Over the years I have listened to many German orchestrions and
fairground organs.  After a while I started to focus on the quality
of the sound and voicing of the pipes of the various instruments.
I discovered that pipework of certain instruments sounded superior
to the pipework of others.

At first I assumed that all companies made their own pipes.  I soon
learned that this was not true.  I discovered that there was one
company that specialized in making superb violin and cello pipes and
that these were the pipes that had impressed me with their superb
sound.  The company was Gustav Schoenstein of Villingen, Baden,
Germany.  Villingen is in the famous Black Forest region of Germany.
This company supplied violin and cello pipes to Hupfeld, Philipps,
Imhof & Mukle, Loesche, and Wurlitzer (for a short time for early
orchestrions through their Philipps connection).

For a time I thought that these fine pipes were confined to orchestrions
only.  But then while attending an organ festival in Lichtensteig,
Switzerland, I was drawn to the outstanding sound of a small fair organ
across the street from me.  To my surprise, I discovered that it was
full of Schoenstein violin and cello pipes!  The organ was made by
Alfred Bruder of Waldkirch.  This outstanding 45-key organ put others,
including larger ones, to shame with its rich and full sound.  I soon
discovered that Schoenstein pipes were also present in late 1920's
Gebrueder Bruder roll operated fair organs.   This discovery led to
a successful mission to acquire an Alfred Bruder and a late Gebrueder
Bruder with these pipes for my collection.

Last year I discovered that a street organ I had enjoyed for years
was also full of Schoenstein pipes too.  The street organ is the world
famous "Arab" owned by the Perlee family.

Unfortunately very little is know about the history of the Schoenstein
Company of Villingen.  What is known is that part of the family moved
to San Francisco and set up an orchestrion and pipe organ business that
exists to this day.  The San Francisco family's book on their history,
however, does not contain details on the Villingen company's years of
pipe production for orchestrions and fair organs.

If anyone in the world of MMD has historical details,  catalogs, or
photos of the Villingen operation of Schoenstein, I would certainly
like to know about it.

Tim Trager