Mills Novelty Company Piano Survey (for the Mills Novelty Co. Study Project) Version of August 6, 2018. Copy (press Ctrl + A to select all text) and then paste the text into the body of an email message. Then, at your leisure, please answer what questions you can and omit the rest. Incomplete information is better than none. When finished answering questions please send the information to: webmaster@mechanicalmusicpress.com Contact Information Your First and Last Name: __________ Your e-mail address: __________ Owner's First and Last Name: __________ Show owner name in reports: __________. (Yes/No) Owner's Address: __________ City, State/Province, and Zip: __________ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Piano and Basic Model Information Piano Serial Number: __________ Piano back side number: The piano serial number is stamped in a small opening near the top left side of the piano plate. The piano back side number may be the same as the front side pinblock number, but not always, and is usually located near the top of the piano's wooden structural framework. Piano Style / Model: __________ Grand (Baby Grand), Concert Grand, Commercial (bow front), Home Model, Deluxe Double Violin, Violano Orchestra, Piano Orchestra, Expression Piano, Race Horse Piano, etc. The Baby Grand Violano-Virtuoso (violin with piano accompaniment) is the most prevalent surviving model. The “Commercial” model housed the violin mechanism in a fancier and more ornamental curved or “bow front” case, where the violin and actuating mechanism could be viewed from the front and both sides. The Concert Grand and Home Model incorporated a larger (but still 44-note) piano and larger cabinets, with the DeLuxe with two violins being the largest of all. Commercial (bow front) model piano case sides: * Piano case sides are straight: __________. (Yes/No) * Piano case sides are curved to match bow-front enclosure: __________. (Yes/No) Furniture case finish: __________ Oak, Golden oak, Mission oak, Mahogany, Walnut, etc. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Piano Plate and Piano Action Piano Plate Lettering Choose one option: * Patent applied for: __________. (Yes/No) * Patent pending: __________. (Yes/No) * Patent June 4, 1912: __________. (Yes/No) * Other plate lettering: __________ Piano action rail date: __________ Hammer rail positions Choose one option: * 2 Position: __________. (Yes/No) * 3 Position: __________. (Yes/No) * 3 Position with extra soft relay stop: __________. (Yes/No) A two-coil solenoid equals 2 hammer rail positions; a three-coil solenoid equals 3 hammer rail positions; the extra soft relay stop offers yet another hammer rail soft position, but may have never been installed. Hammer rail lost motion compensator: * Lost motion compensator installed: __________. (Yes/No) The lost motion compensator, if present, lifts the piano action wippens when the hammer rail is up, to avoid lost motion between the jacks and hammer butts. Piano Damper control Choose one option: * Torque motor (lock & cancel operation): __________. (Yes/No) * Solenoid with spring return: __________. (Yes/No) * Solenoid using lock & cancel: __________. (Yes/No) * Other damper control device: __________ Piano action note magnets: * Machined bar armature: __________. (Yes/No) * Stamped armature: __________. (Yes/No) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Violin Attributes (Omit if No Violin) Cabinet number on bottom of violin shelf for Violin #1: __________ Cabinet number on bottom of violin shelf for Violin #2: __________ The cabinet number can usually also be found at the left edge of the upper and lower doors and on the parts drawer. Other notations on bottom of violin shelf for Violin #1: __________ Other notations on bottom of violin shelf for Violin #2: __________ Violin Serial Number (die stamped on violin neck) for Violin #1: __________ Violin Serial Number (die stamped on violin neck) for Violin #2: __________ Violin bridge number for Violin #1: __________ Violin bridge number for Violin #2: __________ Number on paper sticker inside violin for Violin #1: __________ Number on paper sticker inside violin for Violin #2: __________ Notations on paper sticker inside violin for Violin #1: __________ Notations on paper sticker inside violin for Violin #2: __________ Glass pane behind violin Choose one option: * Glass pane is present: __________. (Yes/No) * Glass pane is missing: __________. (Yes/No) * Glass pane never installed: __________. (Yes/No) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Accessory Instrumentation Orchestra cabinet Choose one option: * Original Orchestra Cabinet with Violano: __________. (Yes/No) * Missing. Added later: __________. (Yes/No) * None (never attached): __________. (Yes/No) Orchestra cabinet with wood block, tom-tom, snare drum (both tap and roll), cymbal, and bass drum. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Other accessory instrumentation  * Modern Digital (MIDI) Violano Player installed: __________. (Yes/No) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Violin Activating Mechanisms (Omit if No Violin) Bow motor mount: * Early style front mount: __________. (Yes/No) * Late style rear mount: __________. (Yes/No) The bow motor and bow gear train assembly sits on a sort of stand or pedestal. The early “front-mount” style has the stand under the front of the bow motor and gear train assembly, with the nickel-plated face of the stand almost in line with the front of the gear cover for the bow shaft gears. This style has a pot metal shelf in back, which has sagged in some instruments. The front-mount style coincides with the early style mechanical bow pressure mechanism. The late “rear mount” style has the support pedestal under the rear of the bow motor assembly, so the gear train for the bow shafts sticks out in front and you can see under it. To recap, the early "front mount" was used with the early mechanical bow pressure expression system, while the late "rear mount" was used with motors that had the electrical contact points in back, instead of the mechanical bow pressure linkage. (Both styles of motor have a centrifugal governor ring, but it moves the bow expression lever in early instruments and the electric contact points in late models.) However, please be aware, the mechanical bow pressure linkage used in early "front mount" bow motor assemblies was sometimes removed and the motor retrofitted with electric contacts. This retrofitting has been observed in a significant number of early style Violanos, requiring careful observation to correctly identify the governor action for certain early Violanos. Bow motor rotation (when viewed from front): * Clockwise (CW): __________. (Yes/No) * Counter-clockwise (CCW): __________. (Yes/No) Bow motor right rear coil #3 wire taps: With the bow motor cover removed, count the number of wire taps for the right rear coil. How many wire taps were counted? Choose one option: * No wire taps: __________. (Yes/No) * One wire tap: __________. (Yes/No) * Two wire taps: __________. (Yes/No) * Three wire taps: __________. (Yes/No) * Other number of counted wire taps: __________ Teeth in bow shaft E string gear: __________ Teeth in bow shaft A string gear: __________ Teeth in bow shaft D string gear: __________ Teeth in bow shaft G string gear: __________ Bow motor governor speed control: * Bow pressure mechanical feedback linkage: __________. (Yes/No) * Tilting governor ring controls electrical contacts: __________. (Yes/No) Bow magnet pressure Choose one option: * Variable with spring control: __________. (Yes/No) * Variable with weight control: __________. (Yes/No) * Non-variable/fixed.: __________. (Yes/No) Bow levers: * Adjustable: __________. (Yes/No) * Non-adjustable: __________. (Yes/No) Bow levers have a coil spring returning them to a non-playing position. Finger string grip type: * Straight (V shape): __________. (Yes/No) * Twisted or offset grip: __________. (Yes/No) Date and/or initials (usually written in pencil) on the G string finger up-stop bar: __________ With the finger-head assembly cover removed, record any date and/or initials written on the G string finger up-stop bar. Bridge mute mechanism Choose one option: * Original with Violano: __________. (Yes/No) * Missing (but originally present): __________. (Yes/No) * None (never installed): __________. (Yes/No) Violin string aftertone damper Choose one option: * Original with Violano: __________. (Yes/No) * Missing (but originally present): __________. (Yes/No) * None (never installed): __________. (Yes/No) Rosin box control Choose all options that apply: * Electrical (between tunes): __________. (Yes/No) * Electrical (during rewind): __________. (Yes/No) * Mechanical (during rewind): __________. (Yes/No) * Manual only: __________. (Yes/No) * Rosin suction fan located on the back of the bow motor: __________. (Yes/No) Tuning weight type Choose one option: * Early sheet metal: __________. (Yes/No) * Solid: __________. (Yes/No) * Hollow (lead shot filled): __________. (Yes/No) * Solenoid (for shipboard or railway use): __________. (Yes/No) Tuning weight position: * Above violin shelf: __________. (Yes/No) * Below violin shelf: __________. (Yes/No) Tremolo control: * Tremolo pulsed from music roll: __________. (Yes/No) * Tremolo lever has contact points to keep it oscillating: __________. (Yes/No) Staccato device Choose one option: * Staccato device uses a relay like a piano magnet with wiping contacts: __________. (Yes/No) * Staccato device uses a plunger (solenoid) type relay: __________. (Yes/No) * Staccato device uses a relay like a piano magnet with gauze brushes: __________. (Yes/No) * Staccato device uses a resistor instead of a relay: __________. (Yes/No) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Roll Frame / Spoolbox Roll frame motor Serial Number: __________ Roll frame construction: * Cast iron frame: __________. (Yes/No) * Aluminum frame: __________. (Yes/No) Roll frame governor: * Fly-ball type: __________. (Yes/No) * Ring type: __________. (Yes/No) Roll frame reverse switch: * On the side of the roll frame: __________. (Yes/No) * On the roll frame shelf: __________. (Yes/No) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - AC to DC Converter Information (only if original unit) AC/DC converter make Choose one option: * General Electric Co.: __________. (Yes/No) * Holtzer-Cabot Electric Co.: __________. (Yes/No) * Sandell (Mills Novelty Co.): __________. (Yes/No) * Westinghouse Electric Corp.: __________. (Yes/No) AC/DC converter Serial Number(s): __________ AC/DC converter will have a single or dual serial numbers, i.e., AC xxxxxx/DC xxxxxx. Ampere rating: __________ AC/DC Converter mounting: * Cabinet bottom: __________. (Yes/No) * Hanging from springs: __________. (Yes/No) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Coin Switch / Coin Accumulator Magazine Coin slot mechanism: * Factory original: __________. (Yes/No) * Converted to non-original coinage: __________. (Yes/No) Coin denomination Choose one option: * US 5 cent: __________. (Yes/No) * US 10 cent: __________. (Yes/No) * US 25 cent: __________. (Yes/No) * English penny: __________. (Yes/No) * Other denomination: __________ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Furniture Case & Art Glass Description Music roll storage rack in bottom of case (for unboxed rolls): __________. (Yes/No) Art glass description (for Mills Electric Pianos): __________ Unusual mechanical features, odd case architecture, etc: __________  - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Date and Notations Written on Case or Mechanisms Dates and other marks: __________ Oftentimes dates and notations are written on the case and/or on various player components. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Comments, History, and Explanations Comments: __________ Please include any additional information about the piano that might be pertinent, such as its history, i.e., various locations and owners. If you find a date (or style number), such as on a paper sticker inside or on the backside of the case, or on a pneumatic component, notice an early tuning date written by hand on the piano plate, find an original sales invoice, etc., please describe any such items. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Thank you for your patience and interest in dealing with this detailed survey form. Your help is very much appreciated.