Converting a 100+ year old organ into a...

[KIGardening]

This weekend's dog walk was full of treasure spotting for later pick up. It was that much that I needed two trips with my ute (pickup truck). Beside the normal broken appliances, steel bed frames etc. there where four beautiful high grade aluminium chairs that was scrapped straight away for a future melt. I had to do this as they took some space up that was badly needed for this baby....

That is an organ, in case you didn't noticed it. It intrigued me to find more about so I could make up my mind what to do with it. It is to good to scarp it for the metal and timber, so it has to become a project with a different tune.

So I started to find out more information. My first stop was to check the Australian link out, to see if the company still existed and if so if they could help me out identifying the model etc. The organ was most likely imported by Wm Kuhnel & Co., Limited, located at 134 and 136 Rundle Street, Adelaide South Australia who where sole agents for Julius Feurich, Leipzig; R. Lipp & Sohn, Stuttgart; R. Görs & Kallmann, Berlin; Carl Faust & Sohn, pianos; the "Waldorf" pianos; and also Estey Organs. Wm Kuhnel & Co stopped trading in the 1950's. This was a good sign as I knew the organ had to be around at least 70 years old.

The second thing I checked out was the manufacturer. This organ was made by the Estey Organ Company of Brattleboro, Vermont, USA. This company has a rich history which can be find here if your curious: https://www.esteyorganmuseum.org/

This website led me on a hunt for a six digit serial number. By reading up the details where it was probably located I started to screw the back apart. The website instructed that it was most likely a paper label, which sounded the alarm with me as this baby is in a terrible shape as it has clearly been sitting under a carport or eve seen the dust, bird poop and other aspects. After unscrewing some back sections I found the label and as I was afraid for it was badly damaged. Luckily the most important part of the label was still intact, containing the first three digits clearly visible with the fourth digit only being able to represent a 0, 6 or 8. This helped me tremendous as I was able to date the organ to be manufactured between 1912 and 1915.

Further research brought to me that this organ was part of the cheaper range and that it was mostly fruit wood used as timber and with the finish choice of either mahogany or oak look. From the outside it surely doesn't look oak or mahogany, but the inside gives away that this one came with a mahogany finish.

With this in mind I started to debate with myself as a non musical gifted person. Restore the organ and place it in my future planned private winery (aka Man Cave) or turn it into a bar with as much original details possible?

What do you guys think?

 

[Mandy Onderwater]

I would give very biased advise as I'm part of a Historical Society operating from within a Museum, haha. What a gorgeous piece! And whilst it definitely needs some loving, it still looks to be in good shape, considering age and what it's been through.

I would advise to see what it's rarity is, and hence if it might be a museum or collectors item. If not, and it's fairly common, I've seen beautiful ideas where people turned them into functional furniture, whilst also keeping the piece itself usable. And others have kept the original aesthetic, but made openings to store alcohol instead.

 

[daveb]

Brattleboro thats a wee bit south from here. been down to the museum but that was a while ago . Estey close i think1954 or 1955. That style is reed organ ( refered to as cottage organ ) the board on the top with the two slots it missing the insert but thats the front piece that covers the gap under the keys. On some the top back rail of the estey also have the serial number stamped into them. neighbors had one they gave away a few years ago and the number was on the tag and on the back and estey also was common to have serial number written on various parts. there isnt a large value to organs so i'd say more a conversation piece then anything now and to restore will probably be more then the value

The finish look like someone already started sanding away some of the finish, which is to bad that era yoiu can melt and refinish the sruface if scratches or spider webbing by reamelgamating the surface with either alcohol or mineral spirits, this is also another way to date some furniture but not all. Denatured alcohol for shellac, lacquer thinner for varnish and lacquer, as manufactuing and era change so did the finish.

 

[Grandmother Goose]

Would you like some more like that? People struggle to give away old pianos and organs and pianolas where I am, so many have ended up as trash or recycled parts out here over the years. I'm remote enough that transporting one to another town or city where people might be more interested in having one costs a lot more than the value of the item, not so remote in that every second house had one 70 years ago. I've seen them turned into computer desks, writing desks, garden potting benches, bar cabinets, storage cupboards, and dressing tables. It's rare that someone restores one to use as its original intended purpose because that can very quickly get very expensive to do, far more than the restored value of it unless it's something really ornate, rare, and special.

 

[daveb]

Would you like some more like that? People struggle to give away old pianos and organs and pianolas where I am, so many have ended up as trash or recycled parts out here over the years. I'm remote enough that transporting one to another town or city where people might be more interested in having one costs a lot more than the value of the item, not so remote in that every second house had one 70 years ago. I've seen them turned into computer desks, writing desks, garden potting benches, bar cabinets, storage cupboards, and dressing tables. It's rare that someone restores one to use as its original intended purpose because that can very quickly get very expensive to do, far more than the restored value of it unless it's something really ornate, rare, and special.

yes collectables sadly have become cheap and basically not worth the cost to restore because of the internet over valueing replacement parts and selling fished goods cheap and destroying the market i have several antiques that years ago appraisals were very high and today the a rock bottom. here is a prime example, plum atwood lamp era early 1890's this was my gr grandparents wedding gift. all original it pulls down to lite then retract withgentle pus h of hand upward on the bottom handle. a few decades ago we are talking in the thousands of dollars today you might get 800 for it . it all original not converted to electric and 100% functional

 

[KIGardening]

@Mandy Unfortunate this piece is not that rare. So it will be converted trying to maintain as much original features. I very well understand your biased advice as your connection to history as I work in an archaeological environment with a keen interest in history.

@daveb I agree with you over valuing of replacement parts. Unfortunate most people today do not conscious understand the energy and the time it took for the trees to grow, the labour involved into cutting the trees, drying the wood, shaping it into the planks and ornaments etc. You can fill in the rest. Let alone understand how long a piece of furniture can last if you use proper wood and give it some TLC. Todays plywood flatpack furniture movement is doing my head in as it is discarded off just as quick you buy a replacement if it has a nick or is out of fashion.
@Grandmother Goose I might need some more of that if I get stuck with a bug or two

 

[daveb]

good luck on the project

 

[Mandy Onderwater]

Ah honestly, if it's not that rare... sometimes it's better that old pieces get new life blown into them. Otherwise they are mainly considered trash, and you can return it to being treasure, even if not in it's original shape.

 

[daveb]

@Mandy Unfortunate this piece is not that rare. So it will be converted trying to maintain as much original features. I very well understand your biased advice as your connection to history as I work in an archaeological environment with a keen interest in history.

@daveb I agree with you over valuing of replacement parts. Unfortunate most people today do not conscious understand the energy and the time it took for the trees to grow, the labour involved into cutting the trees, drying the wood, shaping it into the planks and ornaments etc. You can fill in the rest. Let alone understand how long a piece of furniture can last if you use proper wood and give it some TLC. Todays plywood flatpack furniture movement is doing my head in as it is discarded off just as quick you buy a replacement if it has a nick or is out of fashion.
@Grandmother Goose I might need some more of that if I get stuck with a bug or two

i have numerous antiques handed down the family for generation and i agree todays plywood and flatpack furniture wont compare or last as long, the time envolved finding pieces loking in to original photos and research gets crazy. If it was a family heirloom or a piece with significant cultural value and heritage that outweights the cost and time but is still hard to justify at times
that lamp as example dissasembling it piece by piece finding a chimney of proper size and the rounf ring wik was interesting, i did find two original manufactures wicks and bought them both chimney i found a reman replicate to spec. i ha to solder a tine crack in the casting in the lower handleprepping cleaning and hand buffing the lamp back to its true luster was painstaking and tedious with close to 75 hrs of tlc. Lamp today hangs in the living room to side out of traffic i have 10 1?2 foot ceilings and anyone over 6 foot tall would hit their head on the bottom of it. and today you would barelr recover the cost of the pieces and the work i put into it yet when i was originally appraised the market at that time it wa in the high side of suggested insurance replacement of high side of 40K
be interested in how you look at tackling the work on the organ for man cave if the finish is scratches or spider webbed at all wash a small area with warm water and TSP to removeres and gresses and film an take a some ultra fine ss wool and some denatured alcohol, dribbled a littl of the alcolhol on the surface let it set a few minutes and gentle working with the fine ss wool see if it melts and smoothes out and scratches i have also used a lint free makeup pad to do refinish of finishes it lets you keep some of that patina of the aging

 

[Mandy Onderwater]

How's the project going thusfar? Made any decisions yet?

 

[KIGardening]

Thank you for the tips @daveb I'll take them on board.

@Mandy Onderwater The organ has played its last tune. Last weekend I started to take it apart. I have some photos below. It is is now airing out as it really smells classic church. Even a week later the smell is strong. The interesting part was that the entire keyboard section could be removed in one block.

 

[Mandy Onderwater]

Looks like you've done a fair bit of work disassembling it already.
Do you have a particular look in mind for it?

 

[KIGardening]

It has stripped back pretty much to the outer frame that I want to keep. The panels at the front will be replaced with an interior of bottle racks. I calculated that I can fit up to 32 bottles of wine and have the top as a spirit storage section, that would fit 90% of spirit bottles in height that you can buy in the stores these days. Yep I admit it I spent some time in the local liquor store ... doing research

The idea is to strip the stain of the timber and fill up the holes and damages up with a natural wax filler. I have some reclaimed Oregon timber laying around that would fit with it wood colour wise once it has received the final clear bees wax as a finish. However this is the first plan for a finish. If the stains don't come off, then I will stain it back to the darker colour as exit strategy.

The image below gives you a bit an idea where everything sits, but I can change my mind if there is a structural problem in the horizon.

 

[Mandy Onderwater]

Nothing wrong with a little.... research

Any plans for the top section?

 

[daveb]

It has stripped back pretty much to the outer frame that I want to keep. The panels at the front will be replaced with an interior of bottle racks. I calculated that I can fit up to 32 bottles of wine and have the top as a spirit storage section, that would fit 90% of spirit bottles in height that you can buy in the stores these days. Yep I admit it I spent some time in the local liquor store ... doing research

The idea is to strip the stain of the timber and fill up the holes and damages up with a natural wax filler. I have some reclaimed Oregon timber laying around that would fit with it wood colour wise once it has received the final clear bees wax as a finish. However this is the first plan for a finish. If the stains don't come off, then I will stain it back to the darker colour as exit strategy.

The image below gives you a bit an idea where everything sits, but I can change my mind if there is a structural problem in the horizon.

View attachment 10546

its going to be unique i ran some ideas in head on a few ways that could go wondered if you can work with those swing out hinges they use in some cabinet making and keep alot of the panel and spirits with the cover that goes over the lower section below keyboard and have that whole section swing or tip out. perfect hiding spot for a bottle of 30th aniversary 31 year old 1964 Edition Bowmore black

this panel

would have cover this opening

ive seen those covers in varios finishes for inserts a decrative latice or, carved piece with air inlets in the pieces. or a carved section with a mesh that allowed air flow but not dust

i can see you sipping a wee touch and playing the organ with the opening overture to phantom of the opera and if you want to see what it takes at times on some of the old organs to play pop over and take a look at hand and foot work as this gent plays, i could never do it

Phantom of the Opera Overture by Seth Bott Music​

 

[KIGardening]

@daveb Those special cabinet hinges is exactly what is in my brain If I can't buy it I have the education behind me to make it

Unfortunate I received today the sad news that my builder mate is hospital. He is ok, but needs to rest up. So using his workshop is out of the question for the next few weeks while he recovers. I have not all tools in my shed to make it to a success.

That panel is exactly what was in front of it. Unfortunate it didn't had anything elaborate in front of it. Just cloth nailed to the panel. And I was that clever not to leave it behind on the curb either and it has original fittings, just some broken timber bits. However what was not elaborated back then can still done now . Now think that the key hole gets a new key that fits, custom design and that those openings are being inlaid with lead glass showing grapes or grape vine symbology in Art Nouveau style. Art Nouveau was largely exhausted as style by 1914 just as this organ was made. By 1920 Art Deco would have been introduced so it is more fitting to celebrate the end of an organ with a end of a style. That many people around the world appreciate today. The panel folds down to he same level as the spirit shelf and the top part opens completely open. The handles of the panels are custom designed and poured from reclaimed brass. Ironically I also received today a source for brass from bullet shell cases. So it would be even an more interesting project to turn them into custom handles.

I never could play like that guy as well, I have no music making sense in me but certainly sit back and enjoy.


Although I wouldn't mind sitting back listening to:

Or if you really can handle it (Mandy, some Dutch in that for you with Floor Jansen):

 

[daveb]

@daveb Those special cabinet hinges is exactly what is in my brain If I can't buy it I have the education behind me to make it

Unfortunate I received today the sad news that my builder mate is hospital. He is ok, but needs to rest up. So using his workshop is out of the question for the next few weeks while he recovers. I have not all tools in my shed to make it to a success.

That panel is exactly what was in front of it. Unfortunate it didn't had anything elaborate in front of it. Just cloth nailed to the panel. And I was that clever not to leave it behind on the curb either and it has original fittings, just some broken timber bits. However what was not elaborated back then can still done now . Now think that the key hole gets a new key that fits, custom design and that those openings are being inlaid with lead glass showing grapes or grape vine symbology in Art Nouveau style. Art Nouveau was largely exhausted as style by 1914 just as this organ was made. By 1920 Art Deco would have been introduced so it is more fitting to celebrate the end of an organ with a end of a style. That many people around the world appreciate today. The panel folds down to he same level as the spirit shelf and the top part opens completely open. The handles of the panels are custom designed and poured from reclaimed brass. Ironically I also received today a source for brass from bullet shell cases. So it would be even an more interesting project to turn them into custom handles.

I never could play like that guy as well, I have no music making sense in me but certainly sit back and enjoy.


Although I wouldn't mind sitting back listening to:

Or if you really can handle it (Mandy, some Dutch in that for you with Floor Jansen):

floor what a voice and a lady i can almost look eye to eye lol and not have to bend down ad here is a little flip side offloors ral depth to her singing ability



and if you want to see a young lady with a strong gorgeous voice i liken her to my cousin celine dion / barbra streisand / Elaine Paige all rolled into one

Lucy Thomas sang this at 14

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

www.youtube.com

and lucy today

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

www.youtube.com

 

[Mandy Onderwater]

Fun little hint; Floor is Dutch. I can't sing though, haha.
I believe she's the current lead singer of Nightwish.

 

[daveb]

Fun little hint; Floor is Dutch. I can't sing though, haha.
I believe she's the current lead singer of Nightwish.

last i knew she still is lead singer but she has also been doing alot of solo shows. she is i think was reading one place a trained vocal coach she has a phenomenal voice and a wide range.

 

[Mandy Onderwater]

She definitely does. And she can also sing in a large variety of styles (including opra, rock, etc).

Also, i'm curious... why do they always store winebottles laying sideways? Is it just for ease of storage as you can't stack standing bottles or..?