lUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS - Please support publication ...

"For the past half hour I have been reading your catalogue that
arrived at 'mail call" this afternoon. I was so overwhelmed by the vast
selection of instruments you offered that I can't wait to show this to
my wife when I see her in Hawaii for R&R in a few days. We have been
collecting all kinds of old and unusual instruments for four years now
and I can see that an item from your catalogue is going to be a must for
us.
Our only other experience with this type of instrument was with a
man in Livingston, N.J. who collects and restores some reproducing
pianos, music boxes, etc. His son bought a beautiful restaurant on a
mountaintop in northern New Jersey and the two of them completely
restored it to the decor of the 1890's era. One of his best reproducing
pianos graces a spot in the dining room where a pianist entertains
nightly. The restaurant is called the Victorian Inn and is a fine eating
place. I don't know why I'm telling you all of this, but from the
friendly manner in which you write your catalogue I thought you might
be interested in some sidelights that go along with your love for the
instruments and the era in which they were in vogue.
I will be leaving Vietnam in December to return to my job with the
Phoenix (Ariwna) Symphony Orchestra and I certainly plan to stop to
see you when I am next in the Los Angeles area. I am looking forward
to meeting you and hopefully obtaining one of your fine instruments
for our collection..."
K.C.
APO, San Francisco
"Received the Seraphone roller organ Monday. I want to say that I
am most pleased with the condition the organ was in. Your catalogue
descriptions are very accurate and the organ presented a very pleasant
job of restoration. It now plays as it did when it was new. I look
forward to buying other automatic musical instruments from you in the
near future."
-J.F.
Philadelphia, Penna.
"The Wurlitzer orchestrion has arrived and is as you represented it, if
not better. Thank you!"
-F.j.K.
Belleville, Illinois
"just received the cylinder music box with bells that I ordered from
you. I am most pleased with it as well as the excellent packing job. The
movement is in even better condition than I expected it would be."
-MAW.
Independence, Missouri
"One thing is sure about Hathaway and Bowers. When you say that
an instrument is in a certain condition, it arrives that way.l have relied
on you to be my 'eyes' and 'ears' as I have always bought from your
catalogues. Never have [ been disappointed. On the contrary, I am
pleased with every transaction we have had..."
-F.E.
Newark, New Jersey
"The instrument arrived and everything was in extra good shape. It is
now set up and playing, and sounds great..."
-D.P.
Houston, Texas
"The organ arrived on the 16th... It seems to be all you said it was.
The pipework is fine, and the general condition of the instrument is
exceptionally nicke. I am very pleased with it, so you can add me to
your list of satisfied customers..."
-L.G.
Wexford, Penna.
" ...Remember the Gem Roller Organ, unrestored, that I bought from
you? Well, that's long since finished, and it is a perfect job... It is really
beautiful, and I am glad I have it... Please let me know about the two
other instruments I inquired abou!..."
-J.O.
Fresno, Calif.
"Enclosed please find a payment on the Wurlitzer organ. I enjoy
receiving your catalogues and I must say that the photographs and the
captions about each instrument are very clear and informative. I
especially like your Question and Answer Forum as this is an education
in itself..."
-C.M.
New York
-22-
"The music box arrived in perfect shap and we are delighted with it.
We shall be searching through your catalogues for other items..."
-M.F.
Aspen, Colorado
"It was nice to visit with you last weekend. During my flight back to
Boston I re-read your catalogue from cover to cover. As I know any
business likes to hear from satisfied customers, I thought I would let
you know that I am truly delighted with everything I have ever bought
from you.
I now have my eye on an orchestrion - hopefully one of the larger
ones - but I have to wait until our search for a new home is completed.
I am now considering a large English style Tudor home just a few miles
from the Mass. Turnpike to the west of Boston. If the sale goes through
OK, then'lI I have room to spare for a large Popper, Hupfeld, or
something in that vein. I may have you do the rebuilding, for it's all I
can do these days to keep up with my business.
Thanks again for a very enjoyable time."
-C.K.
Boston, Mass.
"We purchased a Seeburg nickelodeon from you a few months back
and I want to tell you that we have received more enjoyment from it
that from almost anything else we have ever purchased..."
-j.R.
Mesa, Arizona
OUTSTANDING MUSICAL TABLEAU
This musical and mechanical tableau is the prize piece from a leading
collection we purchased - an assembly of automatic musical
instruments and related items gathered over a period of nearly three
decades by a very discriminating and knowledgeable collector.
This particular tableau is really outstanding. Neither these words nor
our black and white illustration can adequately convey its "in person"
appeal Our suggestion is that if it interests you, you should request
that we send you some color photos of it. This, incidentally, is
something we'll gladly do for any item in this catalogue. Of course,
there's no obligation.
As tableaux go, this is a very large one. It is 2'2" high, 1'6" wide, and
10" deep. [t represents an alpine scene. In the background is a
mountain lake, undoubtedly inspired by Lake Lucerne or another one
of the Swiss favorites. Water appears to be exiting from the lake in a
large waterfall which tails into a gorge of rapids. On either side of the
gorge are quaint and colorful old buildings. A suspension bridge spans
the flowing water. As is the case with all tableaux, the scene is well
done with papier mache and similar materials, all painstakingly colored
by hand.
When the tableau is set in operation the ship rides the rapids and a
railroad train crosses the bridge. A windmill on the right bank of the
stream turns its sails in the wind.