The Grouches visit the Nethercutt Collection (at least part of it)

Recently a co-worker mentioned to me that he had tickets to attend an organ concert at the Nethercutt collection.  I had heard that the collection existed not too far from our happy little valley but I had never really looked into visiting it.  

When I expressed interest in the organ concert, my co-worker called the ticket office and got me on the waiting list for tickets and luckily for us, we got four tickets for a Friday show!

The Nethercutt collection is owned by the family behind Merle Norman cosmetics and as we were told the evening of the concert, the family wishes to give back to the country for all of the support their customers have given to them.  The collection is completely free and nothing is roped off. 

It consists of two buildings, one with the automotive collection, the other with more automobiles and a Wurlitzer theater pipe organ and a collection of mechanical musical machines.

The stand alone car collection was closed but we did get the chance to linger over the amazing cars in the music building before and after the concert.

http://www.nethercuttcollection.org/

I found the mechanical music machines to be fascinating.  In fact the whole thing was fascinating!  We were so very fortunate to have the chance to hear the organ play and to see the collection.

Many years ago when we lived in Grand Rapids MI a local pizza parlor had an identical Wurlitzer organ that they played in conjunction with silents movie screenings.  We loved attending the shows and hearing the wonderful organ music backing up the movie.

Young Son in front of his all time favorite car

The basement of the Music building

All of the cars in the collection run, and they are periodically taken out for a drive in the neighborhood

Looking down to the first floor from the music level

One of the many mechanical music machines that work and were run for us that evening

This one was the best: the circular device spun and the violins would move forward at the proper time to create the notes.  The circular device is the bow.  The machine is German from 1910 and is completely vacuum operated and works perfectly!

The happy attendees.  The Misus and friend were constantly mistaken for sisters throughout the weekend by various people

The organ controls

Half of the pipes for the organ

The Grouch at the end of an exciting evening.  Let's do it again!