(Photograph courtesy of Durward Center.)

The Spedden house, located in Tuxedo Park, New York, was built in 1910 by Frederic Oakley Spedden. The house was vacant and neglected for many years and portions of the roof collapsed. Then a major film score composer bought the property in the early 1990s and proceeded to restore the house and the Welte Philharmonic organ, The home remains a private residence.

(Photograph courtesy of Durward Center.)

Frederic Spedden and his family were Titanic survivors. Their six year old son, Douglas, was photographed on the deck of the ill fated ship spinning a top. The photographer disembarked before the shipped sailed out to sea, hence the photograph survived. While the entire family was fortunate to survive the disaster, Douglas was unfortunate to die in a car accident three years later. His father added a music room to their house in 1915 as a memorial to his son.

(Photograph courtesy of Durward Center.)

A March, 1915, Welte advertisement featuring an illustration of the "music room of the home of F. O. Spedden, Tuxedo Park, New York, showing the Welte Philharmonic Autograph Pipe Organ—Bowen Bancroft Smith, Architect." The ad goes on to state: "In 1887 we originated and patented the first organ on the pneumatic system with paper music rolls. Our latest and most improved instruments are the Philharmonic Autograph Organs, which give the absolutely true reproduction of the individual interpretation of the world's most famous organists, in the same manner as with the Welte-Mignon Autograph Piano reproduces the playing of the greatest piano virtuosos."

(Photograph courtesy of Durward Center.)

A card illustrating the Frederic O. Spedden music room. The text at the bottom reads: "Welte Philharmonic Pipe Organ in the residence of Frederic O. Spedden, Esq., Tuxedo, N.Y; Architect—Bowen Bancroft Smith; Scheme: Main organ in recess directly behind organ screen, tone outlet through ornamental metal grilles."

(Photograph courtesy of Durward Center.)

The Spedden mansion Welte Philharmonic Organ, No. 4228, installed in 1915, as it appeared after a long overdue meticulous restoration. The organ was built using Welte’s vacuum orchestrion technology. It has two manuals and pedal, and plays the 150 key music roll.