Hurdy-gurdy man restores street organ that Bostonian played for decades

Beverly Beat introduces us to Tony Gangi and his project to restore an 1899 "street piano" long owned and played on the streets of Boston by Marino Persechini, who only retired when he turned 94 in 1974.

On his GoFundMe page for the work (as you might expect, restoring a large, heavy wheeled instrument doesn't come cheap), Gangi, who himself often does hurdy-gurdying on Boston Common, writes:

Marino Persechini came to the United States from Italy and, while in New York, purchased the Hurdy Gurdy/Street Piano in 1899. He brought the instrument with him to Massachusetts, where he became a staple on the streets of Boston. He performed with the instrument until 1974, when he turned 94 and the instrument 75. At that time, he sold the piece to Town Antiques in Brookline, Massachusetts, who kept it in their store and invited people to come and hear it play.

The recent closing of Town Antiques found the instrument finding its way into the hands of another antique dealer and then into our hands with the thanks of New Hampshire magician, Andrew Pinard.