No. 1071 Fifth Avenue at far right George H. Penniman Residence 1071 Fifth Avenue at 88th Street New York, N.Y. 10128 George Henry Penniman (1829-1909) was a wealthy merchant who made his fortune from linseed oil but primarily from real estate dealings. He died in his 80th year on June 1, 1909, at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Robert C. Lewis, in Pompton, N.J. Mr. Penniman built a mansion at 1071 Fifth Avenue on property purchased in October 1897. Located 26 feet north of East 88th Street, the lot was 80 by 125 feet, with an "L" measuring 25 by 55 feet that extended to 88th Street. The site is now occupied by the Guggenheim Museum. Mr. Penniman previously lived at 536 Fifth Avenue (45th Street) and had a country home in Quoque, L.I.             Aeolian Company New York City – Opus 853 (1898) Electro-pneumatic action 2 manuals, 12 stops, 12 ranks Aeolian Player The Aeolian Company contract, dated April 16, 1898, states that this organ would be built in a hall, occupying a space 14 ft. wide, 4 ft. deep and 16 ft. high, with the lower part of the instrument extending 4 ft. into rooms below to gain the necessary height. An organ case of quartered oak with dark finish would be surmounted by gilded front pipes, all of which was to conform as much as possible to the other architecture in the house, subject to approval. Aeolian provided a detached "keybox" (console) of ebonized wood that would conform to the finish in the library. The owner's Steinway Grand Piano was to be connected to the console with Aeolian mechanism. Total cost of the organ was $5,000. This organ was later moved to the Masonic Temple, Portsmouth, Ohio.                 Great Organ (Manual I) – 58 notes, enclosed with Swell 8   Violin Diapason 58 4   Flute d'Amour 58 8   Dolcissimo 58 8   Trumpet 58 8   Gross Flöte 58                         Swell Organ (Manual II) – 58 notes, enclosed 8   Salicional 58 8   Gemshorn 58 8   Vox Celeste 58 4   Violina 58 8   Rohr Flöte 58 8   Orchestral Oboe 58             Pedal Organ – 30 notes 16   Contra Bass 30                     Couplers     Swell to Great     Swell at Octaves     Swell to Great Octaves     Swell at Sub Octaves     Great to Swell     Swell to Pedal     Swell Off     Great to Pedal                 Accessories     Tremulant     Great Organ Piano Comb. Piston     Great Organ to Aeolian     Great Organ Mezzo Comb. Piston     Swell Organ to Aeolian     Great Organ Forte Comb. Piston     Pedal Organ to Aeolian     Swell Organ Piano Comb. Piston     Aeolian Tempo     Swell Organ Mezzo Comb. Piston     Aeolian Return     Swell Organ Forte Comb. Piston     Balanced Crescendo Pedal         Balanced Great and Swell Pedal                 Sources:      "In the Real Estate Field," The New York Times (Oct. 15, 1897), p. 8.      Obituary Notices. The New York Times (June. 4, 1909), p. 7.      Smith, Rollin. The Aeolian Pipe Organ and its Music. Richmond: The Organ Historical Society, 1998.      Trupiano, Larry. Factory Specifications of Aeolian Organ, Op. 853 (1898).      "What is Doing in Society," The New York Times (Jan. 6, 1900), p. 7. Photos:      eBay.com. (c.1911) postcard of Fifth Avenue mansions.      Trupiano, Larry. Console of Aeolian Organ, Op. 853 (1898).   | NYC AGO Home Page | Back to NYC Organ Project List |