Lot 902: 1912 Wurlitzer Style 32-A Concert Pianorchestra

8’ W. x 9’ T. x 5-1/2” D. Rudolph Wurlitzer Co. (North Tonawanda, New York). This Wurlitzer Concert PianOrchestra Style 32-A is the only example of this model known to exist today. Two related instruments with different case styles and not non concert instruments are located in the J.B. Nethercutt Collection at San Sylmar California, and the Gilson Collection in Wisconsin. The last, acquired from Disneyland and a personal favorite of Walt Disney, had been an attraction in the Crystal Arcade on Main Street since 1955. This machine was the largest and most costly of the automatic instruments made or sold by the Rudolph Wurlitzer Company headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. Wurlitzer imported these instruments from the J.D. Phillips Company of Frankfort, Germany and added its own cabinets, drums, wiring, and coin mechanism in its North Tonawanda plant. This 32-A is one of these instruments imported circa 1912-1914. It is known that this instrument was located in Crystal Palace, a saloon and hotel on West Chestnut Street in Leadville, Colorado, conducted by Jonny Bernat. It was acquired from the Wurlitzer distributor Knight-Campbell in Denver around 1923. It was later purchased by a collector in Wichita, Kansas circa 1953. It was then acquired by Q. David Bowers in unrestored condition for his personal collection in 1965. Mr. Bowers sold it to Jerry Cohen in 1976. It was fully restored by Mr. Cohen to perfection where it remained the centerpiece of his collection until 1980, when it suffered damage from a fire in the Cohen music building. Paul Milhous acquired it after the fire and commissioned another complete restoration of the internal mechanisms and cabinet, using original and reconstructed parts. Damaged parts were remade exactly like the originals, resulting in the instrument once again coming to life when Mike Argain of Fresno, California completed the full restoration in 1996. Instrumentation includes a full piano, 314 pipes, orchestra bells, xylophone, drums, tap cymbal, crash cymbal, tambourine, triangle and castanets, and a Phillipps multi-roll changer. The Phillipps serial number 1385 is stamped on the piano harp, and the date 16.9.11 (September 16, 1911) is cast into the harp. It is now in beautiful playing condition, and includes a beautiful birdseye maple interior and carved quarter sawn oak exterior case as original. Many original and recut rolls of music are with the instrument, as well as a completed pictorial history of its two restorations! (Excellent). 500,000.00 - 700,000.00 #Antique