Update: 22-11-2011
Reed Organs / Harmonium in Churches
BUILDERS
in alfabetical order
When a builder has multiple pages the link shows 'page' at the end of the link.
Trayser
Wick & Son: The Wick Combination Organ
According to Gellerman's Reed Organ Atlas, the Wick & Son company was at Humbold Park, Illinois. The company was run by Ole E. Wick and Georg C. Wick. They created a desktop organ ca. 1866. Patents were granted in 1888, 1895 and 1916.
Another company named Wick Organ Co. was at 125 South Clinton Street in 1899, 629-635 North Wood Street in 1901. All of them in Chicago Illinois. Established in 1886. In 1905 they were at Northeast Henry Street in North St. Paul Minnesota. They made the "Wick Organ".
From the Atlas it is not clear these two companies are linked, where the second one was established a number of years later, after building the Deskopt organ.
My guess is those two are related.
The "Desktop Organ"
This organ is often referred to as a Desktop Organ. To me this sounds as an organ to be placed on top of a table. Maybe it is lack of knowledge on my side of idiomatic English. So we will used it, despite my idea that the name given by Wick is more suitable.
The Wick company named it Wick Combination Organ, as shown on the label.
What needs to be investigated: Was Humbold Park in 1868 a village on it self? Or was it part of Chicago. Because the second company was at Chicago (see info above). This could mean that the two are related.
Here in Holland at least two of these desktop organs are known. A 10 stop instrument in oak, and an eleven stop instrument in mahogany. Recently someone asked about this Combination Organ. The pictures below are on my harddisk for over two years now. Time to create a page on Wick.
The page is mainly pictures with some explanation below the picture.
Pictures: Joop Rodenburg and Frans van der Grijn
This is the cylinder writing desk in closed condition
The same as above
The writing desk opened, no sign at all of a reed organ
By pushing back the writing desk, the treadles are lowered to playing position.
Fully playable for improvisations
the music desk is still hidden on top of the organizer
The music desk pulled out forward, and lowered to hold the music
Cupboard with seperation for ledgers and a drawer at the bottom.
Alas, we don't know what behind the other door.
The same organ in mahogany and 11 stops.
Opened as a desk.
This is a miniature model to show it to prospect buyers,
this miniature was auctioned on eBay a few years ago.
Stoplist of these instruments
Oak instrument |
||
| Bass | Treble | |
| Cor Anglais 8' | Viola 8' | |
| Diapason 8' | Melodia 8' | |
| Euphone 8' | Celeste 8 | |
| Vox Humana | Octave Coupler | |
Mahogany instrument |
||
| Cor Anglais 4' | Principal Forte | |
| Diapason 8' | Treble Coupler | |
| Euphone Echo 8' | Echo Horn 8' | |
| Bas Coupler | Melodia 8' | |
| Diapason Forte | Celeste 8' | |
| Vox Humana | ||