Paul R. Marchesano on January 21st, 2022:
The organ is installed in basement chambers, speaking through tonal grill openings in the music room. The organ as it was in the residence in South Orange, New Jersey had a trumpet rank with Opus 745 inscribed on it. Some ranks were added and/or replaced when it was rebuilt as Opus 617-A (1930). Judging from some of the correspondence between Monroe and Skinner, a brighter, louder sound may have been desired with that trumpet. Skinner Opus 682 from Danville, Virginia had been acquired for another project, but the Trumpet was not included in those plans; thus that Trumpet 8' was installed with Opus 617-A. The Opus 745 Trumpet is stored in a pipe tray in the house in case a future owner might want to reinstall it. The bottom octave of the pedal bourdon was poorly mitred definitely not a factory mitre job; a replacement bottom octave from another 1920s unmitred Skinner Bourdon was installed. The original mitred Bourdon pipes also in storage in case a future owner wants them. A Wurlitzer toy counter and a Vibraharp were added, but these were added outside the pipe chambers so it is clear they are not a part of the original organ. The console was electrified, but in a way that the pneumatic combination action could be restored to use in the future if desired.