The Carousel Organ

Paragon Carousel's 1926 Wurlitzer Band Organ has been carefully restored to better than its original condition.

The driving mechanism for the paper tape rolls was repaired by  Bob Newman of  Rhode Island. Bob also keeps the organ in tune.

James Hardison, our restoration artist completely stripped and repainted the case and the facade of the organ. He rebuilt portions of the facade

including the drum stands and the crown. Much of the scrollwork was rebuilt with hand carved pieces. 23 caret gold leaf, bronzing powder, and

subtle color was applied to the scroll work to achieve a three-dimensional look.

James replaced the generic scenes from the original facade with original paintings of Hull landmarks; including Boston Light, Hull Wind II, and the

Weir River Estuary. The paintings were done in a style reminiscent of that used by the original artists at the Wurlitzer Company.

James's artistry has given us a new band organ with a classic look.

Background

The current band organ did not come with the Carousel, but was purchased by the Carousel Under the Clock owners in 1986 (Thank you!)

The organ is a Wurlitzer Model 146B, of which only 40 were produced. However, the organ is a hybrid sporting a Model 153 facade which

is larger and has exposed drum stands. The organ traveled the East Coast for years as a part of the Lawrence Carr Amusements. It was

purchased in 1979 by Bill Luca who subsequently loaned it to Crescent Park, R.I. where it appears in photographs. Now that it has a

permanent home at the Paragon Carousel, it should provide musical joy to carousel riders for years to come.