Description:
The 65-key Bruder Elite Apollo Fairground Organ was originally imported by the Berni Organ Company, a New York importer of Gebrüder Bruder organs in 1912. It served on a Hershell-Spillman Beer Garden carousel at Coney Island, New York until it was sent to the BAB (Ervista Bona, Andrew Antoniazi and Dominic Brugnolotti) factory in Brooklyn, NY for a conversion to play the 66-key BAB music roll. The restoration included the addition of 22 bronze tuned bells around the Spillman logo. The full history of the organ was published in the COAA “Carousel Organ” June 2009. The organ attracted thousands of visitors at the Carousel Plaza of the Lake Amusement area at the New York World’s Fair in 1964. In 1981, Jerry Doring purchased the organ, which has been warehoused since, from Jim Wells with a fantastic original Bruder statue. In 1984 the restoration for the Apollo Organ began by the late Louis Suierveld formerly of Norwalk, CA. It was decided to replace one of the double BAB roll frame so the organ could play Wurlitzer 165 music rolls as well as the BAB 66-key rolls, giving the organ an incredible range of classic and popular music. The final touch was given to the organ by renowned restorers Hayes McClaren in Fresno and Johnny Verbeeck in Belgium and was concluded in 2004. The outcome is an exceptional beautiful instrument of refined tone and quality. It is in fact two organ in one, since it is able to play the 165 Wurlitzer and the 66 BAB music rolls, giving the organ two different characters. A fantastic and rare piece of Organ History. Not available in auction hall, item will be shipped from Los Angeles, USA. Please contact us for viewing options. Size: 265 x 394 x 130 cm.