Piano World Home Page Forums Other Keyboard Instruments Organs - Electronic (B3 etc.), Pipe, Theatre, & Reed Loring & Blake Reed Organ

Does anyone here know anything about this Manufacturer, Loring & Blake Reed Organ Co.? I'm about to accept a free circa 1880's reed organ made by this Mfr. The organ is in incredibly good shape (outside) and it keys play beautiful sounds. But it's very dirty (dusty) inside. The current owner tells me not to vacuum or clean the internal areas or I will risk ruining the reeds. It seems the dust has never been cleaned for more than a century now! (For real, it is filthy inside). I was also told to make sure the movers keep it in the vertical position during the move, or the reeds will not work, either. It seems a very delicate instrument !

My questions are:
1) Is this a good instrument, i.e. is (was) the manufacturer a good one, and worth the troubles of me hiring someone to move it ?
2) Can it be cleaned inside at all? I cannot stand looking at all the dust inside! Will I destroy the instrument if I dare vacuum inside it?
3) Does it need to be in upright vertical position all the time, even when being moved? (Movers charge more if they cannot lay the instrument down inside the moving van).

Thanks for all advice, knowledge, etc. any of you can share with me, hopefully soon! As I must have it moved to my place TODAY! I'm both excited and worried of my decision to accept it.

Just want to share an update. It sounds beautifully even though the pumps are quite noisy, but I'll consider the pump noise as some sort of "percussion" Overall, it sounds wonderfully.

Note: The playing was for testing purpose. It was not perfect as I never used a pump organ before and I forgot to pump it sometimes... Testing Reed Organ - Beethoven Sonatina in G (Moderato)