Resotone Grand Co. (New York City)

Playing from endless music rolls, the sound in this Resotone Grand is generated by oversize piano hammers hitting metal bars with resonators, much like the orchestral "celesta" or the theatre organ "Chrysoglott." The unusual player mechanism has small brass pistons instead of conventional pouches. Formerly owned by A.C. Raney, Hathaway & Bowers, the Duncan Collection and the Sanfilippo Collection, this instrument was acquired by the Milhous brothers in 1999. It was treated to a total restoration within the last year. This is the only example known to exist of a very rare instrument. It retains its beautiful original case and interior mechanisms.

The Music Trade Review, March 9, 1909, included this notice: "The Resotone Grand Co., of New York, was incorporated under the laws of the State of New York, this week, to manufacture musical instruments, with a capital of $10,000. Incorporators: George D. Anderson and Clarence R. Page, No. 53 Broadway; William G. Chittick, No. 45 Broadway, all of New York."

As to how many were made, no production figures are known to exist. For the dedicated collector, this is one of the relatively few automatic musical instruments that is the only known example extant, playing a particular type of music roll, of which a dozen examples are included. This is, quite simply, an unrepeatable opportunity.

Reference: The Encyclopedia of Automatic Musical Instruments by Q. David Bowers (p. 597). 66x66x25 inches.