Folder of correspondence, contracts, etc. 1920-1931 on installing organ at First Presbyterian in East Orange, NJ
File of correspondence regarding the installation of a new organ by the Skinner Organ company, 1920-1929, plus material related to the dedicsation of the Robert Brewster Memorial Carillon at the same church (First Presbyterian Church, or Munn Ave. Church, East Orange, NJ) in 1948. Approximately 35 pp. of material. Begins with typed letter on Skinner letterhead, October 7, 1920 from William Zeuch, a VP at Skinner, discussing specifications for a 4-manual organ as opposed to a 3-manual, and what can be used of the old case and display pipes. Then there is a 4 pp. spec sheet for the organ from October 6, 1920, for the Great, Swell, Choir, Solo and Pedal organs, for a total estimated price of $27,500. There is a contract for the organ on Feb. 11, 1929. Church elders then corresponded in May-June, 1929, with E. R. Hill, a consulting engineer with Gibbs & Hill in NYC, regarding how to get the new organ into the church, which would necessitate removal of part of the display pipes, plus a several page proposal from Gibbs & Hill on doing the work. Then there are about 15-20 pages of back and forth between elders at the church and Skinner on payment of invoices; the price had gone up to $32,500 in the interim between 1920 and 1929. There is a 4 pp. flyer with inserted program on the new Skinner organ at the church, and finally a couple pages of correspondence from 1931 on the difficulties of finding a buyer among churches in New Jersey for the old organ (or the bulk of its pipes and parts), concluding with a remark from E. J. Beach from the Beach Organ Co. in Newark, "Whgen a used organ is offered for sale a good reason has to be given in order to overcome resistance of new organ salesmen." Regarding the carillon (bells) installed in the Munn Ave. church in 1948, in memory of Robert Brewster Beattie, there is a 4 pp. typescript of a "Suggested Treatment for Stained Glass Window" in memory of Beattie along themes and metaphors in Bunyan's "Pilgrim's Progress," and a 3 pp. typescript describing features of the carillon itself, with multiple ink corrections and additions; a 2 pp. letter and list of music recorded at the dedication of the carillon in September 1948 by James Stacey of realife recording associates of Caldwell NJ and NYC; in the letter Stacey remarks on the difficulties encountered in recording at the church, including the "noise and confusion attendant on the movement of the congregation before and after the dedication service," but that they were successful in getting the music on tape and edited. Finally, there is an ink sketch of the console and window of the carillon on a half-sheet of paper (8.5 x 5.5 inches; light water-blur to small area of it). From the collection of Richard Szeremany, a pastor at the church who then relocated to Pittsburgh where he was organist at the East Liberty Presbyterian church. Very good. Item #H34101
Price: $100.00