The Sherlock-Manning Portable Organ Restoration

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It was missing its bellows, the mutes are nailed open and a blower was installed in it - what other surprises will be found? 

This portable was likely made in the 1950s by Draper & Reid of Clinton, Ontario, who owned the rights to Sherlock-Manning, Karn, and many others. 

This was all part of the long history of W. Doherty, who was accredited to starting it all.  Draper and Reid continued making reed organs under the Sherlock-Manning name (and others) until the late 1950s, and then continued to make pianos into the 1980s.  This was the last surviving company in Canada to make reed organs and pianos.

There are still a number of these instruments in existance, after not being manufactured for the past 60 years.  Murray Draper stated that he assembled the last of these little organs - I hope that this organ "ressurection" would have made him proud. 

 

Restoration Pictures

The 94 pictures below briefly explain this short restoration story of this little organ, from a barely functional organ which was heavily modified, to a musical instrument.