40:02 : Outside view of old buildings in Crossroads Village. Neat place. In the background we faintly hear "Fredericus Rex" march by Ferdinand Radeck. at 40:22 we hear (then see) a reed organette and grinder. (don't know the name of the grinder nor the make/model of organette) This 14-note paper-as-a-valve organette (with totally uncoordinated cymbal-monkey) plays "When You and I Were Young, Maggie" 41:19 Jan and Terry Bender are playing the Raffin 31/84 paper roll street organ. The public get into the act with the bird and monkey. Lots of fun. I don't recognize the tune or medley but it's a snappy dance-organ arrangement. 44:46 the smaller Raffin street organ (20-note 'belly organ' but I'm not sure the # of pipes) is played, while the toucan makes the rounds, but I don't recognize the tune. 46:17 A well-known Alan Pell 27-keyless book-operated street organ from Michigan is shown, with Charlie having a brief chat with the COAA / MBSI folks, and then we hear the Pell play a version of "12th Street Rag" by Euday Bowman. 48:35 we hear an Alan Pell 31/84 paper roll street organ, playing a World War I medley, including "Pack Up Your Troubles In Your Old Kit Bag" by Felix Powell, and "It's a Long, Long Way to Tipperary" by Jack Judge and Harry Williams, plus 3rd and 4th songs I don't recognize. At 51:59 we hear a 16-note Schmider paper roll street organ. Yes, these play an endless paper roll! I don't know the title of this tune. At 52:51 we hear Mr. Wade's Raffin 31/84 paper roll street organ. I don't recognize the selection but guess it's a European tune. Then, at the very end, we see and hear Mr. Wade and family. Nice. Thanks Charlie and thanks all involved!
The next day (last day of the sale), I learned my bid on the band organ was too low (the lowest of three), and Charlie's friend from the railway museum had also been outbid. It was sold to an unknown buyer in the Midwest and the Frati organ was also sold. I could only hope that the time that these instruments weren't going to oblivion or to be parted out. This time it was even more of a madhouse, but I was able to finish my project of going thru every single remaining stack of papers in the house and pulling out even MORE musical papers and magazines... and got a nearly complete set (just a dozen or so issues missing) of the very rare "Console" theatre organ history magazine (with some gossip thrown in), which is hard to come by today... as well as gap-filling my already considerable archive of "Theatre Organ" magazines of the ATOS (American Theatre Organ Society) for pennies on the dollar, plus raided the bookcase and pulled out all remaining musical books plus all remaining books on theatres (I only had one book on vintage movie theatres before; now I have nearly a dozen and am becoming better read on the subject). Further, I picked up every single TOSSD (Theatre Organ Society of San Diego) paper I could find including important financial documents, and have those all here safely in a box waiting for the quarantine to lift so I can make a special trip down to visit and formally rehome these with the society where they belong, together with many VHS and cassette tapes of live performances recorded there over the years (which they should have), and some old photos etc. that are all important to the club's history. I was dismayed that Charlie's familiar red band organ vest with all his band organ and calliope pins from the rallies was sold to someone for use as a garment (they weren't a band organ fan) UNTIL the helpful estate sale folks said: "we knew you wanted the pins so we saved them all!" and there they were!!! Score!!! We managed to pull all the pipes, bell action, player piano parts etc out of the side yard (fortunately it was very dry that week... no rain) and stage them for loading into the van. Finally, as my stack of books and papers and sheet music (yes!) was complete (and very large), and was slowly being joined by records as I laboriously went thru every record and CD in the large collection (literally thousands of each, that Jackie and Charlie had collected and carefully organized), the folks let us know they were basically closing down for the day, but for good, and all remaining stuff would go with the house. I knew what that meant... possible oblivion. So Jenny (bless her) who was helping me sort thru the records said "why don't you just buy them ALL and we can go through them at home?" SO WE DID! I ended up carrying armload after armload of LPs, and CDs, (and all music-labeled or unlabeled VHS tapes and DVDs... the family-labeled ones went in the front hall closet with all the family memorabilia to go back to the family), and staging them all in the front to be paid for at the very end of the sale. The estate sale folks were stunned but sold us the whole collection for what I consider (and hope they also agree) was a very good price. So now Jenny and I are the proud caretakers of Charlie and Jackie Porter's entire remaining (what wasn't sold on days 1 thru 3 of the sale) CD, LP and sheet music collection!
The saga of the Spirit of San Diego continues in 2024 with another new owner wanting to bring it back to life, replace missing pipework and register device. I came close to going to San Diego for the sale but had the feeling I would be outbid or have everything sold before I got there. Meanwhile, research into Jacob of Liege, of the sign quote, has determined who he actually was and it was not from Liege.
28:22 to 31:06: Raffin 31/103 (I think?) trumpet street organ first selection (28:22) is a medley with "Toot, Toot, Tootsie" by Ernie Erdman and Dan Russo; "If You Knew Susie" by Joseph Meyer; and "Fascination" (arranged as a fox trot) by Fermo Marchetti. Second selection (29:51 to 31:06) is a Scott Joplin ragtime medley, including "The Entertainer", "Peacherine Rag", and "Pine Apple Rag". At 31:07 we catch a BRIEF glimpse of famous band-organ author, tour and rally organizer, and MBSI and COAA big wheel Ron Bopp. I have a copy of the 'pink book' blowing open on the front of the sale table, and it is helping me with the IDs. 31:13 to 33:23 : Ron Bopp's Gebruder Bruder 107 fairground organ "the Thunderer" march by John Philip Sousa (again!) 31:51 to 33:23 : a waltz I don't recognize. That's David Wasson on the left enjoying the music. This organ now plays for the public behind a GB 106 facade on Jane's Carousel in Brooklyn, New York. Its original restored facade is on static display at the Carousel Museum (can't remember if the one in Connecticut or the one in Sandusky Ohio). 33:24 : a very dubious-looking "RATfin organ" (yeah, right!!! GET IT???) David Wasson shows it off and Darlene Wasson exclaims "yes, it plays!!!" Everyone has a great big laugh when it 'plays its tune' !!! Wonder what the mousetraps are for??? "It's a 4-key Ratfin organ! Complete with traps!!!" 34:09 : David is still laughing about the "Ratfin" while the Bruder plays merrily on in the background. 34:15 to 36:29 : "Trudy" the 98-keyless concert band organ built by David Wasson. Mr. Wasson has built a couple of organs and here we go from the ridiculous (the prior) to the sublime (this one). First tune is "At Last" by Harry Warren. 36:30 to 38:33 : Homebuilt Wurlitzer 105 replica band organ, built by Mr. K. A. Pontius of Indiana. Tune is "The Peanut Vendor" by Moises Simons, from a B. A. B. 46 roll arrangement. 37:16 : I don't recognize this waltz, but am sure a B. A. B. enthusiast will! Mr. Pontius' big Ken-Smith-Ruth-type band organ is visible under construction to the right, but not yet playing. This organ subsequently received a Welte/Wilhelm Bruder Sohne-style facade (aka 'Artizan D' facade) and now plays well in several more recent TH-cam videos. I believe that is the builder at the end of this segment. 38:34 to 40:01 : Gebruder Bruder 107 fairground organ with Alfred Bruder facade, owned then by the late Cliff Gray of Texas. Since has been sold to a new home/owner. I don't *quite* recognize the first tune. 39:01 : tune is "Under the Double Eagle" march by Josef Wagner. Mr. Gray at 39:08 39:14 : sounds like the same tune, but then gets jazzy. Sounds like a David Wasson arrangement (!??!?!)
19:35 to 20:06 : Two kids trying out cranking a small harmonipan-type paper-roll street organ with piccolos on the front. Since I can't see the front of the organ nor read the back sign, I don't know the builder or owner. Maybe someone else recognizes it (and the tune!) 20:07 to 22:32 : Artizan style A band organ on the Parker carousel at Crossroads Village. This organ was converted by Wurlitzer to 125 rolls and restored that way by Don Stinson, who also added a MIDI system so it could play more tunes. It's still playing. Glad they run this carousel fast and exciting! First tune (20:07 to 20:32) is "Alice Blue Gown" by Harry Tierney. I don't recognize the second waltz tune (20:36 to 22:32). Anyone know it? Sounds like the Artizan's trumpets are turned off in this vid; maybe they were getting out of tune and/or the ride operator did not like them? 22:33 to : Charlie briefly talks with an unknown (to me) person 22:38 to 23:15 : Wurlitzer Caliola wooden-whistle air calliope I don't recognize the tune but it sounds familiar. We see this from both the front and back. 23:16 to 23:36 : big Ford semi truck. Charlie can briefly be seen reflected from 23:29 to 23:31 23:36 to 23:53, we can hear an unknown tune played on the Wurlitzer 103 band organ with drums (drums not playing in this short clip) and meet the owner and some MBSI/COAA friends. 23:54 to 25:37 : Wurlitzer 125 band organ with the brass trumpets replaced with wood trumpets, and a 153 facade (with lights). Organ then owned by the late Don and Norma Redd of Ohio. No idea where it is now. Also don't recognize the tune. Anyone know it? I think Mrs. Redd is one of the ladies shown starting at 24:50 25:38 to 25:56 : The same Wurlitzer 153 band organ shown in the beginning of the video. I don't quite recognize the tune heard at the beginning. 25:57 to : Stinson model 29 band organ. I don't recognize the tune, but it sounds like a lively European medley. 27:39 to 27:58 : I don't recognize this tune either, but it becomes quite evident that this organ needs some tuning, so Charlie goes on his way. 27:59 : the rally T-shirt sales booth. 28:02 to 28:21 : more Stinson model 29. The organ is playing a snappy fox-trot (?)
Thanks again for rescuing, converting and uploading this video! Here is what we are seeing and hearing: First, this rally was probably held at Crossroads Village in Flint, Michigan, since their carousel and organ appear in it midway through the tape. 00:00 to 01:44 Wurlitzer 153 band organ (front and back) (I believe the snare drum has been removed in the video; probably being repaired) (I don't recognize the tune; anyone is welcome to ID it) 01:45 to 03:18 Tangley CA-43 Calliophone air calliope (tune is "The Thunderer" march by John Philip Sousa) Man in photo at 2:16 is the late Gene Headley, who I think had passed right before this rally. Mr. Headley owned a Miner Mfg. Co. replica Tangley calliope mounted in a fire truck, but this *appears* to be an original (not replica?) Tangley in a circus wagon, so probably the photo is there in memorial-tribute/salute, rather than to show him as former owner. 03:19 to 03:24 "Sunday Lunch" :) Anyone recognize these folks? 03:25 to 07:47: Another original Tangley CA-43 Calliaphone air calliope. Tune is "Barnum and Bailey's Favorite" march by Karl L. King Played much slower here than the circus bands play it! 07:48 : fleeting glimpse of a church reception or collectors' banquet(?) 7:49 to 9:53 : Raffin 20/31 street organ Tune is "The Can-Can" by Jacques Offenbach. Grinder startes out frowning but eventually cracks a smile :) Maybe he's waiting for the can-can dancers to show up. 09:53 to 10:23 : a real live goat chewing, staring, and likely contemplating what in the HELL is that infernal racket those crazy human-gadgets are making? After the goat, we also see a ram, for a little bit. 10:24 to 11:50 : 1997 "Jordan" wooden whistle air calliope, playing "A" rolls, (with glockenspiel) and manufactured by "The Organ Shop G. F. Jordan Builder". This calliope is playing an EXTREMELY snappy Capitol A-roll version of "What is This Thing Called Love?" (to 11:22) composed by Cole Porter, and since it's tune #9 on the roll, this is likely Capitol #A-2320, which would make tune #10 "Under a Texas Moon" (11:24 to 11:50), (composed by Ray Perkins) which it certainly is!!! I don't know who played the original Capitol piano roll of "What is This Thing Called Love?", BUT I can say that "Under a Texas Moon" was originally played by "John Matthews", who was really the great Johnny Honnert. 11:51 to 19:31 : Stinson 187 band organ, built for and owned by (until recently?) Mr. Larry Kern of Texas, who proudly took it all over the place. I think the current owner also takes it out. This is one of the largest organs that Stinson ever built, and certainly the largest to travel in a trailer. 11:51 to 13:35 : I don't recognize the tune, anyone else know it? Sounds like a European tune. 13:36 to 19:31 : Also don't recognize this tune! Sounds like a concert waltz to me. 19:32 to 19:34 : Brief clip of Larry Kern himself. Charlie sez "Here's the smiling owner!"
Hi, I'm so glad you rescued this tape. I knew Charlie from 1996 thru the mid 2000s when, for whatever reason, we fell out of touch. I was meaning to contact him for years to see how he was doing, when I suddenly heard about his estate sale, via the Facebook mechanical music groups, about near the end of the first day of the four day sale. I procrastinated enough, and the hours of the sale were such, that I got up too late to make it to the second day, but by the third day Jenny and I were there 'with bells on', in time to see stuff walking out the door fairly fast. By this time, I'd called around and FINALLY found someone who had been in touch with Charlie recently (from the San Diego chapter of the American Theatre Organ Society, where he volunteered working on the chapter Wurlitzer at Trinity Presbyterian Church), who imparted to me the sad news that Charlie had passed away just a couple months prior. So we hustled down there the 3rd day of the sale and it was a madhouse with all the people there. After exchanging pleasantries with theatre organist Russ Peck and his friend at the sale, and checking out the band organ, I lost no time going first thru the garage and then thru the house and spending hour after hour going thru every single stack of papers, books and magazines there. Although not a ham radio guy (so I didn't get any radio stuff except ONE magazine and one cable.... by accident... sorry), I was determined that NONE of the remaining musical stuff would fall by the wayside as it sometimes does at these sales. I spent until the very last minute that day going thru all the stacks of papers and pulling out hundreds of magazines, several reprinted catalogs and service manuals (for player pianos, band organs etc) as well as, most importantly of all, the few remaining blueprints and diagrams for Charlie's band organ 'The Spirit of San Diego' that I so loved as a kid. There were some windchest and valve drawings, and several different tracker bar scales / layouts (most of them apparently never implemented, at least not in the finished organ), as well as a couple early scales for Charlie's friend David Wasson's organ "Trudy", now a famous organ on the 'band organ scene'. I put all these in a safe place and at the end of the day, between that, some tools from the garage (hot glue pot, homemade testing rig for valves, etc) and a few band organ LP records I'd culled out, had a pretty considerable pile. I barely looked at the videotapes that day. The estate sale folks made me a special deal on it all, and then I looked over the side fence and spotted a couple large organ pipes standing up. So with the sale manager's permission, I went in the side yard and was awestruck by the huge pile of organ pipes, dry but dusty, they'd pulled out from the shelves he built under the eaves of his garage. There were many old theatre and church organ pipes, and a few old dance organ pipes as well. Plus, the action for a Wurlitzer theatre pipe organ glockenspiel (he'd used 24 of the bars for the glockenspiel on his band organ, so 6 were left hanging on the frame), and a couple of home player piano parts... I think Standard. I immediately made a deal for the entire lot on the spot, with the sale people scratching their heads as to why I wanted 'junk', but with them honorably leaving it there till tomorrow. The minivan was full from the floor to the ceiling, front to back.
On that last day of the sale, the minivan was even MORE full, between about six or seven large 3' by 3' boxes of LPS and a like number of boxes of CDs (and a few tape cassettes), as well as all remaining pipes, the bell action, couple boxes of papers etc. etc. I had to make a very quick trip to Home Depot to buy boxes to safely transport everything; then after finding out we had too many boxes (and the flat ones JUST BARELY FIT at the top of everything else in the van, nearly obscuring our view out the windshield), we very carefully, about 3 hours after they'd locked up and left Jenny and I in the driveway with all the STUFF, finally squeezed it all in and puttered back the mile and a half over to Home Depot (which was about to close), and I was able to sell them back all the unused flat boxes, and finally see out the windows so we could safely drive the hour and a half back to Orange County! The happy epilogue is that most (not all- yet) of Charlie's hand-cut band organ rolls, sold to a 'flipper', turned up on eBay for sale (just as the flipper said they would) and were all bought by George, the new band organ owner (a few rolls, possibly 3, 4 or more, sold to a doctor or physician of some kind in the San Diego area, who thought they would play on his orchestrion, for some reason... to date he hasn't returned George's calls and we all hope he sees the light in the future and sells the rolls back to go with the organ... as they will not play properly on anything else... that's a proprietary scale). I was SO RELIEVED when, after pins and needles worrying the band organ was either going to be junked for parts or built up into some monstrosity, I got a phone call a week or two later from George (my old COAA friend who I hadn't seen in 3 years) and it turns out that he bought "The Spirit of San Diego" and was flying out to pick it up. We had a very long discussion and George now has custody of the carefully-curated plastic bin with all remaining blueprints etc, photos, newspaper articles, advertising, etc, for the organ that were at the sale, plus all remaining unopened CDs Charlie had produced of Volume 3 (we only found one copy of "The Best of Volumes 1 and 2" CD, not counting my own copy here, and of course George got that too, so he could make more). We also miraculously found what we THINK are the master CDs for those CDs, plus other recordings. George now has those, as well as Charlie's arranging drafting board, band organ rally hangers and posters, etc. plus I took photos of all the band organ photoalbums on site. I think he was gifted the band organ related ones by the family, who are keeping the family-related ones (as it should be). George also bought back nearly all the "extra" pipes I bought (except for three ranks) that we'd saved (some of which we're sure Charlie was going to add to the organ on the 'unused' open windchest holes), so those are also now with the organ, and the bell action. Jenny and I made back what we spent! I also had lunch with George when he flew down and I helped him pack the truck, and we arranged it so the Frati organ (traveling in the same truck) also got to it's new owner in Virginia who is a circus (sideshow?) impresario who now loves it and has posted videos on Facebook. Believe it or not, even in this era of extreme piano-attrition and electronic-organ attrition, both Charlie's Autopiano and Jackie's two electronic theatre organs (Allen, and Artisan, I think) all sold to good homes, as did the roll collection. No musical instruments (and very little furniture) remained in the house at the very end of the estate sale. A happy ending for all, that very nearly WASN'T! We hope that, if George can secure a suitable vehicle, "The Spirit of San Diego" will be heard at some future Mid-Am rallies in coming years. I wish him all the best with it, and wish Ken all the best with the Frati and hopes it makes it to some East Coast functions. I promise to catalog and digitize all the band organ and theatre organ LPs from their extensive record collection, and share with the band and theatre organ communities, as well as enjoying all the remaining paperwork for my mechanical-music literature collection (which I constantly use in research and correspondence). The CD collection is also quite wonderful, with TONS of Naxos and Marco Polo light-classical and salon-music CDs as well as a nearly complete set of the Paragon Ragtime Orchestra. I hope that somewhere, Charlie and Jackie are smiling.
I also bought a box of CDs that appear to be his master copies of his own recordings- we should compare notes to make sure nothing gets missed. I have a whole box full of his video and audio tapes, from which the above video came, but i haven't had time to do anything with it all yet. hopefully i'll get a chance to upload everything here soon.
The first instrument seen is a Wurlitzer 153 band organ. It's shown from the front and the back. The next item seen (red with brass whistles) is an air calliope. I don't think "The Spirit" makes an appearance in this video, but you can briefly see Charlie and the camcorder reflected in the grill of the truck.
You can see videos of "The Spirit of San Diego" playing quite a lot of its repertoire, here: th-cam.com/channels/NgFqwhUxlHattnAHMDMkQQ.htmlvideos?view=0&sort=dd&shelf_id=0
I'm pretty sure "Spirit" WAS at this rally, but Jackie Porter was off tending the organ while Charlie wandered around with his camcorder. He probably didn't get any video of his own organ there, since there was no need, he could play it all he wanted at home. That must have been quite a drive, going out to Michigan from Southern California!!! But they did it every year from at least 1995 (or earlier) up thru around 2006 or whenever he took the organ out of the truck and sold the truck, putting the organ in the garage. There are many photos of them with the organ (and probably some video) of it at the big annual rallies in the MidWest. I myself have home video footage of the organ my uncle took when we all first saw it in 1996 at ArborFest '96 at the Fullerton Arboreteum. I got to see and hear it several times after that, notably at Descanso Gardens and also at the annual Sierra Madre Independence Day rally / parade. All those, of course, in Southern California.
By the end of the video... there is a certain psychotic feeling to the sound... like I imagine a horrific murder scene with that sound in the background! LOL
It's the Artizan style A with the trumpets turned off. It was converted to Wurlitzer 125 rolls (maybe by Wurlitzer) and has a MIDI system installed by Don Stinson.
40:02 : Outside view of old buildings in Crossroads Village. Neat place.
In the background we faintly hear "Fredericus Rex" march by Ferdinand Radeck.
at 40:22 we hear (then see) a reed organette and grinder.
(don't know the name of the grinder nor the make/model of organette)
This 14-note paper-as-a-valve organette (with totally uncoordinated cymbal-monkey)
plays "When You and I Were Young, Maggie"
41:19 Jan and Terry Bender are playing the Raffin 31/84 paper roll street organ.
The public get into the act with the bird and monkey.
Lots of fun.
I don't recognize the tune or medley but it's a snappy dance-organ arrangement.
44:46 the smaller Raffin street organ (20-note 'belly organ' but I'm not sure the # of pipes) is played,
while the toucan makes the rounds, but I don't recognize the tune.
46:17 A well-known Alan Pell 27-keyless book-operated street organ from Michigan is shown,
with Charlie having a brief chat with the COAA / MBSI folks,
and then we hear the Pell play a version of "12th Street Rag" by Euday Bowman.
48:35 we hear an Alan Pell 31/84 paper roll street organ,
playing a World War I medley, including
"Pack Up Your Troubles In Your Old Kit Bag" by Felix Powell,
and "It's a Long, Long Way to Tipperary" by Jack Judge and Harry Williams,
plus 3rd and 4th songs I don't recognize.
At 51:59 we hear a 16-note Schmider paper roll street organ.
Yes, these play an endless paper roll!
I don't know the title of this tune.
At 52:51 we hear Mr. Wade's Raffin 31/84 paper roll street organ.
I don't recognize the selection but guess it's a European tune.
Then, at the very end, we see and hear Mr. Wade and family.
Nice.
Thanks Charlie and thanks all involved!
The next day (last day of the sale), I learned my bid on the band organ was too low (the lowest of three), and Charlie's friend from the railway museum had also been outbid. It was sold to an unknown buyer in the Midwest and the Frati organ was also sold. I could only hope that the time that these instruments weren't going to oblivion or to be parted out.
This time it was even more of a madhouse, but I was able to finish my project of going thru every single remaining stack of papers in the house and pulling out even MORE musical papers and magazines... and got a nearly complete set (just a dozen or so issues missing) of the very rare "Console" theatre organ history magazine (with some gossip thrown in), which is hard to come by today... as well as gap-filling my already considerable archive of "Theatre Organ" magazines of the ATOS (American Theatre Organ Society) for pennies on the dollar, plus raided the bookcase and pulled out all remaining musical books plus all remaining books on theatres (I only had one book on vintage movie theatres before; now I have nearly a dozen and am becoming better read on the subject).
Further, I picked up every single TOSSD (Theatre Organ Society of San Diego) paper I could find including important financial documents, and have those all here safely in a box waiting for the quarantine to lift so I can make a special trip down to visit and formally rehome these with the society where they belong, together with many VHS and cassette tapes of live performances recorded there over the years (which they should have), and some old photos etc. that are all important to the club's history.
I was dismayed that Charlie's familiar red band organ vest with all his band organ and calliope pins from the rallies was sold to someone for use as a garment (they weren't a band organ fan) UNTIL the helpful estate sale folks said: "we knew you wanted the pins so we saved them all!" and there they were!!! Score!!!
We managed to pull all the pipes, bell action, player piano parts etc out of the side yard (fortunately it was very dry that week... no rain) and stage them for loading into the van. Finally, as my stack of books and papers and sheet music (yes!) was complete (and very large), and was slowly being joined by records as I laboriously went thru every record and CD in the large collection (literally thousands of each, that Jackie and Charlie had collected and carefully organized), the folks let us know they were basically closing down for the day, but for good, and all remaining stuff would go with the house. I knew what that meant... possible oblivion. So Jenny (bless her) who was helping me sort thru the records said "why don't you just buy them ALL and we can go through them at home?" SO WE DID! I ended up carrying armload after armload of LPs, and CDs, (and all music-labeled or unlabeled VHS tapes and DVDs... the family-labeled ones went in the front hall closet with all the family memorabilia to go back to the family), and staging them all in the front to be paid for at the very end of the sale. The estate sale folks were stunned but sold us the whole collection for what I consider (and hope they also agree) was a very good price.
So now Jenny and I are the proud caretakers of Charlie and Jackie Porter's entire remaining (what wasn't sold on days 1 thru 3 of the sale) CD, LP and sheet music collection!
The saga of the Spirit of San Diego continues in 2024 with another new owner wanting to bring it back to life, replace missing pipework and register device. I came close to going to San Diego for the sale but had the feeling I would be outbid or have everything sold before I got there. Meanwhile, research into Jacob of Liege, of the sign quote, has determined who he actually was and it was not from Liege.
28:22 to 31:06:
Raffin 31/103 (I think?) trumpet street organ
first selection (28:22) is a medley with
"Toot, Toot, Tootsie" by Ernie Erdman and Dan Russo;
"If You Knew Susie" by Joseph Meyer;
and
"Fascination" (arranged as a fox trot) by Fermo Marchetti.
Second selection (29:51 to 31:06) is a Scott Joplin ragtime medley,
including
"The Entertainer",
"Peacherine Rag",
and
"Pine Apple Rag".
At 31:07 we catch a BRIEF glimpse of famous band-organ author, tour and rally organizer,
and MBSI and COAA big wheel Ron Bopp.
I have a copy of the 'pink book' blowing open on the front of the sale table,
and it is helping me with the IDs.
31:13 to 33:23 :
Ron Bopp's Gebruder Bruder 107 fairground organ
"the Thunderer" march by John Philip Sousa (again!)
31:51 to 33:23 :
a waltz I don't recognize.
That's David Wasson on the left enjoying the music.
This organ now plays for the public behind a GB 106 facade on Jane's Carousel in Brooklyn, New York.
Its original restored facade is on static display at the Carousel Museum
(can't remember if the one in Connecticut or the one in Sandusky Ohio).
33:24 : a very dubious-looking "RATfin organ" (yeah, right!!! GET IT???)
David Wasson shows it off and Darlene Wasson exclaims "yes, it plays!!!"
Everyone has a great big laugh when it 'plays its tune' !!!
Wonder what the mousetraps are for???
"It's a 4-key Ratfin organ! Complete with traps!!!"
34:09 : David is still laughing about the "Ratfin" while the Bruder plays merrily on in the background.
34:15 to 36:29 : "Trudy" the 98-keyless concert band organ built by David Wasson.
Mr. Wasson has built a couple of organs and here we go from the ridiculous (the prior) to the sublime (this one).
First tune is "At Last" by Harry Warren.
36:30 to 38:33 : Homebuilt Wurlitzer 105 replica band organ, built by Mr. K. A. Pontius of Indiana.
Tune is "The Peanut Vendor" by Moises Simons, from a B. A. B. 46 roll arrangement.
37:16 : I don't recognize this waltz, but am sure a B. A. B. enthusiast will!
Mr. Pontius' big Ken-Smith-Ruth-type band organ is visible under construction to the right, but not yet playing.
This organ subsequently received a Welte/Wilhelm Bruder Sohne-style facade (aka 'Artizan D' facade)
and now plays well in several more recent TH-cam videos.
I believe that is the builder at the end of this segment.
38:34 to 40:01 :
Gebruder Bruder 107 fairground organ with Alfred Bruder facade,
owned then by the late Cliff Gray of Texas.
Since has been sold to a new home/owner.
I don't *quite* recognize the first tune.
39:01 : tune is "Under the Double Eagle" march by Josef Wagner.
Mr. Gray at 39:08
39:14 : sounds like the same tune, but then gets jazzy. Sounds like a David Wasson arrangement (!??!?!)
19:35 to 20:06 :
Two kids trying out cranking a small harmonipan-type paper-roll street organ with piccolos on the front.
Since I can't see the front of the organ nor read the back sign, I don't know the builder or owner.
Maybe someone else recognizes it (and the tune!)
20:07 to 22:32 :
Artizan style A band organ on the Parker carousel at Crossroads Village.
This organ was converted by Wurlitzer to 125 rolls and restored that way by Don Stinson,
who also added a MIDI system so it could play more tunes. It's still playing.
Glad they run this carousel fast and exciting!
First tune (20:07 to 20:32) is "Alice Blue Gown" by Harry Tierney.
I don't recognize the second waltz tune (20:36 to 22:32). Anyone know it?
Sounds like the Artizan's trumpets are turned off in this vid;
maybe they were getting out of tune and/or the ride operator did not like them?
22:33 to : Charlie briefly talks with an unknown (to me) person
22:38 to 23:15 : Wurlitzer Caliola wooden-whistle air calliope
I don't recognize the tune but it sounds familiar.
We see this from both the front and back.
23:16 to 23:36 : big Ford semi truck.
Charlie can briefly be seen reflected from 23:29 to 23:31
23:36 to 23:53, we can hear an unknown tune played on the Wurlitzer 103 band organ with drums
(drums not playing in this short clip) and meet the owner and some MBSI/COAA friends.
23:54 to 25:37 :
Wurlitzer 125 band organ with the brass trumpets replaced with wood trumpets, and a 153 facade (with lights).
Organ then owned by the late Don and Norma Redd of Ohio.
No idea where it is now.
Also don't recognize the tune.
Anyone know it?
I think Mrs. Redd is one of the ladies shown starting at 24:50
25:38 to 25:56 :
The same Wurlitzer 153 band organ shown in the beginning of the video.
I don't quite recognize the tune heard at the beginning.
25:57 to :
Stinson model 29 band organ.
I don't recognize the tune, but it sounds like a lively European medley.
27:39 to 27:58 :
I don't recognize this tune either, but it becomes quite evident that this organ needs some tuning,
so Charlie goes on his way.
27:59 : the rally T-shirt sales booth.
28:02 to 28:21 : more Stinson model 29.
The organ is playing a snappy fox-trot (?)
The big Stinson organ is playing"Geheimnisse der Etsch Walzer" by Carera.
Thanks again for rescuing, converting and uploading this video!
Here is what we are seeing and hearing:
First, this rally was probably held at Crossroads Village in Flint, Michigan,
since their carousel and organ appear in it midway through the tape.
00:00 to 01:44 Wurlitzer 153 band organ (front and back)
(I believe the snare drum has been removed in the video; probably being repaired)
(I don't recognize the tune; anyone is welcome to ID it)
01:45 to 03:18 Tangley CA-43 Calliophone air calliope
(tune is "The Thunderer" march by John Philip Sousa)
Man in photo at 2:16 is the late Gene Headley, who I think had passed right before this rally.
Mr. Headley owned a Miner Mfg. Co. replica Tangley calliope mounted in a fire truck,
but this *appears* to be an original (not replica?) Tangley in a circus wagon,
so probably the photo is there in memorial-tribute/salute, rather than to show him as former owner.
03:19 to 03:24 "Sunday Lunch" :)
Anyone recognize these folks?
03:25 to 07:47:
Another original Tangley CA-43 Calliaphone air calliope.
Tune is "Barnum and Bailey's Favorite" march by Karl L. King
Played much slower here than the circus bands play it!
07:48 : fleeting glimpse of a church reception or collectors' banquet(?)
7:49 to 9:53 : Raffin 20/31 street organ
Tune is "The Can-Can" by Jacques Offenbach.
Grinder startes out frowning but eventually cracks a smile :)
Maybe he's waiting for the can-can dancers to show up.
09:53 to 10:23 :
a real live goat chewing, staring,
and likely contemplating what in the HELL is that infernal racket those crazy human-gadgets are making?
After the goat, we also see a ram, for a little bit.
10:24 to 11:50 : 1997 "Jordan" wooden whistle air calliope, playing "A" rolls,
(with glockenspiel)
and manufactured by "The Organ Shop G. F. Jordan Builder".
This calliope is playing an EXTREMELY snappy Capitol A-roll version of "What is This Thing Called Love?"
(to 11:22) composed by Cole Porter,
and since it's tune #9 on the roll, this is likely Capitol #A-2320,
which would make tune #10 "Under a Texas Moon" (11:24 to 11:50), (composed by Ray Perkins) which it certainly is!!!
I don't know who played the original Capitol piano roll of "What is This Thing Called Love?",
BUT I can say that "Under a Texas Moon" was originally played by "John Matthews",
who was really the great Johnny Honnert.
11:51 to 19:31 :
Stinson 187 band organ, built for and owned by (until recently?) Mr. Larry Kern of Texas, who proudly took it all over the place.
I think the current owner also takes it out.
This is one of the largest organs that Stinson ever built, and certainly the largest to travel in a trailer.
11:51 to 13:35 :
I don't recognize the tune, anyone else know it? Sounds like a European tune.
13:36 to 19:31 :
Also don't recognize this tune! Sounds like a concert waltz to me.
19:32 to 19:34 :
Brief clip of Larry Kern himself. Charlie sez "Here's the smiling owner!"
Andrew Barrett the 153 band organ is playing true love goes on and on
Hi, I'm so glad you rescued this tape.
I knew Charlie from 1996 thru the mid 2000s when, for whatever reason, we fell out of touch.
I was meaning to contact him for years to see how he was doing,
when I suddenly heard about his estate sale,
via the Facebook mechanical music groups, about near the end of the first day of the four day sale.
I procrastinated enough, and the hours of the sale were such, that I got up too late to make it to the second day, but by the third day Jenny and I were there 'with bells on', in time to see stuff walking out the door fairly fast.
By this time, I'd called around and FINALLY found someone who had been in touch with Charlie recently (from the San Diego chapter of the American Theatre Organ Society, where he volunteered working on the chapter Wurlitzer at Trinity Presbyterian Church), who imparted to me the sad news that Charlie had passed away just a couple months prior.
So we hustled down there the 3rd day of the sale and it was a madhouse with all the people there.
After exchanging pleasantries with theatre organist Russ Peck and his friend at the sale, and checking out the band organ, I lost no time going first thru the garage and then thru the house and spending hour after hour going thru every single stack of papers, books and magazines there. Although not a ham radio guy (so I didn't get any radio stuff except ONE magazine and one cable.... by accident... sorry), I was determined that NONE of the remaining musical stuff would fall by the wayside as it sometimes does at these sales. I spent until the very last minute that day going thru all the stacks of papers and pulling out hundreds of magazines, several reprinted catalogs and service manuals (for player pianos, band organs etc) as well as, most importantly of all, the few remaining blueprints and diagrams for Charlie's band organ 'The Spirit of San Diego' that I so loved as a kid. There were some windchest and valve drawings, and several different tracker bar scales / layouts (most of them apparently never implemented, at least not in the finished organ), as well as a couple early scales for Charlie's friend David Wasson's organ "Trudy", now a famous organ on the 'band organ scene'. I put all these in a safe place and at the end of the day, between that, some tools from the garage (hot glue pot, homemade testing rig for valves, etc) and a few band organ LP records I'd culled out, had a pretty considerable pile. I barely looked at the videotapes that day.
The estate sale folks made me a special deal on it all, and then I looked over the side fence and spotted a couple large organ pipes standing up. So with the sale manager's permission, I went in the side yard and was awestruck by the huge pile of organ pipes, dry but dusty, they'd pulled out from the shelves he built under the eaves of his garage. There were many old theatre and church organ pipes, and a few old dance organ pipes as well. Plus, the action for a Wurlitzer theatre pipe organ glockenspiel (he'd used 24 of the bars for the glockenspiel on his band organ, so 6 were left hanging on the frame), and a couple of home player piano parts... I think Standard. I immediately made a deal for the entire lot on the spot, with the sale people scratching their heads as to why I wanted 'junk', but with them honorably leaving it there till tomorrow. The minivan was full from the floor to the ceiling, front to back.
10:45 "What is this thing called Love?"
48:35 "Pack Up Your Troubles In Your Old Kit Bag (And Smile, Smile, Smile)"
On that last day of the sale, the minivan was even MORE full, between about six or seven large 3' by 3' boxes of LPS and a like number of boxes of CDs (and a few tape cassettes), as well as all remaining pipes, the bell action, couple boxes of papers etc. etc. I had to make a very quick trip to Home Depot to buy boxes to safely transport everything; then after finding out we had too many boxes (and the flat ones JUST BARELY FIT at the top of everything else in the van, nearly obscuring our view out the windshield), we very carefully, about 3 hours after they'd locked up and left Jenny and I in the driveway with all the STUFF, finally squeezed it all in and puttered back the mile and a half over to Home Depot (which was about to close), and I was able to sell them back all the unused flat boxes, and finally see out the windows so we could safely drive the hour and a half back to Orange County!
The happy epilogue is that most (not all- yet) of Charlie's hand-cut band organ rolls, sold to a 'flipper', turned up on eBay for sale (just as the flipper said they would) and were all bought by George, the new band organ owner (a few rolls, possibly 3, 4 or more, sold to a doctor or physician of some kind in the San Diego area, who thought they would play on his orchestrion, for some reason... to date he hasn't returned George's calls and we all hope he sees the light in the future and sells the rolls back to go with the organ... as they will not play properly on anything else... that's a proprietary scale).
I was SO RELIEVED when, after pins and needles worrying the band organ was either going to be junked for parts or built up into some monstrosity, I got a phone call a week or two later from George (my old COAA friend who I hadn't seen in 3 years) and it turns out that he bought "The Spirit of San Diego" and was flying out to pick it up.
We had a very long discussion and George now has custody of the carefully-curated plastic bin with all remaining blueprints etc, photos, newspaper articles, advertising, etc, for the organ that were at the sale, plus all remaining unopened CDs Charlie had produced of Volume 3 (we only found one copy of "The Best of Volumes 1 and 2" CD, not counting my own copy here, and of course George got that too, so he could make more).
We also miraculously found what we THINK are the master CDs for those CDs, plus other recordings. George now has those, as well as Charlie's arranging drafting board, band organ rally hangers and posters, etc. plus I took photos of all the band organ photoalbums on site. I think he was gifted the band organ related ones by the family, who are keeping the family-related ones (as it should be).
George also bought back nearly all the "extra" pipes I bought (except for three ranks) that we'd saved (some of which we're sure Charlie was going to add to the organ on the 'unused' open windchest holes), so those are also now with the organ, and the bell action.
Jenny and I made back what we spent!
I also had lunch with George when he flew down and I helped him pack the truck, and we arranged it so the Frati organ (traveling in the same truck) also got to it's new owner in Virginia who is a circus (sideshow?) impresario who now loves it and has posted videos on Facebook.
Believe it or not, even in this era of extreme piano-attrition and electronic-organ attrition, both Charlie's Autopiano and Jackie's two electronic theatre organs (Allen, and Artisan, I think) all sold to good homes, as did the roll collection. No musical instruments (and very little furniture) remained in the house at the very end of the estate sale.
A happy ending for all, that very nearly WASN'T!
We hope that, if George can secure a suitable vehicle, "The Spirit of San Diego" will be heard at some future Mid-Am rallies in coming years. I wish him all the best with it, and wish Ken all the best with the Frati and hopes it makes it to some East Coast functions.
I promise to catalog and digitize all the band organ and theatre organ LPs from their extensive record collection, and share with the band and theatre organ communities, as well as enjoying all the remaining paperwork for my mechanical-music literature collection (which I constantly use in research and correspondence). The CD collection is also quite wonderful, with TONS of Naxos and Marco Polo light-classical and salon-music CDs as well as a nearly complete set of the Paragon Ragtime Orchestra.
I hope that somewhere, Charlie and Jackie are smiling.
I also bought a box of CDs that appear to be his master copies of his own recordings- we should compare notes to make sure nothing gets missed. I have a whole box full of his video and audio tapes, from which the above video came, but i haven't had time to do anything with it all yet. hopefully i'll get a chance to upload everything here soon.
circus Calliopes are such a happy sound
7:48 🎶😊🎶
36:48 "Peanut Vendor"
49:45 "
It's A Long Way To Tipperary"
This is the Spirit of San Diego? (the one on the truck at the beginning 2nd one I think)
The Spirit of San Diego isn't in this video. This was taken at a rally in Michigan in the year 2000.
The first instrument seen is a Wurlitzer 153 band organ. It's shown from the front and the back. The next item seen (red with brass whistles) is an air calliope. I don't think "The Spirit" makes an appearance in this video, but you can briefly see Charlie and the camcorder reflected in the grill of the truck.
You can see videos of "The Spirit of San Diego" playing quite a lot of its repertoire, here: th-cam.com/channels/NgFqwhUxlHattnAHMDMkQQ.htmlvideos?view=0&sort=dd&shelf_id=0
I'm pretty sure "Spirit" WAS at this rally, but Jackie Porter was off tending the organ while Charlie wandered around with his camcorder.
He probably didn't get any video of his own organ there, since there was no need, he could play it all he wanted at home.
That must have been quite a drive, going out to Michigan from Southern California!!!
But they did it every year from at least 1995 (or earlier) up thru around 2006 or whenever he took the organ out of the truck and sold the truck, putting the organ in the garage.
There are many photos of them with the organ (and probably some video) of it at the big annual rallies in the MidWest.
I myself have home video footage of the organ my uncle took when we all first saw it in 1996 at ArborFest '96 at the Fullerton Arboreteum.
I got to see and hear it several times after that, notably at Descanso Gardens and also at the annual Sierra Madre Independence Day rally / parade.
All those, of course, in Southern California.
52: 12 "Oh My PaPa"
By the end of the video... there is a certain psychotic feeling to the sound... like I imagine a horrific murder scene with that sound in the background! LOL
20:10 is that the artizan or Wurlitzer
It's the Artizan style A with the trumpets turned off. It was converted to Wurlitzer 125 rolls (maybe by Wurlitzer) and has a MIDI system installed by Don Stinson.
thx Andrew
Andrew Barrett I was confused what that organ is so yeah
46:41 12th Street Rag
where do I buy a barrel organ
36:45 that needs tuning
49:45 "It's A Long Way To Tipperary"
46:41 12th Street Rag
52:12 "Oh My PaPa"