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Lot 732

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1927 Weber Brabo Orchestrion

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OFFERED WITHOUT RESERVE

Gebr. Weber (Waldkirch, Germany)

The Brabo is one of several medium-sized orchestrions built by the Weber firm. It contains the same fine-quality wooden violin pipes used in all Weber orchestrions, providing realistic violin solos. It also includes a piano with expression and mandolin attachment and a xylophone, and it plays Weber Brabo and Otero rolls, a supply of which is included. The cabinet bears the name "Super-Creational," reflecting excitement, it seems, when it was first sold. It was restored by Jerry Biasella in 1993 and acquired by the Milhous Collection in 1999.

Dave Bowers in The Encyclopedia of Automatic Musical Instruments noted this:

"A number of points of difference in Weber music roll arrangements may be noted. In most types of other orchestrions the various instrumental components were brought in and out of play at regular intervals. Hence the xylophone may be turned on, remain on for a passage or two, and then shut off. Many other types of rolls play the melody once through, then repeat it once or twice again exactly as it was played the first time, until the required tune length is reached. Not so with the Weber rolls. The Weber control registers constantly change. The xylophone may be brought into play for just a few notes, then remain silent until it sounds again to accent a passage or play a realistic solo...to achieve an almost human performance. Upon hearing the 12th Street Rag on the Weber Maesto, a knowledgeable collector stated it was 'virtually indistinguishable from the Paul Whiteman phonograph record of the same tune.' Understandably so, as Gustav Bruder, interviewed in Waldkirch by the author, said that when he arranged music rolls he played multiple phonograph records of Whiteman and other popular orchestras of the 1920s, capturing their techniques."

Today, only a few Weber Brabo orchestrions exist. The presently offered example is another showpiece from an unprecedented display of Weber orchestrions in the Milhous Collection. 65x103x33 inches.

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