61-note Keyboardless Seeburg Pianos

(Photograph courtesy of Art Reblitz)

This group of pictures illustrates four of the many types of piano plates that Seeburg used in styles K, KT, and KT Special. This piano is style K with violin pipes #55,542, with a piano made by Haddorff in 1913. The rubber-stamped serial number between the bass and treble sections of tuning pins shows that this is a Haddorff serial number, not a later Seeburg number, which would be die-stamped. “J P Seeburg Piano Co/Chicago” is cast into a separate overlay plate that is screwed to the piano plate. Haddorff also sold piano backs with these plates to Automatic Musical Co. and then Link in Binghamton, NY, and to Operators Piano Co. in Chicago, each with the appropriate user’s name cast into the overlay.

(Photograph courtesy of Dana Johnson)

Seeburg KT with xylophone #54,472, made in 1922 in the Seeburg factory. The die-stamped serial number shows that the piano was actually made by Seeburg, not Haddorff (which would have a rubber-stamped number). To eliminate the record-keeping confusion caused by these two similar numbering series, Seeburg added a “1” to the beginning of all serial numbers later in 1922, somewhere between #55,139 and #155,309. We solicit additional numbers in this range to help pinpoint exactly when the new series was created. This plate has a large strut in the treble section, with the pressure bar passing through a hole in it. The mandolin attachment in pianos with this plate is made in two pieces, connected by a metal bracket that goes around the strut.

(Photograph courtesy of Art Reblitz)

Seeburg K with xylophone and added KT percussion #155,458, made later in 1922 than the above KT. The plate is similar to #54,472 in the previous picture, but now it has the well-known Seeburg “Simplicity-Reliability-Endurance” logo cast between the bass and treble sections, and the serial number is moved over the center section of tuning pins.

(Photograph courtesy of Dana Johnson)

Seeburg K with xylophone #160,228, made in 1925. The mid-treble strut doesn’t stick out as far as in earlier pianos, allowing the pressure bar and mandolin to pass straight over the front of it. “J P Seeburg Piano Co/Chicago USA” is now surrounded by a frame with rounded ends cast into the plate.