2004-10-30/2019-09-22 - From the OHS PC Database, derived from A Guide to North American Organbuilders, rev. ed. by David H. Fox (Organ Historical Society, 1997). - Active in New York City, New York, by 1899; Charles Maier built portable and stationary pipe organs. His business was last listed c. 1912; it was succeeded by the Fenton Organ Co. (Arthur L. Fenton ) in 1912. Patent: Patent #655,880; August 14, 1900; organ. Maier's patent was for a compact triangular windchest to be used in his portable organs. The design divided the toe board in the middle and slanted each side up to a point in the center. The pipes were mounted vertically on the angled toe board using a toe hole fixture mounted like a bracket on the toe board. According to the claims in the patent, this arrangement put the pipe toes on different levels and allowed the pipes to be packed closer together without their mouths interfering with each other. Although Maier received a patent on the device, it is not clear if he every used this design. —Ed. Sources: Piano and Organ Purchaser-s Guide, Purchaser-s Guide to the Music Industries, (published by Music Trades, New York) Information from the text of the United States patent #655,880.
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