Hi there,

Whatever else this sale of the Miles Mechanical Music Museum is, it is maybe
the most disorganized mess that ever happened.  There is no catalog, and
there is no effort made to follow the item numbers. So everyone was really
frustrated while the auctioneers dinked around with an hour of buttons (yes,
as in fasten your clothes buttons!) And two stations of the cross, various
not very good wood carvings, hoards of toy houses, nursery rhyme scenes and
various stuff of that nature. And an unbelievable assortment of "stuff!" Most
of today's sale was not "mechanical music" although although a few music
boxes were sold and late in the day some barrel organs and band organs were
sold - after the rows and rows of accordians! The prices were all over the
place, so there was no pattern of high or low prices - I suspect that there
were some good buys, but I don't think there were any steals.

One of the interesting side lights to this visit to Arkansas was the visit to
Marty & Elise Roenigk's new challenge - 2 hotels in Eureka Springs.  They are
both marvelous Victorian establishments and look like lots of work. The
Crescent sits above the town in a place of honor and will be the showplace it
once was, I have no doubt! And the Basin Park is in the center of town and
has been upgraded to a fine, high quality hostelry. Our hats are off to the
Roenigk's for their desire to preserve and restore these beautiful hotels to
their former glory.

Further report after the final day of the sale.

Beatrice Robertson