As collectors we tend to ignore the fact that Canada did indeed have
(and still does have!) some fabulous mechanical music machines.  The
following is a just a small list (I can't give all my leads away!) of
great instruments existing today which were sold into Canada:

  the Bob-lo Amusement Park Welte Wotan and 80-key Wilhelm Bruder,
the Christopher Ross Paganinni, the 89-key Marenghi with a tilted
dragon facade in a Montreal amusement park still on its original steam
carousel, a Seeburg H in Toronto, a Double Mills in Toronto, a Wurlit-
zer 165 band organ sold to Toronto, a Wurlitzer 157 band organ sold to
Toronto, a Frati fair organ in Ontario, a 112-key Carl Frei fair organ
which was used by the Conklin Shows, a Welte fair organ still on a
carousel near Toronto, and the Carl Frei 90-key De Hagenaar street
organ.

Then there are those rumors of music machines which have not yet been
found -- by collectors, that is!  To date, the most notable has been
the elusive Weber Maesto or huge Hupfeld Helios which Eugene DeRoy
supplied music to until the early 1960's.  Where did this instrument go?
I tried to trace a lead on it to St. Johns, Newfoundland.  The lead
turned up a large Orchestrelle.  To the notable list, we must now add
the Randall Williams 110-key Gavioli.  The search continues...

Gaviolis were sold into North America by the Gavioli office in New York
City on Bond Street.  This office was operated by an agent, Louis
Berni.  After Gavioli went out of business, Louis Berni continued to
import band organs under the name of the Berni Organ Company.  The
Williams organ was most likely imported by Louis Berni.

Louis Berni, through the New York Gavioli office, imported my 110-key
Gavioli which was sold to Euclid Beach Park in Cleveland, Ohio.  Old
Billboard magazines provide much information about this period of time.
It has been mentioned to me that there is a Billboard advertisement by
Berni which referenced my 110-key Gavioli and offered a very large
French fair organ.  This may be the Williams organ.

The so-called simulated second set of pipes above the main case on the
Williams organ may have been functional.  My Gavioli has this set of
pipes which contains extra brass trumpets, extra brass clarinets,
melody violins, flutes, and piccolos.  On my Gavioli this set of pipes
sit on top of the organ but face the rear, in order to play to the rear
of the skating rink.

This is the extra powerful style or militaire style discussed in
the Gavioli catalogs.  In fact, the Williams organ could have been the
No. 435 110-key Gavioli of which an artists drawing appears in Bower's
Encyclopedia.  Note that the No. 435 had pipework above the main organ
as well as automatic changing lights.  Hopefully Ms. Gashinsky can
supply MMD with a photo of the Williams organ.  Now for those of us
that enjoy the thrill of the hunt, we must find out what happened to
the Williams 110-key Gavioli!

Tim Trager
Trager@idt.net

 [ Thanks for the fine history about Gavioli, Tim.  Your letter crossed
 [ (in time) with the other letters, and we know now that the organ
 [ performed in Great Britain.  (Of course, it _could_ be hiding in
 [ Canada!  ;)  The image which Pauline placed at her web site shows
 [ a huge organ; I hope there's enough detail that folks like you and
 [ Hans van Oost can determine the specifications.  -- Robbie