Welte Brass Band Orchestrions

Welte Wallhall Brass Band Orchestrion. Welte Wallhall Brass Band Orchestrion catalogue description.

(Welte catalogue page courtesy of Durward Center)

Figure 54. Catalogue illustration and description for a Welte Wallhall Brass Band Orchestrion. The brass band orchestrions were all very powerfully voiced instruments meant to be used in very large rooms, such as skating rinks or outside in a pavilion. This impressive line of Welte orchestrions play the 100 key Piano Orchestrion roll.

Welte Wotan Brass Band Orchestrion.

(Photograph courtesy of Durward Center)

Figure 55. A beautifully resurrected Welte Wotan Brass Band Orchestrion. This specimen has been recased with a Renaissance style case with the pipes visible behind glass. This Wotan was originally installed in the Pavilion of the Detroit & Windsor Ferry Company’s Park on Bois-Blanc Island, Canada, where it was used for dancing and Sunday concerts. This room was 278 feet X 168 feet. The building fell into disuse and was abandoned. Fortunately, the Welte was salvaged for parts and eventually restored by John Hovancak and Dan Meuer for the Sanfilippo Collection in Chicago.

Go-Back