasonableoffers refused. Trades considered. Delivery and rebuilding are available. Nathan “Skip” Woodhull, 624 Ohio St. Lima, Ohio 45804419-227-8565 nwoodhull1@yahoo.com (6-04)

AEOLIAN ORCHESTRELLE STYLE V, beautiful dark oak case,playing well with pedals or blower, 24 rolls, $5,800. Howard Sanford,Miami, FL 305-932-7972 (1-05)

STEINWAY DUO-ART GRAND PIANO. 1925 model XR (6’1”),mahogany, unrestored condition. $5,500. Mel Septon 847-679-3455email: notpes@aol.com (1-05)

AMPICO, DUO-ART, WELTE, AND 88 NOTE PIANO ROLLS.New Recuts and Originals, including “Jumbo” and Program Rolls. AlsoN.O.S. QRS 88 Note rolls. Dave Caldwell, 400 Lincoln Lake Ave. N.E.,Lowell, MI 49331; Check out my website: www.maui.net/~uni/caldwell/;e-mail: DavidWFromMi@webtv.net; phone 616-897-5609. (6-04)

HANDMADE BARREL AND PNEUMATIC ORGANS made inGermany. With moving figurines and a lot of humorous surprises. See: www.magic-mechanical-music.de Musik & Spiel Automaten Geratebau, Ing. Hansjorg Leible, D-79400 Kandern/Holzen, Kirchstr. 2;Tel: 07626-7613, Fax 07626-971009 (6-05)

NEW REPRODUCING ROLLS FOR SALE – Magic Melodies isnow the Exclusive Dealer for new Keystone Ampico and Duo-Art rolls.For periodic Catalogs and other listings, write or call us. MagicMelodies, 360 Lawless Road, Jamestown, KY 42629 or phone 270-343-2061. (1-05)

WELTE-MIGNON PIANO 1927 – Seiler upright, Oak, T-98 greensystem, made in Germany. Complete and original, perfect ivories, brassinlay, restrung. Asking Only $1,900 Mike Kukral, 812-238-9656 orkukral@rose-hulman.edu (6-05)

1924 STEINWAY OR Duo-Art walnut Art case w/veneer damage from fire on one side, rebuilt player, in crates, w/new Ivory keys$11,500 Condition: D; 1995 BALDWIN 4’7” red polish Mah.W/Pianodisc $8,900 Cond.: A; 1987 YAMAHA G2 Ivory polishs/Pianomation $8,900 Cond.: A; 1920 FRANKLIN 56” Ampico Mah.$3,500 Cond.: B+; MARIONETTE AMPICO GRAND original complete w/matching bench $2,500 Cond.: C-; 1995 STORY &CLARK 42” Wal. $2,500; AMERICAN PLAYER PIANO 48”Studio, $2,900. Contact: Schroeder’s Pianos 562-923-2311 (5-04)

WURLITZER STYLE C (piano, mandolin, violin & flute pipes,drums, triangle & bells), beautifully restored. Looks and sounds new.Includes large supply of ten tune rolls. Also available: rolls from largecollection of reproducing & 88 note rolls. (Estate of my friend, GarySage.) Call John Field, 831-423-1397 or jafdf@yahoo.com (6-04)

HAMILTON REPRODUCING UPRIGHT, style 286 Baldwin Piano,serial no. 108060. Welte restored by Carl Kehret in 1998 and appraisedin 2002 at $6,500. Comes with Piano Bench, 70 Welte rolls and 107 regular rolls, many later QRS rolls. Asking $3,500. Buyer arranges forshipping. nsgibson@coastaccess.com, 360-289-7960 (5-04)

NEW PIANO ROLL BOXES-Duo-Art Audiographic series-Exactlylike the originals! Maroon with Gold Printing, all 3 sizes available!(small & medium are “Top Hat” style) $7.00 ea. Quantities are limited,so get them before they are all gone! AMPICO “Top Hat” boxes-BlackLeather with Gold Printing and False Bottom, Exactly like the originals,$4.00 ea. 88 note roll boxes in two sizes-Large (fits 2 3/4 flange) covered with Black Alligator paper (Top), Black Leather (Bottom). OrBrown Leather Paper (Top & Bottom) $3.00 ea. Small (fits 2” flange)Covered with Black or Tan Leather Paper (Top), White Litho (Bottom)$1.50 ea. Other repair supplies available-Parchment Leaders, Tabs,Tubes, Flanges, Repair Tissue. Quantity discounts available. RichIngram rollguyrich@yahoo.com (760) 244-ROLL (7655) (4-05)

STEINWAY RED WELTE GRAND (T-100), Hamburg Model O,with original rolls. Please contact alerad@infosel.net.mx for additionalinformation. Alejandro Radchik, Av. Mexico 37-507, Condesa 06100,Mexico, DF. [Mexico City] Tel.: 011- 52-555-419-5374 (4-05)

“Nothing is easier than self-deceit. Forwhat each man wishes, that he also

believes to be true.”

~ Demosthenes

WANTED

Reproducing, 88 note, 65 note, rolls.Musical related publications and othercollectibles for sale by mail auctions.

Serving collectors since 1970.Contact us to receive our auction lists.

BENNET LEEDY ROLLSTHE PIANO ROLL CENTER4660 HAGAR SHORE ROAD

COLOMA MI 49038Phone 269-468-5986

Fax 269-468-0019email: rollauction@leedyrolls.com

(4-05)Web Page: www.leedyrolls.com

STEINWAY "0" (9 FT). Built between 1910 and 1930 in truelydeplorable, orig inal, (unrebuilt) cond ition. Must have solid case anduncracked plate. Action , lyre, legs still there. Does not need to have

jbeen a 9' 6" player. We'll fix that. Ta xkwaxak@e nter.net~Phone 215 - 234 - 8424, or box 222 Sumney town Pa. Tockhwockh (6-04)

RED WELTE MI GNON piano rolls (T-IOO) . Paying top dollar. MikeKukral 8 12-238-9656 or Kukral@Rose- Hulman.edu (6-04)

WANTED: 88-note Ethnic Rolls , especia lly Russian, Greek , jewi sh,Hungarian, and Syrian. Happy to buy, trade, or borrow rolls forcopyi ng. Excellent references. Help spread diversity!Contact Bob Berkman at bobb @Qrsinc.com or 716-882-1 826 (3-05)

ANY AND ALL CASSETTES FOR MARANTZ SUPERSCOPEPIANOCORDER SYSTEM. Ca ll Peter Funk 201-836-0357, leavemessage. ( 1-05)

PIANOSTYLE ROLLS with blue & white label and black letteringfor roJl title and number . Will pay generou sly for rolls played by B. G.Howa rd. N. F. Woodhu ll 419 -227-8565 , nwoodhulll @yahoo.com (6-04)

Person wi~hExperience in ~he Ad"er~isingField~o §olici~Ad"er~isersfor ~heAMICA Bulle~in.

Candida~esshould be Energe~icand En~husias~ic.

Direc~mone~arycompensa~ionis poor bu~long-~ermrewards are good.

More ad"er~isemenbin ~he bulle~inmeanfewer increases [and possibly decreases]

in annual dues for our members.

For more information, or to apply for the position,please contact our publisher, Mike Kukral,

at kukral@rose-hulman.eduor by phone at (812) 238-9656

38 1

...;; '

Barrel organs for collectors and enthusiasts.Complex moving figures with various sounds,delightful music and a lot of surprises.

Musik & Spiellng. Hansjorg Leible, Kirchstr, 2 • 79400 Holzen/GennanyPhone ++497626-7613 Fax ++49 7626-971009leible@addcom.de www-magic-mechanical-music.de(4-05)

.III..T_I.TM-.-__-137001---.1.1

Web Page: www.leedyrolls.com

BENNET LEEDY RESTORATIONS4660 HAGAR SHORE ROAD

COLOMA MI 49038Phone 269-468-5986

Fax 269-468-0019email: restore@leedyrolls.com

High quality restorations of Ampico,Duo-Art, Welte and other reproducingpianos. All makes of 88 note player

pianos, and other automatic instruments.

'-; "~~~~iiIi

www.BluesRolls.com** Since 1988 **

Rare vintage player piano rolls reissued - over 400 great ragtime, blues and popular 88-Note musicrolls; Ampico, Duo-Art, and Welte Licensee rolls of popular and classical music are available, as wellas "A" roll recuts for your nickelodeon piano.

A NEW LIST affine Duo-Art classical (and some pop) music and Welte popular (and some classical)rolls is now IN STOCK and READY TO SHIP! Twenty of each, plus new 88-note BLUES recuts bysuch greats as James P. Johnson and "Fats" Waller. Browse to www.bluesrolls.com or email fordetails: robdeland@bluesrolls.com. You can also call or write for a list - please specify which type ofroll interests you!

BluesTone Music RollsRob DeLand / 485 Gatewood Lane

Grayslake,IL 60030 / 847-548-6416

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I LEEDY BROTHERS MUSIC ROLLS4660 HAGAR SHORE ROAD

COLOMA MI 49038Phone 269-468-5986

Fax 269-468-0019email: leedybrothers@leedyrolls.com

Welte LicenseeDUO-ARTAMPICO

88 NOTELimited edition reissues and new music rolls.

Contact us or check our web page for our latest list of music rolls.Web page www.leedyrolls.com

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.-MEMBERSHIP.. INFORMATION

CURR~NT!

.: Other Members are counting

.. on your contact information. to be up-to-date.

If your email address orany other information cbenqes,'.' please remember to email

the change to our · .'

MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY

.Bill Ohapmanat shazam32@earthlink.net

AMPICO - DUO-ARTWELTE - RECORDO

88 NOTEIncluding, Jumbo, Program and Medley Rolls

Offering listings of new recut and original rollsof above for direct purchasing, without bidding .

Also buying small and large colledions

Write or e-mail for listings and prices.Include P.O. address

and type you're interested in.

DavidWFromMi@webtv.net

Dave Caldwell400 Lincoln Lake Ave., N.E.

Lowell, MI 49331

616-897-5609(6-04)

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REPLACEMENT LEADERSThese 11 1/4” x 17” reprints, not trimmed and without tabs, are excellent replicas of the more popular types ofreproducing piano roll leaders. While intended for roll repairs, they may also be used for decorative purposes.To splice, overlay new leader on old roll, lay a straightedge on an angle, cut through both papers with a sharpknife, discard scrap, and butt-join with magic mending tape on top surface.

A. Brown on buff (For early red label boxes)

B. Black on ivory (Area for reusable artist photo)

C. Black on ivory (Most common)

D. Black on ivory (Very late rolls by combined Aeolian/American)

E. Green on ivory (Most common)

F. Green on ivory (Favorite Fifty & Selected Roll Service)

G. Welte Brown on buff (Most common)

Note: Early Welte’swith blue leaders maybe repaired with thisbrown leader. Many ofthese when reissuedhad brown leaders.

Please make checks payable toAMICA INTERNATIONAL, And send to:

BRIAN K. MEEDER904A West Victoria StreetSanta Barbara, CA 93101-4745

e-mail address for orders:BKMEEDER@aol.com

Checks or moneyorders from foreign

countries must be drawn on U.S. bank.

Style QuantityA ______________

B ______________

C ______________

D ______________

E ______________

F ______________

G ______________

Total Quantity ______________

Price: $ 1.00 eachMinimum Order: $10.00

Postage and Handling $ 5.50

Roll Order $ ________

Total Amount (U.S. $) $ ________