2007-06-06 - Pipes (Photograph by James R. Stettner/Database Manager)
2007-06-06 - Pipes (Photograph by James R. Stettner/Database Manager)
2007-06-06 - Pipes (Photograph by James R. Stettner/Database Manager)
Note: Not extant. Not playable. (in this location)
2006-10-16 - Identified through online information from James R. Stettner. -- The organ was originally built for First Christian Church in Klamath Falls, Oregon. How it found its way to Seattle is unknown, though it is tied to one of Lake City Christian Church's former pastors. The organ seems to have originally been only 6 ranks. Purchase price for the Lake City church was $2,000.00. It is not presently known if the enlargement/additions were already with the organ or were done after its installation in Seattle. The church offered the organ for sale since its Christian Education wing was damaged from sinking, and was to be replaced with a new worship facility. It was purchased by the Pipe Organ Foundation of Mercer Island, Washington in 2005 for $2,500.00. Two ranks were installed at Mercer Island Presbyterian church in 2005. And in 2006, the original Wicks chest and three ranks were used as the basis of a "new" organ built by the POF for the new chapel at Mercy Medical Center in Roseburg, Oregon and installed there in September 2006 by Lanny Hochhalter of Wilsonville, Oregon. Other parts of Opus 634 remain in POF stock. -Database Manager
2014-06-24 - Updated through online information from James R. Stettner. -Database Manager
Original document from James R. Stettner. Source: Stoplist copied from the console April 5, 1991 2019-01-28
Seattle, Washington
Lake City Christian Church
WICKS ORGAN CO., Opus 634, 1926
Built For Sherman Clay & Co., San Francisco Cal.
Unknown Builder, Date Unknown - Installation & Additions
GREAT (Expressive) SWELL (Expressive) PEDAL (Expressive)
16 Open Diapason 16 Bourdon 16 Bourdon
8 1st Open Diapason 8 Open Diapason blank
8 Stopped Diapason 8 Concert Flute 8 First Open Diapason
8 Melodia 8 Gamba 8 Bass Flute
8 Gamba 8 Salicional 8 Cello
8 Dulciana 8 Aeoline 4 Flute
4 Octave 4 Flute blank
2-2/3 Nazard 2-2/3 Twelfth
2 Super Octave 2 Piccolo
8 Tromba 8 Clarinet
Chimes Tremolo
Great 16' Great Swell 16' Swell
Great 4' Great Swell 4' Swell
2 blank stoptablets 2 blank stoptablets
STOP / RANK / PIPE ANALYSIS
16 Open Diapason (Gt) –- From the 8' Open Diapason. Tenor C.
16 Bourdon (Ped) 32 Original.
16 Bourdon (Sw) –- From the Melodia. Tenor C.
8 1st Open Diapason (Gt) 61 Original.
8 First Open Diapason (Ped) –- Same as the 8' 1st Open Diapason.
8 Open Diapason (Sw) –- Same as the 8' 1st Open Diapason.
8 Melodia (Gt) 61 Original.
8 Concert Flute (Sw) –- Same as the 8' Melodia.
8 Bass Flute (Ped) –- Same as the 8' Melodia.
8 Stopped Diapason (Gt) 61 Added.
8 Gamba (Sw/Gt) 61 Original.
8 Cello (Ped) –- Same as the 8' Gamba.
8 Salicional (Sw) 61 Added.
8 Dulciana (Gt) 61 Original (?).
8 Aeoline (Sw) –- Same as the 8' Dulciana.
4 Octave (Gt) 12 Extension of the 8' 1st Open Diapason.
4 Flute (Sw/Ped) 12 Extension of the 8' Melodia.
2-2/3 Nazard (Gt) 7 Extension of the 8' 1st Open Diapason.
2-2/3 Twelfth (Sw) 7 Extension of the 8' Melodia.
2 Super Octave (Gt) 5 Extension of the 8' 1st Open Diapason.
2 Piccolo (Sw) 5 extension of the 8' Melodia.
8 Tromba (Gt) 61 Added.
8 Clarinet (Sw) 61 Original.
Tremolo (Sw) Affects the entire organ.
Chimes (Gt) ?? Absent.
PIPE SUMMARY
Bourdon 1st Open Diapason Melodia
32 pipes 85 pipes 85 pipes
Stopped Diapason Gamba Salicional
61 pipes 61 pipes 61 pipes
Dulciana Tromba Clarinet
61 pipes 61 pipes 61 pipes
COUPLERS FINGER PISTONS
Swell to Pedal 8 Swell & Pedal 0,1 – 3
Great to Pedal 8 Great & Pedal 0,1 - 3
Swell to Great 16,8,4
TOE STUDS
None
PEDAL MOVEMENTS
Swell (bal.)
Crescendo (bal.)
NOTES
The original home of this organ when assessed at Lake City Christian was not recorded
by the congregation. The opus number was found written on the inside of the console
back panel; on the underside of the console lid; and stamped into the interior portion
of the key frames. By comparison with other documented examples of the builder's work
it was evident that the organ was from the 1920's. The Sherman Clay & Co. San Francisco
nameplate did not necessarily indicate the organ was originally built for a California
location. Two other Wicks organs ordered through Sherman Clay & Co. San Francisco Cal
were built for Washington State locations. One is Westminster Presbyterian Church in
Anacortes (Opus 643, 1926) and the Congregational church in Arlington (Opus 840, 1928).
The Wicks organ built for the Methodist church in Arlington - long since removed – may
also have been ordered through Sherman Clay & Co.
It was alleged that the organ was originally built for a theatre, though it is not
specifically a theatre organ in the traditional sense. The console does have a modified,
horseshoe-shaped interior. But this was a common feature for both Wicks church and
theatre organs of that period. The organ lacked any of the traditional 'theatre' ranks
like Tibia or a Vox Humana. There was also no evidence of any percussions having been
present in the organ. Neither was there a 2nd touch rail. Also, the complete 5-stop
principal chorus on the Great is not indicative of a theatre organ. And finally,
comparison of the opus number with the published Wicks theatre organ opus list in The
Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ confirmed that the organ was not a theatre
installation. Subsequent research revealed that the organ was originally built for First
Christian Church in Klamath Falls, Oregon.
The organ was reportedly moved to a residence, but location is undocumented. How it
found its way to Seattle is unknown, though it is tied to one of Lake City Christian
Church's former pastors and was installed by him. The purchase price was $2,000.00.
It is not known if the three added ranks were added at the time of the installation
here, or previously. Neither is the source of the pipework known.
According to the extant, original relay, the organ was originally six ranks: Pedal 16'
Bourdon, and five manual ranks; 8' First Open Diapason, 8' Open Diapason, 8' Melodia,
8' Gamba, and 8' Clarinet. The 8' First Open Diapason may have been an unenclosed rank.
Otherwise, all of the pipes of each rank were on one main chest with no offset basses.
The Dulciana/Aeoline appeared not to be original, though it was clearly Wicks pipework
and stamped with lots numbers of immediate sequence to the other ranks in the organ.
The 8' Stopped Diapason was an addition. The pipes were of unknown provenance and were
a mix of several different ranks. The first six Stopped Diapason pipes were on the Open
Diapason chest, and the displaced Open Diapason pipes had been moved to an added offset
chest. Of the Stopped Diapason, pipes 1-12 were of one manufacture. Pipes 13 and 14 were
different. Pipes 15 was different. Pipes 16 and 17 were different. And pipes 18 and up
were marked “455 Bour.”
The 8' Salicional was also an addition, placed on an added windchest of unknown
provenance. The first 12 pipes were of zinc (of which DD# was missing) and are marked
“Viol”. At tenor C, the pipes became a spotted metal Kimball 'Style 17' Violine [sic].
The Great 8' Tromba, too, was an addition. It was not a true Tromba but rather a nice,
non-harmonic Trumpet. The pipes were on an added chest of unknown provenance which was
older, but which was clearly built for a narrow-scale rank like a Vox Humana, Clarinet,
or perhaps a string rank. The bottom octave was absent and would have not fit on the
chest. Several of the resonators had snapped-off from damage incurred during the 2001
Ash Wednesday Nisqually earthquake.
The exterior wood of the console was of oak, and the interior of cherry. The pistons
were not labeled, and the combination action was blind and preset. It did not visibly
move the stop tablets.
The greatest mechanical shortcoming to the organ was its phosphor bronze key and relay
contacts. Most of the organ was mute, and due almost entirely to this problem.
In mid year 2005, the church razed their current Christian Education and Office wing
due to structural problems. A new sanctuary was built after which the existing sanctuary
was converted to classrooms, offices, etc. The church had no plans to keep the organ and
offered it for sale.
It was purchased by the Pipe Organ Foundation of Mercer Island, Washington in 2005 for
$2,500.00. Two ranks were installed at Mercer Island Presbyterian church in 2005. And
in 2006, the original Wicks chest and three ranks were used as the basis of a "new"
organ built by the POF for the new chapel at Mercy Medical Center in Roseburg, Oregon.
Other parts were incorporated into POF stock.
Sources: Wicks opus list; JRS; extant organ
Lake City Christian Church (DoC)
1933 125th St. NE
Seattle, WA. 98125
(206) 363-1438 Documented: March 6, 2005Regrettably, it is not possible to display the information about the sponsor of this pipeorgandatabase entry or if there is a sponsor. Please see About Sponsors on Pipe Organ Database.