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The Fork Church Restoration Project
The Fork Church - Episcopal
Doswell, Virginia
This organ is a rare tracker instrument built in 1855 by Henry F. Berger, who was born in Germany in 1819 and came to this country in 1849. He worked in Baltimore, MD where this instrument was built. It is one of only two of his organs known to survive. With no swell or pedal stops, it is like the organs of the 17th and 18th centuries. The Rappahannock Organ Company is proud to the company chosen to complete this historic and important restoration. Completed in April 2003, the organ has five ranks and almost all of its
original pipes (there were apparent replacements made throughout its life).
The original free standing case is held together with dovetail and other specialized joints and not a single nail or other fastener was used. Certain supporting boards in the rear of the case were badly damaged by insects and those were replaced with hand
finished duplicates made in our shop. The white paint , not original to the organ, was stripped away and the natural wood protected and refinished. The facade pipes were found to have indeed been painted gold, and we stripped the peeling and flaked paint away and refinished these by hand as well.
Before 
After | 
