Instruments

This 1951 Möller Artiste was originally installed at Concordia, River Forest, as a practice organ. It was moved sometime in the mid to late 1970s to St. Peter Lutheran Church in North Judson, IN and subsequently into a private residence.

This is an interesting Estey Reed Organ. This model first appears in the 1889–1890 Estey Organ Company catalog as the “Estey New Students’ Pedal Organ, Style 340.” I bought it to be a compact practice instrument when I lived in a small townhouse. It served me fairly well while I lived in that townhouse—after I evicted the abundant evidence that a mischief of mice turned the handsome console into a mouse motel.

At some point in its life, this organ’s bellows were recovered with rubber cloth and new metal bracing was installed to hold the bellows in place. I assume that at this same time, a suction blower were installed, bringing the total options for winding this organ up to 3—electric blower, foot trundles, and a pump handle.