Bill Fransen with a newly finished MKI cabinet. This picture is dated 1963 at the first of 3 Mellotron factories. Les Bradley told me that Bill was fond of picking up MK II's (without assistance) to impress those that needed impressing.

Little known fact: The name Mellotron did not come from Harry Chamberlin. Les Bradley told me that it was Harry's idea because Bill called the "Chamberlin" a Mellotron when he introduced them to it in 1962. In a conversation I recently had with Richard Chamberlin, he was very adamant that his father never used the word and never heard the word until he found out about the English use of his patent. This leaves the name to Bill's credit. However, they thought seriously enough about calling the instrument a "Franson" to have this decal made

.

Mk II owners will recognize this as the same script and design as that was used for the Mellotron. I can't account for the spelling difference.