Hi Gang,  A lot has happened since I first announced "The Music Box
Auction on the East Coast".  As you now know, I was referring to the
Dr. Wofford Baldwin Collection donated to Erskine College in Due West,
South Carolina.  The entire donation included some fantastic items,
i.e.,  music boxes of all kinds, phonographs (including a Berliner),
reverse side paintings on glass  and lamps (some Tiffany), etc. Two
auctioneers were vying for the sale; the auctioneer I was working with
from North Carolina lost out.

When the word got out that the Baldwin Collection would be sold,
friends (?) of Dr. Baldwin tried their best to stop all sales.  Even
the Governor of South Carolina was contacted.  As it turns out, Erskine
College has a perfectly legal right, sanctioned by the courts and the
surviving heirs, to sell the collection.  However, the best items will
be preserved in the fine arts building and will not be offered for
sale.

Are the remaining over 100 music boxes worth pursuing?  Absolutely!
All of the rolls and roll machines will also be sold as well as the
roll cabinets, automata, pianos, organs, disks,  etc. at this two-day
auction.

As a result of my postings, I received about 200 addresses from
interested MMDers to be passed along to the auction house who would do
the sale.  I was promised by auctioneer #1 that each would receive a
catalog of the auction as soon as it was completed.  Today, I contacted
Mr. Ron Long, the auctioneer, and he is taking the following steps to
spread the word.

1.  Each member of the MBSI will receive a card soon asking if they
wish a free catalog.

2.  There will be a two-page ad in the next addition of the MBSI
Bulletin.

3.  There will be ads in many major auction magazines including, I
think, the Trader.

4.  A free catalog will automatically be sent to those asking me to
forward their address.(because of previous announcements on the MMD).
Those addresses were forwarded to Mr. Long today.

I suggest that any interested parties follow up _directly_ with the
auctioneer listed below to get answers for any detailed questions about
the auction.

  Baldwin Collection Auction

  When: June 20-21, 1998  (all music boxes sold on Sat. 20th)
  Where: Columbia, South Carolina
  By Whom:

  Ron Long
  Charlton Hall Galleries, Inc.
  912 Gervais Street
  Columbia, South Carolina  29201
  Phone  (803) 779-5678
  Fax:   (803) 733-1701
  http://www.charltonhallauctions.com

I lived in South Carolina for 42 years before coming to Hockessin,
Delaware.  For those who plan to attend, there is a large airport
fairly near the city, train service to the center of the city and lots
of low cost accommodations near the auction house.  If you are driving,
they are connected with Interstates around the city and some of the
finest highways in the country.  I understand that the auction house
will arrange for a price break on local accommodations.

So there it is.  I plan to be there and have offered my services to
the auction house to answer phones, provide phone descriptions, etc.
for those who can not attend.  In any case, I will be there.  Gervais
Street is a major street in this, the Capital city of South Carolina,
and should be very easy to find on any city map or City Map Software
or on the Internet.

Hope to see you there.  It should be lots of fun.

Rick Cooley
http://members.aol.com/cotps/