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The following are organs that are characteristic of the beginning of organ production in 1872 until the end of the 1880s. Some later case designs of this time period would, of course, have also carried over into the early 1890s. Organs with mirrors appeared very late in this time period--around 1887 or 1888, with Case Design O. The catalog of 1889 included other models with mirrors, and after 1890, most organs included one or more mirrors, at least as an option. The organs will be displayed in as close a chronological order as I am able to determine, though not by exact year.

Click on the thumbnail to enlarge.

 

Packard Brothers

This melodeon actually predates the Fort Wayne Organ Company but was built by the Packard brothers. It probably dates from the early 1850s.

Case Design Unknown

This is the earliest Fort Wayne Packard photograph on this site. It is an early serial number, #8164, probably dating in the mid- to late 1870s.

The following picture is of the same organ and shows the keyboard cover open.

Case Design Unknown

This is serial number #8164 with the keyboard cover open.

Chapel Organ

This is an early example of a chapel organ case from the early to mid 1880s, the action having been discarded years ago by the church where it was located. It had been "transformed" into a desk.

The following picture shows the back design of this organ.

Chapel Organ

This is the back view.

Case Design Unknown

I believe this case design dates from around 1880. It features only the right knee lever.

Style 5 Parlor Organ Model

This is actually a model of a mid-1880s parlor organ. It is incredibly detailed! Its purpose is unknown.

It dates to a time when it was common practice to patent case designs and may have been a patent model or a salesman sample. It stands 28"H x 18"W x 9"D.

Style 5 Parlor Organ Model

With the lid open, the name of the company is visible--"Fort Wayne Organ Co." In actual organ production, the company name was only visible with the keyboard cover closed. When the cover was opened to form the music rack, the words "Packard Orchestral" were visible. For unknown reasons, the Packard name does not appear on this model.

Case Design Unknown

One of the features of case designs in the mid-1880s was fold-up candleholders on the sides. This photo shows a candle on the open shelf.

Case Design Unknown

This is another example of a mid-1880s parlor organ. According to the owner, it still has its original finish, featuring a light walnut with burl panels.

Style 18

This case design was a popular one for several years during the early and mid-1880s. It apparently offered optional tops, as the following picture is the same case design but with a different top.

Style 18

This organ sports one of the optional tops for this case design.

Case Design Unknown

This organ does not appear in the 1888 or later catalogs. I believe it to date from circa 1887.

Case E

This case design appears in the circa 1888 catalog.

Case I

This design appears in the circa 1888 catalog.

Case O

This was the first organ by the Fort Wayne Organ Company to feature mirrors. It first appeared about 1888 and was the top of the line parlor organ offered at the time.