The auction of mechanical music instruments in Chartres (50 miles
SW from Paris) last Sunday, Dec. 7th 1997, that I announced in my
contribution to the 97.11.30 Digest, was a success.  More than 100
pieces were sold, including the automatas.  And there were, besides
the mechanical music, scores of phonographs and gambling machines,
and hundreds of dolls the previous day.

Many people attended the auction, and some traveled a long way
(Germany, United States ...).  There were several very good automatas,
in original condition, most with music, and they reached high prices
(add an 11% premium to the prices I mention).

A Mephisto by Lambert, three feet high, was sold 278,000 FF (ca
US$ 46,000), and a peasant with a pig by Vichy fetched 245,000 FF
(ca US$ 40,000).  Other good automatas (clowns, acrobats) were in
the 50,000 FF range (about US$ 10,000).

The two large interchangeable music boxes on matching tables were
sold for 125,000 and 102,000 FF (ca US$ 20,000 and 17,000).

There were many good music boxes, amidst them a cylinder one with
hidden drum and 3 bells (11,000 FF, almost US$ 2000).  But it seems
that people prefer "show" boxes with accessories like drums, castanets,
bells, voix celestes, etc., to the really good musical ones.

Some people made bargains, for example a good 8-tune Bremond with the
traditional 33 cm cylinder went away for 8.800 FF (less than US$ 1500).

A large musical picture (ca 1850/60) with 2 good small 3-air snuff box
movements and a naive painting with 50 people dancing, playing music
and eating from a barbecue, was sold for 25,000 FF (ca US$ 4,000).

A Coelophone Orchestra Thibouville, although it would need a few
repairs, was sold for 30,000 FF (US $ 5,000).

Several small and unusual barrel pianos were sold between 8,000 and
15,000 FF (US$ 1300 to 2500).  A good Lary 88-note pedal pneumatic
piano with 1200 rolls (Yes! One thousand two hundred) went away for
17,000 FF (US$ 2.800), and a rare Pistonola Boyd cylinder piano
(unrestored) for 8500 FF (US$ 1400).

For organ grinders (Hello Maestro Angelo Rulli !), a modern 20-key
Raffin with 16 rolls for 25,000 FF (a little more than US$ 4,000).
That is 2/3 of the price of a new one with the same rolls.  Another
good Quetron 31-key modern organ went for 24,000 FF.

There were a lot of small objects with music (photo albums, clocks,
boxes, dish stands, etc.) below 2000 FF (US$ 400).

Last, but not the least, you could buy a good mechanical drum (2 sticks
activated with a handle) as used in the past by parish constables for
6800 FF ( a little more than US$ 1000).  It makes a lot of noise for
that price.  (Help, Robbie!, for translation of "Garde champetre".)

 [ Maybe "Rustic Constable".  But why did the parish constable beat the
 [ drum?  To summon the men to the town meeting?  To warn of attack?
 [ -- Robbie

So a very interesting auction.  Remember that in French auctions, the
auctioneer presents every object one after the other (so you spend a nice
long afternoon), and we were able to listen to almost all the good items
during the auction !  A real concert.


Next auction in Chartres: end of May 1998.

To get a catalog in time, or only the calendar of the sales (they sell
everything besides mechanical music and dolls), please contact directly the
auctioneer (I do not want to do this administrative work, although I act as
adviser to the auctioneer for the mechanical music items) :

  Jean-Pierre Lelievre, Galerie de Chartres
  1 Bis Place du General de Gaulle, 28000-Chartres (France)
  Tel: + 33 (0)2 37 84 04 33
  fax: + 33 (0)2-37 36 34 71

And there is in Chartres one of the most beautiful XIIIth century gothic
cathedrals in the world, with magnificent stained-glass windows, and good
French cooking, but that is another story.

Best musical regards,

Philippe Rouille (Paris, France)
http://www.cnam.fr/museum/musica_mecanica/