9 Jan 2017

Restoring a Wurlitzer photoplayer

From Summer Times, 10:50 am on 9 January 2017
Wurlitzer Photoplayer 1915

Wurlitzer Photoplayer 1915 Photo: Supplied

In a Waikato workshop, a 1915 Wurlitzer Photoplayer is being restored, one of very few left in the world.

The Photoplayer is a mechanical orchestra - an extension of the player piano - which was used by movie theatres to produce music for silent films.

This particular Photoplayer is being repaired by Nathan Smith and Kevin Hanna, who have been working on the project since 2012.