“Box Case” Roller Organ

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Style	“Box Case” Roller Organ
Air supply	One Double-acting Vacuum
Dimensions	15 x 10-1/2 x 9 inches
Mfg Years	circa 1889-1891
Additional	dark valve board

Filling the gap between the Gem Roller Organ and Concert Roller Organ / Chautauqua Roller Organ styles is an early vacuum operated “box case” roller organ design stenciled as “The Roller Organ” or “New American Musical Box”. Although closest to the earlier Pressure “Box Case” in appearance, this model shares features with several designs. The construction and finish (a nicely varnished wood) of the outer case is like that of the earlier Pressure “Box Case” models, although the platform for the mechanism is slightly lower. The swell lid with oval glass, and the outer case stencils, is similar to those found on a Home Music Box. The inner case is entirely enclosed by the false outer top, with a minimum of wasted space. The valve board is finished a dark color like that of a Gem Roller Organ, but the flower pot stencils are the same as those found inside a Concert Roller Organ / Chautauqua Roller Organ. Internally, the bellows design is like that of a very early Concert mechanism–a large double-acting exhauster bellows is mounted integrally with a reservoir bellows. It is probable that this design descended from the earlier Pressure “Box Case” models, and is a forerunner of, or early parallel to, the Concert Roller Organ / Chautauqua Roller Organ design.