Wurltzer Orgatron: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

This organ was made by The Rudolf Wurlitzer Company in North Tonowanda, New York, in 1952. It is an electrostratic reed organ, known as an Orgatron, model 4600, serial #18421.

This instrument was developed in 1934 and manufactured by Everett Piano Company from 1935 to 1941. The Rudolph Wurlitzer Company secured the patents from Everett in 1945. Wurlitzer produced these instruments and retained the Everett names on some models from 1945 to 1947. Orgatrons continued to be produced into the early 1960s.

Materials, dates and provenance

• date made: 1952
• maker: Rudolph Wurlitzer Company
• Object Name: organ
• Physical Description: wood (overall material)
• Physical Description: plastic (overall material)
• Physical Description: metal (overall material)
• Measurements: overall: organ: 40 1/2 in x 51 7/8 in x 42 in; 102.87 cm x 131.7625 cm x 106.68 cm
• place made: United States: New York, Tonawanda
• ID Number: 1994.0035.01
• serial number: 18421
• model number: 4600
• accession number: 1994.0035
• catalog number: 1994.0035.01
• Credit Line: Gift of Nathalie A. and Victor I. Zuck
• Data Source: National Museum of American History

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of American History through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed.