(Photograph courtesy of Dana Johnson.)

Wurlitzer brass pipe Caliola with green crackle lacquer finish. This 44-note brass pipe specimen has been meticulously restored, and is on view in the Sanfilippo collection.

(Photograph courtesy of Dana Johnson.)

The Wurlitzer brass pipe Caliola with the top decorative front facade removed and sitting to the left side of the instrument. Here the magnificence of the capped brass pipes, arranged in an attractive symmetrical design, can be fully appreciated. The case is finished in green crackle lacquer with gold on the carvings.

(Photograph courtesy of Dana Johnson.)

In this photograph of the green crackle lacquer finished Caliola, the craftsmanship of the brass work can be seen. The base end and mouth of each of the forty-four brass pipes is constructed similarly to air calliopes such as the Tangley Calliaphone, but then capped with a fancy turned wood cap also finished in green crackle lacquer. Although the pipes would probably be referred to as whistles if they had been installed in an Air-Calio, National, or Tangley air calliope, Wurlitzer simply referred to them as brass pipes.

(Photograph courtesy of Fred Dahlinger.)

This oblique view of the Caliola shows the mechanics of the bass drum, with its large motor pneumatic, and the keyboard and its relationship to the raisable back panel with attached music rack. Both the bass and snare drum supports easily detach for shipping purposes.

(Photograph courtesy of Dana Johnson.)

The detachable shelf and mounting platform for the bass drum and beater mechanism. When the Caliola is powered down and the wind-pressure bleeds off the beater comes to rest against the drum head, and held firmly in place by pressure from two stiff leaf springs. But when the Caliola is powered up wind-pressure inflates the large motor pneumatic, moving the beater away from the drum head until the pneumatic reaches its stop position. On the left side of the beater mechanism is a much smaller vacuum operated pneumatic that in turn operates a valve that closes off the pressure supply and quickly vents the large bass drum pneumatic, causing the beater to instantly swing back toward and strike the drum head. The little wooden extension jutting up to the right side of the bass drum pneumatic pushes a rod forward that causes a stiff wire ring to bang against the cymbal, which is mounted to the side and in front of the bass drum.

(Photograph courtesy of Dana Johnson.)

The detachable shelf and mounting platform for the reiterating snare drum. Unlike the bass drum mechanism, which is powered by wind-pressure and controlled by a vacuum control, the snare drum mechanism is entirely dependent on vacuum for its operation. The snare drum action is reiterating, meaning the when a vacuum is supplied through the rubber connecting hose the drum beaters alternately strike the drum head in a continuously fast repetitive action. This creates the effect of a drum roll, which can be of any duration desired, depending upon how the music roll is cut. When a vacuum is applied the beater on the left moves forward and hits the drum head. On the downward tail end of the beater is a spring and an adjustable wire that is connected to a small block of wood that can move to close or vent a tiny port connected to the controlling valves. This tiny valve action merely vents a port, which causes the valve for the left hand beater to vent, and simultaneously activate the right hand beater, it in turn striking the drum head. As the left hand beater returns to its rest position the valve linkage connected to it closes off the valve port and repeats the aforementioned action. The valving that controls the repetitive drum action is contained in the pot metal four-in-one valve unit mounted to the left of the two drum beater actions.

(Photograph courtesy of Fred Dahlinger.)

The Long Tune Roll Frame in the Caliola. This roll frame is somewhat different and earlier than those in the Caliola's previously pictured. This mechanism utilizes two friction disks, the lower and larger one is used to drive the gearing that moves the music roll forward. The mating leather faced friction drive wheel can be moved up or down the face of the metal friction disk, so as to adjust the tempo of the music. The upper and much smaller friction disk is non-adjustable and used solely for rewinding the music roll. The two leather faced friction wheels are mounted in a sturdy yoke that can be swung so that either the upper or lower friction wheel is in contact with its mating disk. The yoke is connected to the large rewind pneumatic to the right of the roll frame, which is controlled by a four-in-one valve unit mounted to the non-visible side of the large pneumatic and connected to the tracker bar.