Original Catalogue Specifications:
-
Philipps
serial or work #2715 stamped on integral case.
- Revolver Mechanism (roll changer) #897
- Integral case and chassis format.
- Standard 6 station, belt drive revolver mechanism (roll changer).
- Windmotor drive for forward music roll motion.
- Round belt/chain & sprocket reduction for feeder (pump) crankshaft.
- Pneumatic lock and cancel register controls.
- Uses Wurlitzer Paganini or Phillips PP (Pianella Paganini) rolls.
- Height: 9 ft. 2 in.
Width: 5 ft. 8 in.
Depth: 2 ft. 11 in.
Shipping weight: 1628 lbs.
61 Note Musical Scale:
- A high grade Piano (with "Harfe" attachment available at extra cost)
- Violins (wood violin pipes with brass freins)
- Flageolets (wood violin pipes with nodule hole and brass freins)
- 44-note Harmonium
- Tremolo (an effect applied to the pipework wind-pressure supply)
Notes:
- This Wurlitzer "Paganini Violin Piano, Style 3," is the ONLY surviving
Paganini class instrument that was imported and sold by Wurlitzer for the
U.S. market. There is, however, another Model 3 Paganini that survives (but
with a duplex roll changer), as well as one large cabinet style Philipps
Paganini Orchestrion, along with several Philipps keyboard style Paganini
instruments. These "other" examples were originally distributed to various
European locations, although some now reside in the U.S., due to the efforts
of American collectors.
- Although Philipps mentions the Harfe (reiterating mandolin attachment)
as an extra, Wurlitzer did not so mention this possibility in their catalogues.
No Paganini instruments are known that contain a Harfe effect.
Chronological History:
Circa 1911/1912
Manufactured by J.D. Philipps & Sons,
Bockenheim, Frankfurt-am-Main, Germany.
Circa 1912
Imported and sold by Rudolph Wurlitzer Company,
New York.
Circa 1914
Glockner Music Company, Los Angeles, California.
According to a penciled note obtained by Dave Bowers regarding the pedigree
of this particular instrument "the Paganini was built in Leipzig, Germany by
Philipps." It was actually built in Bockenheim, Frankfurt-am-Main, not in Leipzig,
which indicates that whoever wrote the note had some inaccurate information,
casting a shadow of doubt over the rest of the note. Nonetheless, according
to the note, "the Paganini was brought to Los Angeles for display by Wurlitzer's
agent, Mr. William L. Glockner, at 917 South Broadway. It remained there until
1919 when it was moved to New High Street (now Spring Street) near the Federal
Building. In 1922 it was sold at auction for $375.00. The original price paid
was $4200.00."
Circa 1922
Sold at auction to an unknown buyer.
Circa early 1960s:
By the early 1960's the style 3 Paganini was, as I remember, in the possession
of Iver Becklund, Lakewood, California. But there is the possibility
I am wrong here, the Paganini instead belonging to Jim Main, Nickelodeon House
Antiques, Monrovia area, California. In any event, the Paganini was not in playable
condition and the exterior casework had been painted white, although upon inspection
it appeared that the original finish had been a dark oak color.
Iver Becklund was a well known and absolutely superb craftsman and restorer,
and collected, appreciated and enjoyed the finer, more sophisticated automatic
music instruments. Thus, it is likely that Iver would have valued the Paganini
and give it a good home. And I think I remember Otto Carlsen talking about "dickering"
with Iver to buy the instrument.
Jim Main, on the other hand, was more in tune with the smaller, less sophisticated
coin-pianos, having lots of them around his Nickelodeon House Antiques store.
A large cabinet style, plain looking, violin imitator that did not play was
not the type of thing that Jim would have eagerly placed in his relatively cramped
antique store, as it would have been much too difficult for him to sell. Jim
was geared to novelties, art glass and the small, colorful coin-in-the-slot
"nickelodeon" pianos that could be patched up and made to play fairly easily
and that would sell quickly.
Circa 1964/1965
Otto Carlsen, Monrovia, California.
Otto Carlsen acquired the style 3 Paganini from either Iver Becklund or Jim
Main circa 1964/65. Otto had attempted to get the instrument to play by patching
it, but nothing other than a few non-musical squeaks ever resulted from his
efforts.
Circa 1965/1966
Dave Bowers, Vestal, New York.
Dave
Bowers bought the Paganini from Otto Carlsen and set it up for display in his
Vestal, New York, music room, but never attempted any restoration work on the
instrument. Later, after moving to California, the Paganini was offered for
sale through Hathaway & Bowers, Inc., Santa Fe Springs, California.
Circa 1969
J.B. Nethercutt,
Nethercutt Collection, Sylmar, California.
After
becoming part of the Nethercutt Collection the Paganini was refinished to its
original dark oak color and the interior mechanical mechanisms completely restored.
Of all the violin imitators (machines using pipework to produce the sounds of
the violin) the Paganini is an exceptionally refined sounding instrument, especially
when playing Philipps music rolls. In sharp contrast, Wurlitzer Paganini rolls
tend to be more or less piano arrangements with pipework and other effects added,
and do not offer the same superb kind of solo work that is common to Philipps
music arrangements.
Although
many of the beautifully restored music machines in the Nethercutt Collection
can be seen and heard during scheduled public tours, neither the Wurlitzer Paganini
Violin Piano or the Philipps keyboard style Paganini in the Collection are currently
on display.
Credits:
Written by Terry Hathaway, with information provided
by Terry Hathaway, Dave Bowers and Byron Matson.
Photographs:
Terry Hathaway; and Dave Bowers.
