Grand Roller Organ

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Style	Grand Roller Organ
Air supply	Two Double-acting Vacuum
Dimensions	2 or 3 Single-acting Vacuum
Mfg Years	insufficient data
Additional	32 notes, 8 revolutions

The technical climax of development is the “Grand Roller Organ”, which plays 32 notes. The large rollers, 2-3/4 inches in diameter and 13-1/4 inches in length, play through 8 revolutions, providing several minutes of music. The full sound is unequalled by smaller instruments, but the high cost prohibited large numbers of instruments from being sold. Consequently, Grand roller organs are relatively rare, and highly prized by collectors. The case style is similar to that of the smaller Concert, with a windowed cover in front and solid swell lid in the rear. A carrying handle on each side facilitates transporting the heavier instrument. Of course the larger drive mechanism is quite different in gearing and construction, but the method of operation is the same as all roller organs. Internally, early models were constructed with three single-acting exhauster bellows, but later models feature two large bellows, much like a Concert. External differences appear as minor case variations such as oval or square glass, handle styles or stencils.