Coin Slot Magazine - #020 - 1976 - September [International Arcade Museum]
MUSIC
I've heard tell that
at one time there
were upwards of
50,000 coin oper-
ated pianos
throughout the
U.S. Whether or
not this is true,
the fact remains,
that between 1900
and 1930 many
were manufactured
by many different
companies in
many different
countries. The
thought of today
is that they are
very scarce. If so,
what happened to
them? Were they
used so that they
wore out, weren't
repaired and then
thrown out? Or
are they hiding in
someones living
away in garages
SEEBURG STYLE "KT SPECIAL"
room or stored
and warehouses?
I personally have traced machines that were consumed by fire and
others that were left to the ravages of weather. Some years back I
traced a Style G Seeburg Orchestrion out and discovered that the
machine, due to neglect, was totally ruined. The flute pipes were
given to the neighborhood kids for whistles. The drums, triangle and
so on were also given to the kids to be used as toys. The stack was
gone and the art glass broken. The case had stood out of doors in
North Dakota weather conditions, which believe me does not take
long to ruin them. Other times I've traced pianos only to find out
someone with a earlier interest had gotten there ahead of me. Then
om
m.c
:
there are those I have been
m lucky
o
seu to find, only the owners
r
u enough
f
m
d
-
e
would sooner let it
sit quietly
e in the living room, or other such
load rcad or Uncle's piano. I have traced many
n
places, rather
than sell .a Dad's
w
o
D
www
/
/
:
p
htt I suspect that over the
charming music.
that I did get, of course, and once again they are pouring forth
years I will find more to be
disappointed with and pleased with.
I recently traced a 146A band organ down that was in my home
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