Hupfeld Model 1 Pan Orchestra
Hupfeld Model 1 Pan Orchestra.

(Photograph from “The Golden Age of Automatic Musical Instruments;" used with permission.)

This Hupfeld Pan is pictured on p. 218 of “Put Another Nickel In” by Q. David Bowers, where it is shown in the Otto Carlsen Collection with an accordion added by the Hupfeld distributor Duwaer and Naessens of Amsterdam. Accordions provide an important musical part in many Decap and other Belgian dance organs, but this one would only serve to mask some of the subtle musical effects produced by the Pan, so it was removed during restoration.

Upper front interior of Hupfeld Model 1 Pan Orchestra.

This picture shows the two swell boxes in the front upper interior of the cabinet. The right chamber contains the melody instruments: violin and clarinet pipes and xylophone. The left chamber contains countermelody instruments: violin pipes, harmonium, orchestra bells, and a rank of lotus flutes in the rear. Each chamber has separate swell shutters on the top and front, and the top of the large surrounding furniture cabinet has another set of shutters. Each set of shutters has three positions and two speeds, all separately controlled by the music roll. The register controls and couplers are at the lower left and right of this picture, respectively.

Roll changer in the Hupfeld Model 1 Pan Orchestra.

The large 10-roll changer is located in the center part of the cabinet. It is shown here with only one roll in place, to permit a view of some of the lead tubing behind it. A wind motor and speed control are located to the left of the changer, with control levers, rewind and multi-level hammer rail pneumatic to its right. The piano action includes a lost motion compensator for enhanced soft playing, a feature found in very few upright pianos.

Bottom interior of the Hupfeld Model 1 Pan Orchestra.

The lower part of the cabinet houses the reproducing piano expression mechanism at the left, the large, slow-moving combination pump and vacuum reservoir in the center, the rewind and electrical control mechanisms at the front left of center, and the pump drive pulley and sprocket to the right. The black strip at the center above the pump is a cover that may be removed to clean the bleeds by loosening three thumb screws. A convenient work light hangs in front of the piano expression mechanism.

Back interior of the Hupfeld Model 1 Pan Orchestra.

(Photograph from “The Golden Age of Automatic Musical Instruments;" used with permission.)

Only a few people have ever seen the rear interior of the Model I Pan in person. The full-size piano, mounted on a separate four-wheel chassis, has been removed for this photo. The drums and traps are located in their own chamber and have their own separate expression mechanisms. The lotus flutes and tremolo mechanism are directly under the main swell shutters at the upper right. A small portion of the lead tubing for the pneumatic stack, all replaced during our restoration, is visible above the stack. The large spring-loaded bellows at the bottom is the main pressure reservoir, and the piano expression mechanism is at the lower right. Piano, percussion, and pipe expression are all controlled individually from the roll.

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