Edward Lye 1880's tracker organ

[zuulmusic]

So I bought this tracker organ for my new great room at home. It's in pretty good shape as it had been restored in the 90's.
It was built by Edward Lye in 1880-1881, in Ontario. I'm researching its origins and such, finding a good deal of information. I managed to trace it back to the church where it spent most of its life and they recently sent me a flyer/photo showing it in the church before electricity was there. Pretty cool.

Does anyone know anything about Lye organs?

[VaPipeorgantuner]

Edward Lye & Sons (succeeded by Lye Organ Company). Established 1864,Lye Organ Co established circa1935, also in Toronto Ont. relocated to Scarborough, Ont. 1944, ceased operation circa 1952. Staff(s) Edward Lye; Arthur H Lye; Herbert H Lye; Walter L Lye; Murray Lye, Norman Lye. Information from Fox' Guide to North American Organbuilders (OHS press).

[voet]

That is a handsome organ case.

[regeron]

I asked a colleague of mine who has some familiarity with Canadian organs. Here is his reply, dated 13 January 2020:

"It looks nice. Too bad the case pipes aren't right....they should at least be gold, if not stenciled.

Here is basically the bulk of the info that anyone seems to have on Lye. https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia....an-company-emc

I've heard rumours that there is an opus list somewhere, but I've never seen it. At least he [zuulmusic] seems to know where it came from. But I'm curious as I thought the one manual tracker was still in the church in Cataraqui.....I'll ask around, I might be mistaken."

[zuulmusic]

I was able to track down some photos of it in the Cataraqui church before it was rescued/restored, and the pipes were indeed gold. Photos attached.

The church got rid of the organ sometime in the 90s after a fire, after which a local shop poorly refinished the front scorched pipes, and sometime soon after that someone else (who I've gotten ahold of!) had brought it into the states where it was restored and used on the East coast until recently.

I asked a colleague of mine who has some familiarity with Canadian organs. Here is his reply, dated 13 January 2020:

"It looks nice. Too bad the case pipes aren't right....they should at least be gold, if not stenciled.

Here is basically the bulk of the info that anyone seems to have on Lye. https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia....an-company-emc

I've heard rumours that there is an opus list somewhere, but I've never seen it. At least he [zuulmusic] seems to know where it came from. But I'm curious as I thought the one manual tracker was still in the church in Cataraqui.....I'll ask around, I might be mistaken."

[regeron]

Hi zuulmusic,

Helpful to know that the organ survived a fire. I was also comparing the more recent photos with the greeting card and noticed that some of the decorative woodwork at the top is different. The fire would explain that.

How does it sound? How does it feel to play? It looks like a real gem.

[aeh34]

Greetings! Over the years I've been slowly uploading information about the Lye family's instruments onto the OHS pipe organ database. A good deal of the firm's history is housed in the Archives of Ontario, but no formal history exists. Would you mind sharing the instrument's specifications?

[aeolian pat]

Let's have a competition: I say 8' open unenclosed facade
enclosed: (hitch down)
remaining diapason
8' flute bass 8' flute treble
8 Viole d gambe tc 4' flute d amore
8 Dulciana tc
pedal pull downs

sorry can't get spacing between columns.