Description
The “Symphonion Chimes”, declared as such in gold letters on its galleried pediment, was made by the American arm of Symphonion. The double comb movement has a total of 192 teeth plus another 12 to operate the saucer bells. The whole thing stands seven feet tall on its disc bin. The final patent date is March 1899, so it is probably safe to assume that it was made between then and the end of 1900.
In the late 1890s Symphonion opened a sales office at East 24th Street in New York City and a manufacturing facility at Bradley Beach, New Jersey. The trade mark “Imperial Symphonion” appeared on the music discs made there. Q David Bowers (Encyclopedia of Automatic Musical Instruments) states: “The largest Imperial Symphonion known to the author is a tall upright “Imperial Symphonion Orchestrion,” an instrument with music combs, 12 bells and which uses a 27 5/8” disc.
