August 20, 2014 – The Music House Museum – Downtown Traverse City

We went to the Music House Museum this morning.
The Museum House Museum, Acme, MI - 2104-08-20Its barn-like appearance (it really is a barn) belies the incredible and unique collection of rare antique automated musical instruments which have been purchase and/or contributed by hobbyists and music aficionados. Entering the museum is like stepping back into the history of automated music. One can’t help be intrigued by the imagination, creativity, technical expertise, craftsmanship and artistry of the pioneers of recorded sounds. A sampling of the instruments on display, all of which are in working order, includes …

Edison Gramophone – circa 1877

Edison Gramophone – circa 1877

German manufactured Herty Gerty

German manufactured Herty Gerty

Late 19th century Music Box

Late 19th century Music Box

Orchestral Corona – circa 1899 (with 27 inch metal discs)

Orchestral Corona – circa 1899 (with 27 inch metal discs)

Venus-Belle Miniature grand piano – circa 1920

Venus-Belle Miniature grand piano – circa 1920

Belgian made Rossi – circa 1880 to 1920 (hand-turned barrels set with pins were used to play a piano)

Belgian made Rossi – circa 1880 to 1920 (hand-turned barrels set with pins were used to play a piano)

Ornate piano

Ornate piano

 Voilano-Virtuoso – 1912 (labeled as “one of eight great inventions of the century” at the 1909Alaska-Yukon Exposition, this all electric device used solenoids and variable speed motors to control a paper roll to play the piano and violin and had 19 patents)


Voilano-Virtuoso – 1912 (labeled as “one of eight great inventions of the century” at the 1909Alaska-Yukon Exposition, this all electric device used solenoids and variable speed motors to control a paper roll to play the piano and violin and had 19 patents)

Mills Violino-Virtuoso - 1912 (b), The Museum House Museum, Acme, MI - 2104-08-20

Link RX Coin Piano with mandolin, violin and flute pipes

Link RX Coin Piano with mandolin, violin and flute pipes

that played 15 tunes on a 300’ continuous loop of perforated paper

that played 15 tunes on a 300’ continuous loop of perforated paper

CLICK OR PASTE INTO YOUR BROWSER TO PLAY: https://www.dropbox.com/s/sslkjp5bafxeitn/VIDEO%20-%20Link%20RX%20Piano%2C%20The%20Museum%20House%20Museum%2C%20Acme%2C%20MI%20-%202104-08-20.AVI?dl=0

Frati “Cornettino Barrel Organ – circa 1880 (98 pipes and 5 stops played 43 notes and played 10 tunes from a pinned wooden barrel. A hand crank operates bellows to supply the wind pressure. Across the front are 15 brass cornet and 14 piccolos while the cabinet pipes include 18 strings, 27 stopped flutes, 14 melody flutes, 5 bourdons and 3 brass reeds.)

Frati “Cornettino Barrel Organ – circa 1880 (98 pipes and 5 stops played 43 notes and played 10 tunes from a pinned wooden barrel. A hand crank operates bellows to supply the wind pressure. Across the front are 15 brass cornet and 14 piccolos while the cabinet pipes include 18 strings, 27 stopped flutes, 14 melody flutes, 5 bourdons and 3 brass reeds.)

Cremora Nickelodeon Piano – circa 1910

Cremora Nickelodeon Piano – circa 1910

Brunswick Panatrope – circa 1926 (It was the first all-electric radio phonograph combination)

Brunswick Panatrope – circa 1926 (It was the first all-electric radio phonograph combination)

Estey organ – circa 1917 (donated by St. Andrews Roman Catholic church of Saginaw, MI. This is a 12 rank tubular pneumatic instrument.

Estey organ – circa 1917 (donated by St. Andrews Roman Catholic church of Saginaw, MI. This is a 12 rank tubular pneumatic instrument.

Mortier’s Amaryllis Organ – circa 1922 (uses a multitude of especially voiced organ pipes and percussion instruments to automatically produce the sound of a large European dance orchestra. Its original repertory contains over 2,200 dance tunes and light classics … today, it has been computerized and can play almost any song. The beautiful and intricate façade of rosewood from the Belgian Congo is 30 wide with hand-carved and hand-painted adornments, gilded domes, oil paintings and moving expression louvers.)

Mortier’s Amaryllis Organ – circa 1922 (uses a multitude of especially voiced organ pipes and percussion instruments to automatically produce the sound of a large European dance orchestra. Its original repertory contains over 2,200 dance tunes and light classics … today, it has been computerized and can play almost any song. The beautiful and intricate façade of rosewood from the Belgian Congo is 30 wide with hand-carved and hand-painted adornments, gilded domes, oil paintings and moving expression louvers.)

Mortier’s daughter

Mortier’s daughter

Amaryllis - circa 1922 (d), The Museum House Museum, Acme, MI - 2104-08-20CLICK OR PASTE INTO YOUR BROWSER TO PLAY: https://www.dropbox.com/s/xhnef5bwhqysfz0/VIDEO%20-%20Amaryllis%20-%20circa%201922%20%28b%29%2C%20The%20Museum%20House%20Museum%2C%20Acme%2C%20MI%20-%202104-08-20.AVI?dl=0

he Aeolean Duo-Art Weber – 1925 (This reproducing piano has a hand-carved walnut case covered in gold leaf. Its original cost in 1925 was $10,000.)

The Aeolean Duo-Art Weber – 1925 (This reproducing piano has a hand-carved walnut case covered in gold leaf. Its original cost in 1925 was $10,000.)

CLICK OR PASTE INTO YOUR BROWSER TO PLAY: https://www.dropbox.com/s/duxwgoo91f1o26t/VIDEO%20-%20Aeolean%20Duo-Art%20Weber%20Reproducing%20Piano%20-%20circa%201925%20%28c%29%2C%20The%20Museum%20House%20Museum%2C%20Acme%2C%20MI%20-%202104-08-20.AVI?dl=0

Wurlitzer Organ – circa 1924 (An exact replica of the 34 rank theater organ from parts salvaged from Detroit and Grand Rapids theaters)

Wurlitzer Organ – circa 1924 (An exact replica of the 34 rank theater organ from parts salvaged from Detroit and Grand Rapids theaters)

J.P. Seeburg KT cabinet piano – circa 1920 (with its Eagle stained glass, it had a xylophone, castanets, triangle and tambourine … but no keyboard. It was the forerunner of the jute box and was popular in restaurants and bars)

J.P. Seeburg KT cabinet piano – circa 1920 (with its Eagle stained glass, it had a xylophone, castanets, triangle and tambourine … but no keyboard. It was the forerunner of the jute box and was popular in restaurants and bars)

Entering the museum, you walk through several exhibits of old

Gramophones
Phonographs, The Museum House Museum, Acme, MI - 2104-08-20
Radios
Radio - circa 1940, The Museum House Museum, Acme, MI - 2104-08-20
Victrolas
Victrolas, The Museum House Museum, Acme, MI - 2104-08-20
Jute Boxes

78 RPM Jute Box, The Museum House Museum, Acme, MI - 2104-08-20 Early Jute Boxes, The Museum House Museum, Acme, MI - 2104-08-20 Seeburg Select-O-Matic - circa 1951, The Museum House Museum, Acme, MI - 2104-08-20 Seeburg Select-O-Matic (at restaurant table) - circa 1951, The Museum House Museum, Acme, MI - 2104-08-20 Home Organs

Home Organs - circa early 20th century, The Museum House Museum, Acme, MI - 2104-08-20

and to set the scene, chandeliers from a New York City hotel,

Chandellier from a New York Hotel, The Museum House Museum, Acme, MI - 2104-08-20an old, turn-of-the-19th- century General Store

Acme General Store Sign, The Museum House Museum, Acme, MI - 2104-08-20 Acme General Store (a), The Museum House Museum, Acme, MI - 2104-08-20
and the Hurry Back Saloon.

Hurry Back Saloon, The Museum House Museum, Acme, MI - 2104-08-20
We’d planned to have a picnic lunch by the water in downtown Traverse City.

Clinch Park Garden, Traverse City, MI - 2104-08-20

"Time to Let Go"

“Time to Let Go”

However, there was a cool breeze coming off the water and thus we opted to eat in Dave’s truck. After eating, strolled along Front Street (the heart of the city’s downtown shopping district) …

State Street Theater

State Street Theater

Fifth Third Bank Building

Fifth Third Bank Building

Lighthouse Tower atop Park Place Hotel

Lighthouse Tower atop Park Place Hotel

Hat Shop  ...  which also sells beer and wine making equipment in the rear of the store

Hat Shop … which also sells beer and wine making equipment in the rear of the store

City Opera House

City Opera House

as Debbie and LaDonna browsed numerous stores while Dave and I spent our time people watching
Youg Girl Playing for Money, Front Street, Traverse City, MI - 2014-08-20Green Hair, Front Street, Traverse City, MI - 2014-08-20
with other lonesome husbands!

This evening we went to dinner at the
Harbor 22 Bar & Grill, Greilickville, MI - 2014-08-20
Overlooking East Great Traverse Bay (just ¼ north of where Debbie and I had lunch yesterday).
View (b) from the Harbor 22 Bar & Grill, Greilickville, MI - 2014-08-20Back at our campground, we presented Bill and Carol a present (for their back yard) in thanks for all their efforts at arranging and coordinating this reunion.
Bill and Carol (Thank You Gift) (b), Timber Ridge and Recreation Resort, Traverse City, MI - 2014-08-20

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