Art Treasures of Kinloch Castle: 2016

IMHOF & MUKLE ORCHESTRION - FABRIK, VÖHRENBACH, GERMANY.

Written from first hand research and illustrated by George W. Randall,

co-founder in July 1996 and former

Vice Chairman Kinloch Castle Friends' Association.

The Imhof & Mukle Orchestrion at Kinloch Castle, Isle of Rum, Scotland.

LEFT: Housed below the staircase the “works” side of the Orchestrion, with drum, cymbal, tambourine and triangle above. RIGHT: Above the bellows and airlines are the 264 pipes for clarinet, flute, French horn, trumpet, bassoon and trombone.

Technical descriptions from written notes by my late life-long friend,

Stephen Frankland, (1953 - 2009), a time served organ builder.

All photographs George W. Randall © COPYRIGHT

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INTRODUCTION:

Please read Notes end of this post.

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In 2012 professional restorers assessed on-site the condition of the Orchestrrion, their findings are included in the text below -

but can be summarised in the following from the report:

"Deteriorate further ..." -Did they tell the woodworms?

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The company received numerous decorations and medals at exhibitions: including London 1862 and 1884, Dublin 1865, Mannheim 1880, Sydney 1880, Melbourne 1881, Amsterdam 1883, Antwerp 1885 and Paris 1900.

Custom fitted behind ornate, part glazed oak cabinetry under the principal staircase off the Great Hall, at Kinloch Castle is a magnificent
Imhof & Mukle Orchestrion gifted, along with all the contents of this late Victorian former hunting lodge, to the British nation by Lady Monica Bullough, widow of Sir George Bullough, on 28 February 1957, which would have been Sir George's 87^th birthday.

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The premises of Daniel Imhof & Leopold Mukle, 110 New Oxford Street London,

(founded in 1845), which sold Orchestrion No. 3220

to Sir George Bullough reputedly in 1906, the year major internal and external

work was being carried out at Kinloch Castle.

The Imhof & Mukle Company at Vöhrenbach, Germany, closed in 1930

and the Oxford Street shop was sold in 1963 following the death of

Godfrey Imhof, grandson of Daniel Imhof.

Today 110 New Oxford Street, is a mobile phone warehouse.

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The March 1978 Kinloch Castle Inventory of Contents by Phillips Fine Art Auctioneers & Valuers, Edinburgh, Scotland records:
"Item 397 Orchestrrion by Imhof & Mukle,
No. 3200 (their mistake)
40 Rolls of music on wood drums."

In March 1992 Phillips recorded on Page 6
of the Castle's contents:
"An orchestrion, electrically operated 'orchestra' playing on drums, cymbal, triangle, piano floten, piccolo, faggot, posaune, woodwind,
brass and silver trumpets, organ pipes,
all fitted in a panelled glazed case No. 3220
and numerous rolls."

In June 1996 Phillips conducted yet another inventory and valuation of contents.
On Page 5 they recorded verbatim their 1992 description.

In August 2007 Bonham's undertook an

"insurance valuation report" of Castle contents. On Page 32 they recorded:

"An Orchestrion by Imhof & Mukle" in fitted oak case, playing on drums, cymbal, triangle, piano floten, piccolo, faggot, posaune, woodwind, brass and silver trumpets, organ pipes, all fitted in a panelled glazed case no. 3220 and numerous rolls."

The precision punched music roll runs left to right.

Operationally, the orchestrion is similar to a fairground organ, but whereas the latter operates via a folding card system the former utilises a Manila paper roll, known as a holzgehäuse, which has precision punched holes similar to a pianola roll.

The Manila paper music roll passes under a series of steel fingers,
known as the Tracker Bar.

SECTIONAL VIEW OF THE KEY ACTION (SIMPLIFIED)
NOTE IS 'ON' (i.e. the note is sounding).

The chambers A and B are charged with air. When the steel finger (1) encounters a hole in the manila paper roll, it falls through the hole thereby lifting the valve (2) allowing air to enter lead tube (x) and inflate the purse (3). This causes valve (4) to lift, allowing air to enter tube (Y) and inflating the pneumatic motor (5). This in turn pulls down pallet (6) admitting air from chest B
into the groove, and cause the pipes situated over that groove to speak.
(One pipe only shown).

Early orchestrions were clock-work

driven by falling weights.

The original 100 volt series-wound DC

motor above has long since been replaced

by a modern AC electric motor.

The original motor drive was controlled

through a potentiometer enabling the speed of

the music to be increased or decreased.

The replacement only runs at one speed.

The materials used in the Orchestrion’s construction are of the highest quality,
as is the workmanship. The metal flue pipes
are of tin - more correctly an alloy of tin
and a small percentage of lead - pure tin
being very difficult to work.
The resonators of the pipes of the trumpet
class are brass, the other reeds being of tin.
The flute-toned pipes are made of wood.

Original bottles of lubricating oil.

The new electric motor (1250 revs.) runs at only one speed unlike the original.

Note the gearing to the Bellows Crank Wheel right.

Drive pulleys - Ratio gearing to Bellows Crank Wheel.

When crank speed is 60 RPM, the motor speed would be 1417 RPM
With 1425 RPM AC motor with 3 inch motor pulley,

the crank speed would be 60.3 RPM.
Primary Belt: Habisit Suisse Green Polycord 7 mm. diameter.

(Drawing and description © Craig J. Macpherson, M.B.E., B.E.M..)

Bellows crank wheel drives Habisit Suisse Green (round)

Polycord Primary Belt.

The 2006 Report recommended the drive belts were replaced throughout.

The music roll “cassette” is known as a holzgehäuse.

Once played the roll has to be rewound manually.

ABOVE: A badly damaged metal holzgehäuse.

Woodworm dust visible bottom shelf. The beetle bores round tunnels,
usually going with the grain and will fly to find new wood sources.

“Unfortunately the most important component of the Orchestrion is also the most fragile, the music rolls,

at least one hundred years old and easily damaged.”

Original music rolls are available, existing ones can be repaired and a limited title range of new ones are made. Protecting the playable rolls must be as much a priority as restoring the instrument itself.

(From the 2012 Report - Now ten years out-of-date!)

Organ builder Stephen Frankland replacing a music roll in July 2001.
Titles include: San Toy Lancers, Overture Bohemian Girl, Wagner's Lohengrin,
Grieg's Wedding March, A Selection from Faust, Coppelia Ballet,
Selection from Belle of New York and Selection from Romeo and Juliet.

The play mechanism gearing and pulleys (right)

to the wind instruments.
The materials used in the Orchestrion’s construction

are of the highest workmanship.

You can hear and see this remarkable instrument

by clicking on the YouTube link below:

Orchestrion at Kinloch Castle, Isle of Rum - YouTube

The Overall Structural Condition in the 2012 Report concluded the instrument “can still be described as excellent,

although under threat from severe

woodworm infestation. The base and building frame has shrunk slightly and will require woodworm treatment,

washing and joints tightened.”

The Overall Condition of the Organ as an Instrument

highlights again the effects of woodworm on the primary action rails, wind chests

and timber pipe-work, and how woodworm attack has affected

“the majority of notes (which) fail to play when required or do not sound their proper

note due to debris ... ... blocking wind-ways, valves and pipework.

The leather-work on both bellows and feeders is hard and stiff, all external leather-work on the primary and secondary movements is perished.”

Time served organ builder Stephen Frankland undertakes temporary

repairs to leaking timber pipework in July 2001 with permission

of the Castle Manager.

The materials and workmanship in the Orchestrion construction is of the highest quality. The metal flue pipes are tin - more correctly an alloy of tin and a small percentage of lead - pure tin being very difficult to work. Other pipes (red) are tubes of wood the joints

of which break down over time, they are also vulnerable

to woodworm attack.

The resonators of the pipes of the trumpet class are brass,

the other reeds being of tin.

The flute-toned pipes are made of wood.

The percussion section sits snugly under the rising main staircase visible above.

Behind the pannelled back is the Castle front entrance lobby.

The Report recommended the bass and snare drum be washed thoroughly, the clockwork beater mechanism and springs cleaned, overhauled and adjusted.
The pneumatics stripped of perished leather and recovered with best quality white splitskin of suitable grade in the traditional manner using hot scotch glue.

The drum roll mechanism.

The Report continued: the triangle and cymbal required washing and polishing,
new hanging cords fitted in the same style in place of those that were found to be
perished on the triangle and the cymbal assembled in a proper manner.
Clockwork beater mechanisms cleaned and overhauled,

bearings lubricated and adjusted.
Perished leather removed from the pneumatic motors and replaced

by best quality splitskin.

The percussion viewed from the front comprises snare drum,

triangle and cymbal.
The drum roll (previous photograph) and two soft beaters on large drum

(photograph below).

Drum viewed from the back.

The full brass section.

Comprising Tracks 95 - 108:

Forte fluten, Piano fluten, Piccolo, Faggott, Posaunen, Bariton, Trompeten, Klarinette, Pauke (2 tracks), Einzelshlag (2 tracks),

Crescendo Forte and Crescendo Piano.

This Post is dedicated to
my lifelong friend, Stephen Edward Frankland,

piped organ restorer and builder,
3 January 1953 - 19 October 2009.

Life is short,

sometimes shorter than we realise!

One must not forget the Kinloch Castle Orchestrion

is custom modified and the instrumentation adapted

to fit under a staircase.
Today it requires urgent attention as a result of

years of neglect.
In addition the ravages of woodworm, damp and degeneration of materials
- particularly animal glues - mean that:

"the longer this most urgent work is put off, the less chance there will be of saving it for future generations."

Publicly owned and a major part of

The Sir George Bullough, Bt., Memorial,

full restoration must result in the instrument being properly housed and maintained in the future, and available to be seen and heard first hand

by the public for generations to come!

As the instrument has to be totally dismantled and removed to specialist premises for full restoration this question

MUST be inevitably asked;

following restoration should the instrument be returned to Kinloch Castle its rightful home - now closed to the public, never to be heard or seen again ! ?

Following restoration, if the Orchestrion is to be returned to Kinloch Castle ... ... the Castle too must be saved!