Svoboda's Nickelodeon Tavern and Museum
(Photograph courtesy of Art Reblitz.)
Alden Scott Boyer, one of the very first nickelodeon collectors in the country, photographed at his desk in June 1939. |
(Photograph courtesy of Art Reblitz.)
Boyer in later years, posing here with a fine Seeburg style A. Instruments from Boyer formed the foundation of the Svoboda collection in the mid-1950s. |
(Photograph courtesy of Art Reblitz.)
The collection begins to fill the big hall next to the bar room. From left to right, instruments include an Aeolian Orchestrelle player reed organ, Edison disc phonograph, coin-operated peep show, double Mills Violano, early acoustic Mills disc juke box, Cremona style 3, chapel reed organ, Edison “Eclipse” coin-operated cylinder phonograph, single Mills Violano and other phonographs and music boxes. This photo was taken in the early 1950s sometime around the acquisition of the Boyer collection. The wood floor had not yet been covered with terrazzo. |
(Photograph courtesy of Art Reblitz.)
An extremely rare Nelson-Wiggen 4-T orchestrion with piano, mandolin, xylophone, snare drum, triangle and A.B.T. target mechanism, from the Boyer collection. |
(Photograph courtesy of Art Reblitz.)
Thomas “Corky” Svoboda (Al Svoboda's youngest son) standing by the beautiful front entrance to the old building, with beautiful etched windows advertising “Svoboda's Nickelodeon Tavern.” |
(Photograph courtesy of Art Reblitz.)
This “Svoboda's Old Time Tavern” letterhead, illustrating one of the Boyer KT's, the oak Mills Violano-Virtuoso, and the bright red 1908 EMF, was used for many years. |
 |
|