This organ was built in 1954-55 by the Schlicker Organ Company
of Buffalo, NY and is comprised of 269 pipes, in three ranks plus a 37-note, two-rank mixture stop,
ranging in size (speaking length) from one-half inch to almost eight feet in height.
The entire organ, with the exception of the lowest pedal octave, is under expression.
My instrument was originally constructed for my first organ teacher,
and I purchased it from her widower after her death in the fall of 1997.
This unit organ is an interesting instrument in the history of the Schlicker Organ
Company. According to information I received in 2001 from Stanton Peters, last president of
Schlicker, "in early 1952 Herman Schlicker along with E. Power Biggs came up with the
concept for a small 'unit' organ. Interestingly enough Biggs also worked with Walter
Holtkamp on the same concept and we [Schlicker] both started to build these unit organs,
albeit our designs were somewhat different."
Mr. Peters continues, "your instrument along with two others (one for [another private
residence] in Buffalo, NY) and one for ... Concordia Teachers College of River
Forest, IL were the first three identical organs built using this new concept of
unification ... they proved so successful that in the years since we have built several
hundred ranging from only 2 stops up to 15 stops." Indeed, in June, 1983 -- almost 30 years after
my instrument was built -- a Schlicker Organ Company ad in The American Organist featured
a photo of an organ with this very same windchest design and layout.
Click to see a scan of this ad.
"Both your organ and [the other private one] had expression, Concordia's did not.
I do not know if [the other private] instrument is still around, but I do know
that Concordia's was sold to [a private individual] who had us refurbish and
enlarge it for his home just a few years ago."
Sadly, in September 2002 the Schlicker Organ Company closed its shop for the last time and
the contents of its facility in Buffalo, NY were auctioned off. The company, while
continuing to build splendid instruments, had been plagued for many years by various financial
and cash flow problems and could no longer stay in business. Another concern has bought the
Schlicker name and has a small web site utilizing the original Schlicker company banner,
http://www.schlickerorgancompany.com/.
The console of my instrument is entirely electric in operation, with all the borrowing and
sharing that takes place in a unit organ such as this occurring in the wiring of
the console itself. A 252-wire cable connects the console to the organ. The console features
a single general piston, which is set with the small knobs above the stop tabs. The organist is left
with two pistons: "0" which is what is set on the stop tabs, and "1" which is what is
set with the knobs above the stop tabs. The "1" piston latches in when pressed, and is
released when the "0" piston is pressed.
After I purchased the organ, two friends and I moved the instrument, which was an
interesting endveavour. Considering none of us had ever done anything like that before,
we still managed to do it without breaking anything, and had portions of it working within
24 hours of the move. It was fully operational 3 days after the move. After the first
successful move, I commented to my college organ professor that all organ students should have to
participate in a project like this -- it gives you a better appreciation of just what makes those whistles
sing.
The organ has been moved twice in my ownership of it. Check out the links below to the move stories.
