2018-01-04 - Keydesk (Photograph by David Storey/David Storey)
2018-01-04 - Organ case (Photograph by David Storey/David Storey)
1995-08-09 - Organ (Photograph by Ted Gustin/Database Manager)
Note: Not extant. Not playable. (in this location)
2004-10-30 - The original builder was Jacob Hilbus (c. 1812). -Database Manager
2004-10-30 - Status Note: There 1993 -Database Manager
2004-10-30 - From St. Thomas Epis., Hancock, MD c. 1912. -Database Manager
2020-10-30 - At some point in the early 2000s, the musical instrument collection, including the Hilbus and Snetzler organs, were moved into storage while the History and Technology wing of the museum was completely overhauled and rebuilt (without exhibit space for the collection). The collection was moved into a government-owned off-site warehouse. At some point between then and James Weaver's retirement as instrument curator and his becoming Executive Director of the OHS in 2011, asbestos was discovered in the warehouse and it has been declared a hazardous waste site with any entry into the building for any purpose extremely forbidden. The Smithsonian currently has no plans to reassemble the Musical Instrument collection for public viewing for the foreseeable future, if ever. -Scot Huntington
2020-10-30 - When the O.H.S. visited the Smithsonian as part of the 1964 convention, the organ was unrestored and in exceptionally poor condition, and the musical instrument collection was in the History & Technology wing of the museum. There is no mention of the instrument in the Handbook, and it may therefore not have been on display. Following the organ's restoration by C.B. Fisk in 1967, it was relocated to a stand-alone position at the entrance off the main corridor to the Division of Culture and Arts where the musical instrument collection was on display. I believe it was moved again to the chamber music hall, but this needs to be checked. -Scot Huntington
Original source: C.B. Fisk restoration records. Source: O.H.S. Convention, Washington D.C. Organ Atlas, 2011 October 21, 1967
Hilbus & Howiston, 1814 Smithsonian Institution Division of Culture and Arts Washington, DC Manual: FFF-f3, 61 notes; Swell section c1-f3, 30 notes UNENCLOSED Open Diapason stopped wood bass, then open metal and facade Stopped Diapason Treble c1-f3, stopped wood Stopped Diapason Bass FFF-b0, stopped wood Dulciana c1-f3, open metal Principal Treble c1-f3, open metal Principal Bass FFF-b0, open wood basses and open metal Flute stopped wood Twelfth open metal Fifteenth open metal ENCLOSED SECTION (guillotine swell by hitchdown pedal) Open Diapason Swell open metal [c1 is chimney flute) Principal Swell open metal Order of drawknobs, left and right jambs Swell 4' 15th Swell 8' 12th Flute 4' Princ. Treble St. Diap. Bass Prin. Bass Open Diap. 8' St. Diap. Treble Dummy for symmetry Dulciana Swell foot lever Machine-stop foot lever
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