A remarkable array of mechanical musical marvels will lead an upcoming sale at Morphy Auctions.
The company’s sale of antique coin-op machines will feature some of the most elaborate and ingenious automated orchestra machines ever produced.
Topping the sale is a completely unique Gaudin Dance Organ built by the French manufacturer in the 1920s. The enormous 125-note machine was built to entertain patrons in dance halls and ballrooms, capable of playing highly complex arrangements in the style of the era’s big bands.
The organ is the largest of its kind ever built, and features elaborate decorations such as four gold-leafed wood statues each standing nine feet tall, whimsical birds and carved lions, dragons, and immense gold leafed pots, oil paintings, and massive columns.
Offered in complete working order, having been fully restored by the world-renowned organ expert Jonny Verbeeck, the Gaudin Dance Organ is expected to sell for $800,000 – $1.2 million.
Next up is a Weber Maesto Orchestrion, built by the german company in 1926 and regarded as perhaps the finest Orchestrion machine ever created.
Designed to resemble a human orchestra as closely as possible, the Weber Maesto Orchestrion can play everything from classical pieces to big band swing jazz, and this example – one of only seven known to exist – is estimated at $600,000 – $800,000.
Also on offer are a 1910 Hupfeld Super Pan Orchestra, one of three known examples estimated at $600,000 – $850,000; a 1912 Wurlitzer Style 32-A Concert Pianorchestra, estimated at $500,000 – $700,000; an early 1900s Mortier 115 Key Dance Organ valued at $100,000 – $200,000; and a 1915 Imhof & Mukle Badenia Orchestrion featuring a glass moving scene, estimated at $90,000 – $140,000.
The machines will be offered from the renowned collection of Paul and Chris Andrews, the father-son team from Fort Worth, Texas, whose collection of classic cars and automobilia sold back in May 2015 for an incredible $53.88 million.
The Morphy Auctions Premier Coin-Op & Advertising Sale takes place in Las Vegas on October 15-16.
