Establishing New Registry Categories

Collated and Maintained by External Authors

The Idea of a New Category

Ideas and suggestions for new Registry categories are welcome, but not explicitly solicited, and the Mechanical Music Press and/or its authors reserve the right, at their sole discretion, to accept or reject any ideas or suggestions submitted. This means that while we are open to suggestions and recognize the importance of other authors and the work that they have done or might have accomplished, the Mechanical Music Press and/or its authors may not have the time nor interest to automatically take on the additional ongoing burden of preparation and maintenance of database material derived and/or supported by "external" authors. As such, any continuing maintenance and/or updating of any database material submitted would be entirely the sole responsibility of the submitting party. The only intervention by a representative of the Mechanical Music Press would be to carry out the actual task of appending into a particular database any properly configured and uploaded update information.

What Constitutes a New Category?

What is a new category and what effect would it have on the Registry section? In general terms it would be a new stand-alone registry web page linked to the Registry's main menu (just like other already existing category pages for Coinola, Cremona, Seeburg, Wurlitzer, etc.) and it would be dedicated solely to whatever the new category might be. It would have its own descriptive introduction and database survey and report printout options, and resemble existing category pages, but, of course, with text specific to the new topical interest.

Some images, if clearly pertinent to the database category and list, could be considered for inclusion in the descriptive portion of the new category page. However, such inclusion, or not, would be at the sole discretion of the Mechanical Music Press and/or its authors.

General Submittal and Database Requirements

Any new admissions to the registry must, without exception, meet and conform to the following specifications and/or requirements:

Considering the above, any suggestions for new ideas and registry categories can be sent to the Mechanical Music Press Webmaster at  for timely consideration.

Verification of Authenticity

Please be aware that the Mechanical Music Press and/or its authors may, at their sole discretion, require some sort of verification as to the authenticity and accuracy of any submitted information and/or material. This verification process may, depending upon circumstances, entail written, printed, and/or photographic evidence, or whatever other substantiating evidence might be deemed appropriate and/or reasonable to assure the accuracy and integrity of any particular database content. This might mean that certain submitted material will be rejected due to dubious or insufficient verification relating to some aspect of authenticity.

Reproductions / Reconfigured Instruments

Reproductions and/or reconfigured instruments (such as a keyboard style A roll piano that has been modified and reconstructed into something resembling a larger orchestrion) may be accepted for a database listing, depending upon the discretion and momentary whim of the Mechanical Music Press and/or its authors. However, reproductions and any remodeling or major modifications will be so noted as part of the overall description.

Please remember that the intended purpose of the Registry is to document mechanical musical instruments that were manufactured on a regular commercial basis by generally recognized manufacturers, such as Arburo, Chicago Electric, Electrova, Engelhardt, Hupfeld, Imhof & Mukle, Link, Losche, Marquette, Mills, Nelson-Wiggen, Operators, Peerless, Philipps, Popper, Seeburg, Welte, Wurlitzer, etc.

With the above said, any and all reproductions and/or reconfigurations will generally be treated (but not necessarily so and/or subject to decision on a case by case basis) as per the following simplified guidelines:

To put it succinctly, if it (1) is relatively new and was not originally manufactured by one of the recognized, established, historic manufacturers; (2) is a modified, remodeled, or in anyway converted original; (3) is a reproduction; or (4) is anything other than strictly an originally manufactured commercial product as recognized by the majority of studied and informed collectors, the instrument may be accepted for listing but it will and must be described in such a way so as to eliminate any reasonable chance of confusion and/or misunderstanding as to its originality status and/or conditions of manufacture or re-manufacture. If you do not want to subject a converted or modified device to the light of examination please do not submit it for inclusion in the Registry.

Why Are The Submission Requirements So Stringent?

The registry submission requirements are not intended to offend or put off anyone who has valuable historical information to share, provided that such information has been obtained honestly and accurately. That said, the registry section is NOT a money making operation. It is not intended to aid or abet sales or hype certain brands, types, styles, or kinds of instruments. It is strictly a volunteer-based project intended to provide certain historical information free of charge to students of mechanical music, collectors, enthusiasts, and historians in general.

Therefore, considering the above, before accepting submitted material for eventual distribution and/or publication we must have some assurance that the Mechanical Music Press and/or its authors will never be saddled with legal, ownership, or copyright issues, otherwise everyone is better off not getting involved in the first place. Anything presented within the registry pages is a gift of the Mechanical Music Press and/or its authors, whether they be internal or external contributors, and the ability to read and enjoy what is presented in the Registry is not now or ever to be considered nor construed as any type or kind of possessive right or entitlement by any reader or visitor to this web site.