•Assigned roll identity—It’s usually a chronological number or an alpha-numeric assignment. If the identity is known from the roll leader, tail or box end label, it can be used to search the rollography for further information.
•Tune list —Establishment of one or more tunes on a roll can serve as the initiation point for a search. The challenge arises with the repetition of tunes in later re-cuts; sometimes in scrambled order; from more than one original. Further challenges are presented with the varieties of labeling practices between the manufacturers, with some being very articulate in tune identification and some not so much.
•Arranging style —Little is known about 8tti arrangers. In some instances there is familiarity with their work, but to a large degree no patterns exist that serve to align style of 8tti arranging with specific makers and arrangers.
The informational content of rolls is unique to each maker. Yet, every manufacturer in turn, had an impact on successors causing them to generally choose different identification methodologies. The exception to this is when they decided to perpetuate a prior product line. For that reason each of them will be treated separately, in chronological order.
Possessors of a roll having a numeric or alpha-numeric label should scan across the listings below to find suitable candidates for their roll. Refinement of the choices can be made by consulting the “tune listings” which are sorted by scale and available on the top menu of every page.
Let’s begin with the North Tonawanda Musical Instrument Works (NTMIW) circa 1906- 1925.
NTMIW Roll Scale 46
Holes
Per ScaleNumerical
IdentificationsAlpha-Numeric
Identifications
Endless461 To 3 Digits
4~87 (7) 1922 Catalog
101~162 (5) 1909A To N(?) – 1/100
(Many Known)Spooled49?
(None Known)J(?) To P(?)-1/100
(Many Known)
NTMIW Roll Scale 48
Holes
Per ScaleNumerical
IdentificationsAlpha-Numeric
IdentificationsEndless481(?) To 3 Digits
176 (1) 1909A To G(?) – 1/100
(40)Spooled53?
(None Known)A To G(?)-3 Digit
NTMIW Roll Scale 52
Holes
Per ScaleNumerical
IdentificationsAlpha-Numeric
IdentificationsEndless521 To 3 Digits(?)
(None Known)A To F(?) -200-400
(150)SpooledN/ANot MadeNot Made
NTMIW Roll Scale 82
Holes
Per ScaleNumerical
IdentificationsAlpha-Numeric
IdentificationsEndless823(?) and 4 Digits
811?
1054~1099 (4) 1909
1032~1445 (19) 1906-1914
(0) None Made
Spooled874009~4029 (2) – ?-1918(0) None Made
NTMIW Pianolin Roll Scale
Holes
Per ScaleNumerical
IdentificationsAlpha-Numeric
IdentificationsEndless49406-582A403-A471Spooled49400-600A500-A600
NTMIW Sextrola Roll Scale
Holes
Per ScaleNumerical
IdentificationsAlpha-Numeric
IdentificationsEndless481546-1829Not Made
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________Let’s progress on with the Artizan Factories production which was later taken over by The Rudolph Wurlitzer Co. circa 1929 – 1930.
Note: “Spooled rolls” have three to five more holes than “endless rolls” using the same basic scale. The additional holes are for roll control and other functions.
Abbreviations:
A = Artizan
W = Wurlitzer
D/M = Davis/ Malone (via Rich Olsen)
Artizan Roll Scale Styles X, and A “46”
Holes
Per ScaleNumerical
IdentificationsNumber Of Tunes
Per RollEndless461~723 Consecutive (A Catalog)1 To 3 TunesSpooled491001~1059 Consecutive (A Catalog)6 To 10 Tunes
Wurlitzer / Artizan Roll Scale Style (A) “46”
Holes
Per ScaleNumerical
IdentificationsNumber Of Tunes
Per RollEndless46286-904 (Non Consecutive)(W Inventory Sheets)
49-868 (Non Consecutive) (Wurlitzer Bulletin)
882 – 928 (Non Consecutive) (Wurlitzer Card Lists)1 To 3 TunesSpooled491001~1059 Consecutive (A Catalog)6 To 10 Tunes
Artizan Roll Scale “48”
Holes
Per ScaleNumerical
IdentificationsNumber Of Tunes
Per RollEndless482000 – 2xxx (deduced from W docs)1 to 3Spooled533000 -3xxx (deduced from Wr docs6 To 10
Wurltizer /Artizan Scale Style (B)”48″
Holes
Per ScaleNumerical
IdentificationsNumber Of Tunes
Per RollEndless481 To 32280 – 2299, 2542 – 2561 (Consecutive)(W Inventory SheetsSpooled536 To 103022-3039, (Consecutive)(W Inventory Sheets)
3009 – 3050 (Non Consecutive)(D/M Envelope List)
Artizan Roll Scale “52”
Holes
Per ScaleNumerical
IdentificationsNumber Of Tunes
Per Roll Endless524000 – 4xxx (A Surviving Rolls)1 To 3Spooled535000 – 5xxx (deduced from W docs)6 To 10
Wurlitzer /Artizan Roll Scale (C) “52”
Holes
Per ScaleNumerical
IdentificationsNumber Of Tunes
Per Roll Endless524910-4930 (Consecutive)(W Inventory Sheets)
4022 – 4925 (Non Consecutive)(W bulletin from D.M List)
4022-4954 )Non Consecutive)I(D.M Envelope List)1 To 3Spooled535003-5027 (Consecutive) (W Inventory sheets)
5003-5074 (Non Consecutive) (W Bulletin)
5074 (W Box End)(from D/M)
5003-5078 (Non Consecutive)(From D/M Envelope List)
5079 – 5080 (W Card)(D.M Envelope List)6 To 10
Artizan Roll Scale Styles C “57” and D “61”
Holes
Per ScaleNumerical
IdentificationsNumber Of
Tunes Per RollEndless57Never Made Or Issued
1 To 3
Spooled616000 = 6xxx (A Surviving Rolls)6 To 10
Wurlitzer / Artizan Roll Scale Style (D) “57” and “61”
Holes
Per ScaleNumerical
IdentificationsNumber Of
Tunes Per RollEndless57Never Made Or Issued
1 To 3
Spooled616001 – 6004, 6101-6116 (Non Consecutive)(W Inventory Sheets)
6001 – 6117 (Non Consecutive)(W Bulletin)
6001-6126 (Non Consecutive)(D/M Envelope List)
Spec. #1,6119-6130 (Non Consecutive)(W Cards from D/M Envelope)6 To 10
Artizan Roll Scale Style E “82”
Holes
Per ScaleNumerical
IdentificationsAlpha-Numeric
IdentificationsEndless827000 – 7xxx ?)1 To 3Spooled828000 – 8xxx (A Surviving Rolls)6 To 10
Wurlitzer /Artizan Roll Scale Style (E) “82”
Holes
Per ScaleNumerical
IdentificationsNumber Of
Tunes Per RollEndless82Never Made Or Issued1 To 3Spooled828001 – 8049 (Non Consecutive)(W Bulletin From D/M)
8001 – 8049 (Consecutive)(D/M Envelope List)
8050, 8051 (W Surviving Rolls)
8051 (Boox End Label Dated 11/21/1930 From D/M)6 To 10