2008-01-31 - Identified through online information from James R. Stettner. -- This organ was originally built by Wicks for Robert Morton. it was originally installed in divided chambers at the Colonial Theatre in Monrovia, CA. It was originally 8 ranks and cost $4,850.00. In 1970, it was purchased by Marshall F. Willett and moved to his home in Valencia, CA. It was listed for sale in the August 1971 issue of "Console." Mr. Willett later moved to Selah, WA, just outside of Yakima, and brought the organ along - reinstalling it in his home. It was purchased by John Vandiver ca. 1985 and moved to a property which has a large garage and gardens, but no house. The organ was installed here in 1986 by Harold B. Curryer of Spokane. A new Peterson relay replaced the original Wicks electro-mechanical relay. The new relay also features record and playback capabilities. Expressive chambers were not built, so the organ is just out in the open at one end of the garage. The seven console toestuds are no longer labeled or operational, but likely originally controlled sound effects - at least partially. It is not known when the additional three ranks were added, or by whom. Documented May 26, 1999. -Database Manager
Stoplist copied from the console May 26, 1999 Source: Source not recorded Date not recorded
Yakima, Washington
John Vandiver Studio
WICKS, Opus 644, 1926
Harold B. Curryer, 1986 - Installation and Additions
GREAT DIV III (Accomp)
16 Contra Bass 16 Bourdon
16 Diapason 8 Orchestral Diapason
16 Tibia 8 Tibia
16 Dulciana 8 Concert Flute
8 Diapason 8 Viola
8 Tibia 8 Violin Celeste
8 Concert Flute 8 Dulciana
8 Violin 4 Principal
8 Violin Celeste 4 Tibia
8 Dulciana 4 Orchestral Flute
4 Octave 4 Violin
4 Tibia 4 Violin Celeste
4 Orchestral Flute 2 Piccolo
4 Violin 8 Clarinet
4 Violin Celeste 8 Vox Humana
4 Dulciana 4 Clarinet
2-2/3 Twelfth 4 Vox Humana
2 Piccolo Chimes
1-3/5 Tierce
16 Vox Humana Accomp 4
8 Clarinet
8 Vox Humana
4 Clarinet SOLO [Added]
4 Vox Humana 8 Open Diapason
Harp 8 Tibia
Chimes 8 Gamba
Vibrato 8 Quinadena
Vox Humana Tremolo 4 Tibia
Tremolo 4 Quintadena
4 Gambet [sic]
Great to Great 4' 4 Gambette
2-2/3 Tibia
2 Tibia
PEDAL 8 Trumpet
16 Bass 8 Clarinet
16 Bourdon 8 Oboe
8 Open Diapason 8 Vox Humana
8 Cello
8 Flute Solo 4
8 Tibia
8 Dulciana
8 Clarinet
4 Diapason
STOP / RANK / PIPE ANALYSIS
16 Diapason (Gt) -- Tenor C. From the 8' Diapason.
16 Tibia (Gt) -- Tenor C. Plays as the 16' Diapason.
16 Contra Bass (Gt) 12 Extension of the 8' Concert Flute.
16 Bourdon (Acc) -- Tenor C. From the 8' Concert Flute.
16 Bourdon (Ped) -- Same as the Pedal 16' Bass, but with 1-12
on higher wind.
16 Bass (Ped) -- Same as the 16' Contra Bass.
16 Dulciana (Gt) -- Tenor C. From the 8' Violin.
8 Diapason (Gt) 61 Original Wicks.
8 Orchestral Diapason (Acc) -- Same as the 8' Diapason.
8 Open Diapason (So/Ped) -- Same as the 8' Diapason.
8 Tibia (So/Gt/Ped) 61 Original Wicks.
8 Tibia (Acc) 61 Added, used 8' stopped flute. Pipes marked
"St. Dia."
8 Concert Flute (Gt/Acc) 61 Original Wicks.
8 Flute (Ped) -- Same as the 8' Concert Flute.
8 Gamba (So) 61 New. Added in 19__.
8 Cello (Ped) -- Same as the 8' Gamba. Originally, from the
Violin.
8 Violin (Gt) 61 Original Wicks.
8 Viola (Acc) -- Same as the 8' Violin.
8 Violin Celeste (Gt/Acc) 61 Original Wicks.
8 Quintadena (So) -- Prepared for.
8 Dulciana (Gt/Ped) -- Originally Wicks. Replaced by a 8' Trumpet
playing from the Acc. & So.
8 Dulciana (Acc) 61 Used pipes marked "Har Cor". May be the used
Austin Swell 8' Cornopean from Central
Lutheran in Yakima.
4 Octave (Gt) 12 Extension of the 8' Diapason.
4 Principal (Acc) -- Same as the 4' Octave.
4 Diapason (Ped) -- Same as the 4' Octave.
4 Tibia (Gt/So) 12 Extension of the 8' Tibia.
4 Tibia (Acc) 12 Extension of the added, 8' stopped flute.
4 Orchestral Flute (Gt/Acc) 12 Extension of the 8' Concert Flute.
4 Gambet [sic] (So) 12 Extension of the 8' Gamba.
4 Gambette (So) -- Playing as the Accomp. 8' Tibia.
4 Violin (Gt/Acc) 12 Extension of the 8' Violin.
4 Violin Celeste (Gt/Acc) 12 Extension of the 8' Violin Celeste.
4 Quintadena (So) -- Prepared for.
4 Dulciana (Gt) -- Originally Wicks. Doesn't play.
2-2/3 Tibia (So) 7 Extension of the 8' Tibia unit. Pipes gone.
2-2/3 Twelfth (Gt) 7 Extension of the 8' Concert Flute unit.
2 Tibia (So) 5 Extension of the 8' Tibia unit. Pipes gone.
2 Piccolo (Gt) -- Same as the Solo 2' Tibia.
2 Piccolo (Acc) 5 Extension of the 8' Concert Flute.
1-3/5 Tierce (Gt) -- From the Concert Flute unit. Top 4 notes
break back.
16 Vox Humana (Gt) -- Tenor C. From the 8' Vox Humana.
8 Trumpet (So) -- Same stop as the Accomp. 8' Dulciana.
8 Clarinet (Gt/So/Acc) 61 Original Wicks.
8 Vox Humana (Gt/So/Acc) 61 Original Wicks.
8 Oboe (So) 49 Tenor C. A used, Estey, labial Oboe.
4 Clarinet (Gt/Acc) 12 Extension of the 8' Clarinet. Pipes gone.
4 Vox Humana (Gt/Acc) 12 Extension of the 8' Vox Humana.
Vibrato (Gt) Affects only the original Wicks Tibia
playing on the Gt., So., & Ped.
Vox Humana Tremolo (Gt) Affects the Vox Humana and the Clarinet.
Tremolo (Gt) Affects the Oboe, Tibia Minor, & Gamba.
Chimes (Gt/Acc) (20) Original Wicks. Compass: Tenor A thru e 41.
Don't presently play on the Accomp.
Harp (Gt) (37) Original Wicks. Deagan. Compass: Tenor C
thru c 49.
PIPE SUMMARY
Diapason Tibia Tibia Minor Concert Flute
73 pipes 85 pipes 73 pipes 97 pipes
Gamba Violin Violin Celeste Trumpet
73 pipes 73 pipes 73 pipes 61 pipes
Clarinet Vox Humana Oboe
73 pipes 73 pipes 61 pipes
COUPLERS FINGER PISTONS
Solo to Pedal Great & Pedal 0,1 – 5
Great to Pedal Accomp & Pedal 0,1 – 5
Accomp to Pedal
Solo to Great TOE STUDS (l - r; Unlabeled)
1. Undocumented
2. Undocumented
PEDAL MOVEMENTS 3. Undocumented
Left Chamber Expression 4. Undocumented
Right Chamber Expression 5. Undocumented
Crescendo 6. Undocumented
7. Undocumented
8. Undocumented
ACTION: D-E ™ VOICES: 11 STOPS: 60 RANKS: 11 PIPES: 791 of 827
NOTES
This organ was built by the Wicks Organ Co. of Highland, Illinois for Robert Morton of
Van Nuys, California. It was originally installed in divided chambers at the Colonial
Theatre in Monrovia, CA. It is listed in David Junchen's Encyclopedia of the American
Theatre Organ as a II-manual, 8-rank, "Special" model having cost $4,850.00.
In 1970, it was purchased by Marshall F. Willett and moved to his home in Valencia, CA.
The organ was listed for sale in the August 1971 issue of Console. In 19__, Mr. Willett
moved to Selah, WA. just outside of Yakima, and the organ was moved along and re-instal-
led in his new home.
In 19__, the organ was purchased by John Vandiver of Yakima and was moved to a property
which contains a large garage and gardens, but no house. The organ was installed in the
garage by Harold B. Curryer of Spokane, WA. A new Peterson solid state relay replaced
the original Wicks electro-mechanical relay, and a record and playback system has been
connected to the organ.
The Great 1-3/5 Tierce tablet does not appear to be original. The Accomp 4, Solo 4, Solo
to Pedal and Solo to Great couplers appear to be additions which took the place of orig-
inal percussion stops. All of the percussions and sound effects have been removed from
the organ except for the chimes and the Deagan harp. When the Solo division was added,
the rail containing second touch stops, the tremolos, and some percussions was removed.
The 8 unidentified toe studs likely controlled sound effects - at least partially.
Sources: Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ; William J. Bunch; JRS; extant
organ.
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