The Wurlitzer Solo Violin Piano is of special importance as one of the most sophisticated automatic musical instruments made by the Rudolph Wurlitzer Manufacturing Company in North Tonawanda, New York. Launched in 1919, it was the only American-made coin piano that featured true solo melodies on a set of violin pipes, these from separate perforations in the music roll. In contrast, other "violin pianos" made in the United States had a rank of pipes that played from the same notes used for the piano (although by dampening the piano, solo melodies could be played, as on the Coinola "O" roll and Seeburg "H" roll). The musical arrangements on this Wurlitzer instrument were particularly fine and can be compared in a way with certain European violin pianos such as the Weber Unika (two examples of which are in the present sale).

Some Solo Violin Piano rolls were made at the North Tonawanda factory with special arrangements for this instrument, and others were converted from Philipps Paganini rolls by omitting the orchestral controls. With piano expression devices, tremolo and shades for the pipes, the instrument simulates real piano and violin music, but since the American market was directed toward louder instruments, fewer than 200 examples were built, and only three are known to exist today. Instrumentation includes 51 violin pipes and a six-roll automatic changer playing Wurlitzer's "Solo Violin Piano Rolls." This beautiful instrument was acquired in 1996 after it had been restored by Jerry Biasella. It includes about two dozen original and re-cut rolls.

Reference: The Golden Age of Automatic Musical Instruments by Arthur A. Reblitz (pg. 140). 62x33x58 inches.