Residence: J. R. Monroe
6 Halsey Place
South Orange, NJ
Note: Not extant. Not playable. (in this location)
Images
2011-04-18 - Console (Photograph by John Zoubek/Database Manager)
2011-04-18 - Console (Photograph by John Zoubek/Database Manager)
2011-04-18 - Console Exterior (Photograph by John Zoubek/Database Manager)
2011-04-18 - Console Interior (Photograph by John Zoubek/Database Manager)
2011-04-18 - Console Interior (Photograph by John Zoubek/Database Manager)
2011-04-18 - Player Attachment (Photograph by John Zoubek/Database Manager)
2011-04-18 - Pipework (Photograph by John Zoubek/Database Manager)
2011-04-18 - Pipework (Photograph by John Zoubek/Database Manager)
2011-04-18 - Percussion (Photograph by John Zoubek/Database Manager)
2011-04-18 - Percussion (Photograph by John Zoubek/Database Manager)
2011-04-18 - Relays (Photograph by John Zoubek/Database Manager)
2011-04-18 - Relays (Photograph by John Zoubek/Database Manager)
2011-04-18 - Blower (Photograph by John Zoubek/Database Manager)
1930-01-01 - Living room; side of console in foreground (Vintage photograph; digital image by John Elwood/Database Manager)
Consoles
Main
Notes
2006-04-15 - Identified through information adapted from <i>E. M. Skinner/Aeolian-Skinner Opus List</i>, by Sand Lawn and Allen Kinzey (Organ Historical Society, 1997), and included here through the kind permission of Sand Lawn: <br><i> Enlargement of E. M. Skinner Opus 617 (1926).</i> -Database Manager
2007-09-03 - Updated through online information from John Elwood. -- The house this organ is in was used in a Mark Wahlberg movie called "The Yards". The organ was not shown in the movie however. You can see a picture and description of the organ in <i>South Orange Revisited</i>, by Naoma Welk (p. 45), but to be honest... I don't see an organ in the picture! It also states that the organ is a player. In any event, the house still stands and the owner is actively involved in the Montrose Neighborhood Association. I made no attempt to contact the owners, John and Roseanna Zoubek. -Database Manager
2007-09-19 - Updated through online information from John Elwood. -- Spoke to the owner on 09-10-07: Organ has not been played in thirty years, nor has the owner made any attempt to find out any information on this instrument. Pipes are located in the basement. The organ does still fire up, however a few notes are stuck open. The current owner has never had any work done on it, and is certain the previous long time owner has left it untouched as well. The instrument is visible in the 1928 issue of Skinner factory publication "Stop, Open & Reed." Will investigate further Oct 2007. -Database Manager
2011-04-20 - Posted to OHS Members List April 18, 2011 by John: -- The house containing Skinner Opus 617A has been sold, and the organ needs to be gone by August 15th. The price is "best offer" with the owner recognizing the short time frame will drive down the value, but the organ is not "free". The selling price will, no doubt, be a small part of the overall investment required to remove, restore, and re-install the organ.
<br><br>This is a 3-manual, 20 rank self-playing residence organ. There is a nice collection of rolls. It has all the fun stuff, like a harp, celesta, chimes, xylophone, bass drums, tympani.
<br><br>
As far as I can tell, the organ is in really exceptional condition with nothing missing or water damaged... but not functional. I'm told it was rarely if ever maintained since 1933 when the service contract with Aeolian-Skinner was canceled. -Database Manager
2011-06-22 - Updated through online information from Joseph McCabe. -- This organ was removed by the Spencer Organ Co. and Curt Mangel for a buyer in May 2011 (I have received photos of the removal). It is the intent to restore the organ and install it in a new home elsewhere - details of the new location are unavailable to me. -Database Manager
2017-12-08 - Updated by Sean ODonnell, the builder.<br>
The instrument has been restored and relocated to another private residence. -Database Manager
Stoplist
Stoplist Source: Source not recorded Date not recorded
Manual I
Expression I
8' Diapason 61
8' Flute Celeste II 110
8' Voix Celeste II 122
8' Orchestral Flute 61
4' Flute 12
Harp
Celesta
Expression II
16' Bourdon 12
8' Chimney Flute 61
8' Cello II 110
4' Flute 12
2 2/3' Nazard --
2' Piccolo 12
1 3/5' Tierce --
8' Vox Humana 61
8' Corno d'Amore (syn)
8' English Horn (syn; replaced by 8' Unda Maris II 110 as Op. 617-A)
8' French Horn 61
8' Clarinet 61
8' Trumpet 61 (replaced by 8' English Horn 61 as 617-A)
8' Trumpet 61 (added as 617-A)
4' Clarion 12 (added as 617-A)
Tremolo
Chimes
Xylophone (added as 617-A)
Manual II
Duplicate of Manual I
Echo (Added as 617-A with separate set of 4 knobs for each manual)
8' Chimney Flute 61
8' Cor de Nuit 61
8' Vox Humana 61
Tremolo
Pedal
16' Bourdon 12 MAN
16' Gedeckt 12 MAN
8' Gedeckt MAN
8' Still Gedeckt MAN
16' Trombone 12 MAN (added as 617-A)
16' Bassoon 32 (added as 617-A)
8' Tromba MAN (added as 617-A)
8' Bassoon 12 (added as 617-A)
Chimes MAN
Bass Drum (added as 617-A)
Tympani (added as 617-A)
[Posted to OHS Members List April 18, 2011 by John.]
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