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Rhodes Department Store - 3/14 Aeolian
Seattle, Washington
2nd Ave
Organ installation timeframe: 1927-1960's
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Rhodes Department Store |
Rhodes Department Store was a very popular downtown shopping destination. A 3/14 Aeolian was installed on the dining room level in December 1927. The lunch and dinner-time concerts were always a big draw. |
There were a number of staff organists including Fred Feringer and Harry Reed who played at the store for over 30 years starting in 1933. Sidney Jones played lunches and dinners for 10 years.
Interestingly, the Tacoma Rhodes Bros. Department Store also had a pipe organ -- it was a 3/11 Robert Morton.
Eddie Zollman |
Harry L. Reed |
Rhodes Department Store, date unknown |
According to Harry Reed c. 1965: "... about half of this organ is not usable - the display pipes alone blow the teacups off the balcony tables. The combination pistons cannot be used because they were set at the factory for the player, which has never been used, and are non-adjustable." |
Specifications of the Aeolian:
Pedal
16 Open (Gr)
16 String (Gr Gamba)
16 Bourdon
16 Flute (Sw Lieb. Gedeckt)
16 Contra Fagot (Sw Oboe)
8 Open (Gr)
Swell
16 Flute (unified, 101n)
8 Diapason
8 Viol I
8 Viol II
8 Oboe (16' unenclosed)
8 Vox |
Great
16 Open (unenclosed)
8 Open (display pipes)
8 Gamba
8 Gemshorn
8 Gross Flute
4 Harmonic Flute
8 Clarinet (free reed)
8 Trumpet
16 & 4 Couplers & Unison Off
plus inter-manual Couplers
Choir
Stops borrowed from Enclosed Great |
The Rhodes store closed in the late 1960's. The organ was given to the City of Seattle. Glenn White, Chief Sound Engineer for Seattle Center, together with his crew, removed the organ and re-installed it in the remodeled Ice Arena. The organ was sold some years later. Current status is unknown.
Interestingly, the store was also home to KFOA Radio. Shoppers could visit the second floor of the store and watch radio broadcasting in action. KFOA was the first station in Seattle to become part of a network, the National Broadcasting Company (NBC). It is not known if the pipe organ was ever used for the radio broadcasts.
This photo, taken in 1923, shows performers at radio station KFOA.
2nd Avenue, looking North, c.1950's
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