Recently I found a fantastic postcard at my local postcard show which
shows a front view of the two beautiful mammoth Welte Orchestrions
which were once located in the Atlantic Garden, 50-54 Bowery, New York
City.  The Bowery location is quite ironic as will be discussed later.

These were probably the largest Welte orchestrions imported to America.
Before the Style 10 was acquired, the Atlantic Garden purchased a huge
cylinder operated Welte.  The instrument easily stood 18 feet tall and
was about 14 feet wide!  Note that it played from two pinned cylinders.

The deluxe Style 10 roll operated orchestrion was built for the Chicago
World's Fair of 1892.  This orchestrion took the grand prize at the
Fair.  What a showpiece!  After the Fair it was sold to the Atlantic
Garden where it was billed as the largest orchestrion ever built!

Take time to study the postcard view of this instrument.  The sculpted
cabinetry on this orchestrion is spectacular.  It is easily Welte's
most beautiful orchestrion!  Just look at the towering elegant top
gallery!  Note the elaborate stenciled windows -- such stenciling is
usually in gold.  The instrument measured approximately 20 feet high
by 18 feet wide!

The orchestrion played the 120-note concert orchestrion roll; in addi-
tion to the usual melody brass trumpets, this orchestrion also had
countermelody brass trumpets on each side which are shorter than the
huge brass trombones.  These countermelody trumpets made the sound of
this instrument most special, and the full sound from this instrument
must have been incredible!

Over the years I have been involved with many large orchestrions,
from Hupfelds to Webers to Weltes.  The one thing that most impresses
me about this instrument is the fact that you had to walk up a stair-
case built into the instrument's cabinet in order to change the roll!

The Atlantic Garden was owned by sons of William Kramer and was
established in 1858.  It was a hotel and large restaurant/music hall.
In the late 17th century, the Bowery area was a farming area located
north of the main city.  The area derived its name from "boweryij",
the Dutch word for farm.  By the 1860's the Bowery area had become
known for its cheap bawdy entertainment.

By the time the World's Fair Welte arrived, the area had become
New York's center for gambling, beer halls, flophouses, and houses
of negotiable affection.  Despite its advertised claims of being a
"select family resort", in reality the Atlantic Garden was probably
quite a rowdy drinking hall with rooms rented by the hour!

The Bowery area of the 1890's was so notorious that it was referred
to as "the proverbial den of all vices, the capital of dissipation,
the main street of the lower classes, the forum of the slums, and the
last stop on the way down".  The area was definitely looked down upon
by the cultured elite of New York City.  In fact, this sentiment was
capture in a famous song written by Charles M. Hoyt in 1892 with the
following lyrics:

   "The Bowery, the Bowery!
    They say such things and they do such things.
    On the Bowery, the Bowery!
    I'll ne'er go there anymore!"

The interesting fact is that most Welte Orchestrions were sold to
the elite, rich, upper class, and royal personages of the gilded age.
For example, the Vanderbilts owned three Weltes, including one on
their yacht.  The King of Romania and the Sultan of Turkey each owned
one.  The prominent Pittsburgh steel families owned them; in fact, a
Style 5 is still located in the Frick mansion in Pittsburgh.  If you
look hard, Welte orchestrions can still be found in wealthy homes from
England to South America and India.  All you have to do is talk your
way past the gates!

The irony is that the two most spectacular Welte orchestrions sold to
America were not sold to the elite for their mansions, but were sold
to the infamous decadent depraved low class Bowery!  The elite of the
day would never be caught there unless they secretly went there in
disguise!  It must have been a quite difficult for the Welte Company
to use the Bowery location with their most spectacular prize winning
orchestrion as a reference!  How would the Welte sales consultant
explain the raunchy Bowery location to Mrs. Vanderbilt!

On the other hand many spectacular orchestrions including a surviv-
ing Hupfeld Super Pan, a surviving Wurlitzer Concert PianOrchestra,
a surviving large Welte Briscovia, as well as many other spectacular
instruments were originally used in bawdy houses and notorious saloons
from Amsterdam's red light district to mining towns in Colorado to the
Barbary Coast of San Francisco!  Today such history only enhances
colorful resumes of these fabulous instruments and makes them more
interesting!

Back to the Atlantic Garden.  Sadly the place burned in 1907 and the
grand Welte orchestrions passed into history.

I encourage MMD'ers to try to talk themselves past the gates of large
old estates, manor houses, etc. because unknown Welte orchestrions are
still out there.  I have also included a picture of a typical Welte
recently found in France.  Start digging!  If you are successful, send
me an e-mail and let me know!

Tim Trager
Trager@idt.net

 [ Watch for the post cards at MMD Pictures site.  -- Robbie