(Photograph courtesy of Reblitz-Bowers Encyclopedia.)

Engelhardt Banjorchestra—Engelhardt Style. Introduced mid-year in 1917, this Engelhardt built version was housed in a distinctive Engelhardt cabinet containing the standard late style Engelhardt rotary pump, spoolbox, and stack with Simplex pneumatics. It played 10-tune Banjorchestra rolls made by the Connorized Music Roll Company, or rolls cut by the coin-operated roll division of QRS through 1919, and of the Clark Orchestra Roll Company starting in 1920, and possibly rolls made by others. Instrumentation included a 44-note piano, four-string banjo, tambourine, triangle, wood block, snare drum, and bass drum effect (a beater thumping on the soundboard). The Banjorchestra could be had with either plain glass or a special art glass panel, such as shown in the above Illustration. A Mahogany case was specified, although oak cases were available.

(Photograph courtesy of Dana Johnson.)

Engelhardt Banjorchestra Music Roll. This is the box label for what is designated Engelhardt Piano Company's "Banjo-Orchestra" Roll #26. The tune listing is unknown, but it is believed to be a 10-tune music roll. Only a few of these original Banjo-Orchestra rolls are known to exist. While interesting artifacts, the only surviving Engelhardt Banjorchestra cannot play them, because when the instrument was restored no banjo-orchestra rolls were available, and so a new tracker bar layout was devised and new music rolls were arranged by Art Reblitz.

(Photograph courtesy of Rick Crandall.)

Engelhardt Banjorchestra. This magnificently restored Engelhardt Banjorchestra is the only one (of either the Connorized or Engelhardt built instruments) currently known to have survived. At the time of its "discovery," it was found derelict in a back storeroom at Knott's Berry Farm, in Buena Park, California, whereupon what remained of the neglected Banjorchestra was traded for a working coin piano. As the story goes, Rick Crandall had been searching for a Peerless/Engelhardt Style F case in which he could recreate a faithful Banjorchestra replica. But, as chance would have it, once the so-called Peerless Style F case had been removed from the Knott’s premises and its innards carefully examined it turned out to be the genuine remains of an Engelhardt Banjorchestra, whereupon it was also noted that on the Knott’s hand-written bill of sale it was, in fact, described as an Engelhardt Banjorchestra. For the full and fascinating story, which is well worth the read, click here for Rick Crandall's PDF version of the Banjorchestra story.