Wurlitzer Style 33-A
Mandolin PianOrchestra
Philipps Pianella Model 33
(Hanulec/Kehoe collection, circa 2008)

The birdcage had been identified by Christian Bailly as a Bontems. It is 20 inches high and 12 inches in diameter, and consists of a standard spring motor powered mechanism with two mechanically operated birds. The spring motor mechanism is tripped for one cycle of play (lasting approximately 30 seconds) when the music roll begins its rewind cycle. The overall music roll rewind time is approximately two minutes.

This full frontal view of the Wurlitzer PianOrchestra illustrates the handsome appearance of the beautifully restored casework, which is elegantly highlighted by the original Bontems mechanical singing birds sitting in a gilded cage. The beautifully colored mechanical birds chirp and flap their delicately feathered wings when the spring-motor mechanism is automatically tripped during rewinding of the music rolls.