Bill Chapman raised an interesting question.  Almost 20 years ago when
I started in the player hobby, I would have answered with an enthusiastic
"YES!".  At that time, every roll I found was a treasure (to me) and I
marveled at how well all of that turn-of-the-century engineering worked.
As I progressed in the hobby, I listened to a lot of different types of
music, artists and labels and started to focus my tastes.

Now I run a roll auction that offers over 2,400 titles a year to
collectors.  I'm continually faced with the question of what I think
is auctionable (valuable) and what is not.  A listing in an auction is
like an airline seat -- if it goes unsold, you can never reclaim that
revenue.  This axiom tends to focus my efforts.  The auction business has
also taught me that there is a wide range of tastes in rolls.  So, just
because it's uninteresting to you, doesn't mean it's not of interest to
someone else.

These days, I'd answer Bill's question with "As much as you're able to."
First, I would try to sell what you have to a collector or auctioneer
(not necessarily in that priority order).  If you're not able to sell
everything with this route, and you have a sizable quantity of rolls
left, put an ad in your local paper.  Try to sell the rolls cheap and as
one lot.  If you're still left with rolls, donate the remainder to the
Salvation Army or other such organization and hopefully some collector
or antique dealer will buy them and offer them to other potential
collectors.

I guess my point is, we'll never know what is worth preserving since
everyone has different tastes.  To add to this, preferences are continu-
ally changing, so what may not be considered valuable today, may become
valuable in the future.  So the best thing you can do is to keep the
rolls in existence (i.e. out of the trash bin or fireplace) for as long
as possible.  Hopefully, some collector will finally find them, enjoy
them and have enough interest to care for them and keep them around for
another 100 years.

Paul Johnson
The Piano Roll Shop
mailto:pianoroll@compuserve.com