The 3/13 Austin Opus 1512 organ was originally installed in
the Allyn Theatre in Hartford, Connecticut in 1927. The 1938 hurricane did substantial damage to it, flooding the chambers, smashing the pipes and technically making the instrument inoperable..
Twenty-one years later, in 1959, Allen Miller, while making a survey of theatre organs in Connecticut, discovered this organ, and with the help of a friend was able to get it in working condition by 1960.
Shortly after this, the Connecticut Valley Theatre Organ Society was founded, and through an agreement between Mr. Miller and the Allyn Theatre, concerts and practice sessions were allowed when the theatre was not being used. Additionally, the organ was promised to CVTOS in the event the theatre was
closed or demolished.
The Allyn Theatre closed in October 1969, and the organ was dismantled and moved to a machine shop in Manchester, Ct. From there it was moved to a vacant store in Seymour, and later to a closed school building in Shelton.
During these years a new high school was being built in Shelton, and an agreement was made with the city whereby space would be allocated for the chambers and a storage crib for the organ
console. In exchange CVTOS would donate the organ to the city and would rebuild, install and maintain it at no charge.
The premier concert for this organ was held on January 25, 1986, and it is the only theatre organ installed in a public high school in Connecticut. Rosa Rio, famous for playing for the silent movies and later radio shows, lived in Shelton and was a frequent performer on this organ.
In 2007, the Shelton High School is being remodeled and
updated, including extensive alterations to the Auditorium. The chambers
have been sealed and the console removed to a shop for renovation.
In 1927, shortly after being installed in Hartford's Allyn
Theatre, Austin modified the original church-style 'A' console with the
application of a 'candy-box surround.' The surround gave the console the
appearance of a horseshoe console...if you sat in the rear of the balcony and
squinted, perhaps. Unfortunately, the surround had to be removed whenever
the console was serviced. When the organ was removed from the theatre,
the surround was left behind.
CVTOS is currently modifying the original Austin case into a
horseshoe, based on a design by Allen Miller in 1969 that utilized standard
Austin components. The new console will incorporate Syndyne stop action
magnets and the Z-tronics System 2000 combination action and record/playback
system used by Austin Organs Inc. in their latest years.
Of the 101 organs Austin built for theatres, all had
straight or 'curved nameboard' consoles. Austin only built one horseshoe
console, and that was on a church organ! The 1969 design was based upon
Austin's original construction.
The new console will finally place second touch, tremulant,
and general stop tabs on combinations.
This is the same case seen above, but with added new
woodwork and new horseshoe stop rail modified June 2007. In order to
accommodate the horseshoe and to keep proportions correct, 5" was added to the
width, 6" to the height. Wood color shows the distinction between old and
new woodwork.
Primed console case being reassembled
Allen Miller and Norm Andre
filling and sanding casework
Note the "as new" appearance of the original 1927 wood
after sanding, filling, and damage repairs.
Austin consoles are built on a steel frame.
The case is applied and does not support any internal components.
The frame supports the keyboards and stop
rail despite the absence of the right case end, upper left photo.
Horseshoe stop rail awaits new stop keys, December 2007
The case end cap shows the final ivory and gold finish yet
to be applied.
