The Sanfilippo Collection

Before there were jukeboxes and radios there were nickelodeons and orchestrions…. ingenious mechanical music machines that played a variety of the musical hits of the day to entertain the public.  The Sanfilippo Collection has on display, the largest variety of these restored instruments in the world.  Each one of these devices is, in one sense, a form of time machine.  When you listen to a musical selection played on one of these automatic marvels you are hearing EXACTLY what the people heard and experienced when it was new, whether it was 1910, 1920, or 1930.

There are several hundred phonographs of all styles and models including one from 1906 that is strictly a pneumatic amplifier that will easily fill a room with sound from a 78-rpm record and obviously pre-dates the invention of the vacuum tube amplifier.

The industrial revolution ushered in a total societal change from agrarian to factory work and a new concept of leisure time for the workers.  We have on display working steam engines, bi-polar generators, over-headline shafts, and machines that played a critical role in this evolution.  The engines are from approximately 1820 up through the 1920s including a recently restored and reassembled complete power plant from an East Chelmsford, MA factory consisting of the slate switchboard, Corliss steam engine, shaft-coupled AC generator, DC exciter generator, overhead crane, and steam condenser.

There are eight operating steam engines in the lower level of the main house and over twenty in the Carousel Building, including the one that originally operated the 1890 French Salon Carousel.  All this equipment is on display and much of it is operated to show how it functioned when it was new.

There are all manner of lighting fixtures from the 1880s through the early 1930s in the form of chandeliers, wall sconces, and dozens of Tiffanies, Duffner & Kimberly, and similar leaded glass lamps.  An overhead line-shaft fan system from the 1920s operates in the main house American music room.

The home theatre can seat 400 and houses the largest theatre pipe organ ever built.  At 80 ranks it is nearly a third larger than the organ at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. There are six vintage street clocks around the estate and a newly restored tower clock in the carousel building with its own 33’ ornate tower. 

There is an 1881 Grant Steam Locomotive with restored caboose and 1890’s Pullman passenger car.  All these things can be closely examined and toured and questions answered at length.

Whatever your tastes or level of curiosity there is no doubt that within the 80 thousand square feet of collection there are undoubtedly many things to fascinate, intrigue, and inform.  You owe it to yourselves to experience this unique collection in person. 

Pay and RSVP Gayle Althardt at gaylealthardt@gmail.com or at 847-494-2568