Australian Collectors of Mechanical Musical Instruments
Gallery
Welte-Mignon in a Steinway piano (keyboardless) from the Condon collection. These instruments were first marketed in 1905. M Welte & Sons advertisement for the "Mignon" is on the left.
Apple II computer playing an Ampico, circa 1983. System was developed by Peter Phillips, his Knabe Ampico model A is on the right.
Hupfeld Violina, an automatic violin with piano. Instrument was marketed from around 1908, and despite its complexity, many were sold. The instrument on the left has three violins, each with a single string that is played by a rotating circular horse-hair bow. The instrument above has six violins.
Taj Mahal Dance Hall Organ, in the "Fairground Follies" collection
A dance orchestra played by mechanical robots, in the "Fairground Follies" collection
Denis Condon and Peter Phillips with their Duo-Art vorsetzer and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra under John Hopkins, recording Grieg's Piano Concert played by Percy Grainger from Duo-Art rolls. The photo on the right shows the vorsetzer as it was displayed at the launch of the recording. (1978)
A contemporary postcard of Collins Street, Melbourne (around 1910). The Aeolian Company (Orchestrelle Company) premises at No. 252 is in the right-side foreground, denoted by the Steck Piano banner. (Image courtesy of Rex Lawson, London).
Denis Condon 'pedalling' a 65-note Aeolian push-up player (2006)
An ACMMI member 'pedalling' his Hupfeld player piano (2007)
Mason & Hamlin Ampico A (left) and a Steinway Model O Duo-Art (right) from a local collection
Auto-changing disc player (interstate collection)
Orchestrelle being operated by its owner (interstate collection)
Marshall & Wendell Ampico model B piano (local collection)
Steinway Duo-Art (local collection)
Above: Claviola 88-note push-up player; right: Marshall & Wendell Ampico model A (local collections)
Australian Collectors of Mechanical Musical Instruments
