Usines Th. Mortier

Mortier orchestrion #155

On p.319 of the book 'The Mortier Story', 84-key Mortier orchestrion #155 (model 41) is shown and described. Recently, we received information from Bob Brown in the USA that he now owns this instrument. He also added the following: apparently, the organ was not sold by Wallace McPeak (he only offered it for sale while the instrument was still with its owner in Europe) but by Hathaway & Bowers, who bought out McPeak. Together with other instruments he organ was transported in a container to the USA, where it was picked up by Neil Wite (of Haning & White), who had it transported to Hathaway & Bowers in California. There it was purchased by a doctor in the same state, who later resold it to collector Vince Aveni.The latter sold it to Bob Brown. The late Johnny Verbeeck restored both organ and façade and added a midi system. He also provided a new middle part for the façade, so the accordion (which was installed by Mortier) could be removed and the orchestrion's façade reverted to a standard model 41.

84-key Mortier-orchestrion #155 in the collection of Bob Brown

Photo: Bob Brown