Hello,  It was sad when I learned that Wofford Baldwin had died, but I
was happy to read that his large collection was going to the college in
Due West, only a mile or so from his rural residence.  (Now, I read
that the institution is going to "sell off" his carefully built-up
collection.  For me, that isn't joyous news.)

Danilo Konvalinka (Musical Wonder House) and I first began a long-time
friendship in the early '60s with Dr. Baldwin, operating Old Salzburg
Music Boxes in Georgetown/Wash. DC at that time, just before our museum
was being founded in Maine.  He had a 44-Note Wilcox & White 'Pneumatic
Symphony' player reed organ and I had found several hundred rolls for
him in Portland, Maine, while we were searching for a building to house
our own collection of instruments.  (The journey took us to Wiscasset
and the discovery of an 1852 Georgian-style mansion, soon to reopen for
its 35th Season in Maine.)

We visited the Baldwins many times during the next 30 years, and he,
in turn, helped us with our many museum activities here in Maine, as
a friend.  In fact, we even produced an LP of music boxes for him,
recorded in South Carolina and using his varied collection of
instruments.

South Carolina, in that area, was quite isolated in those pre-
Interstate Hwy. days.  Dr. Baldwin took us around to visit
collectors and friends in Abbeville, Anderson, Seneca and other
portions of Occonee County, where he had 'antiquing' connections.
Long after I left The Musical Wonder House in '86, I continued my
correspondence with him.

Wofford Baldwin was such a kind, decent and highly interesting person.
I doubt if few people, save his own family and immediate friends, ever
knew him to the extent that Lois and Danilo Konvalinka and I ever did.

He really enjoyed playing his instruments, and his collecting involved
many other things, including a vast library of children's books,
including just about everything written by Frank L. Baum of the "Oz"
series, and other books by the author (previously unknown to me).

His (Hupfeld-player) Austrian upright was another instrument we enjoyed
in recent years; it had one of those "mechanical actions" and was quite
similar to something sold by The Automaton Piano Co. of NY, to a
Dresden, Maine factory owner in the late 1890's.

He really loved music, and we spent many hours listening to his tapes,
LP's, 78's and, of course, the large instrument collection.  Many of
the pieces were duplicates of things we had in The Musical Wonder House
and so it seemed (at the time) that they would find a permanent home in
South Carolina.

It's been several years, but I still miss Wally Rose, the Ragtime
pianist and friend of a half-Century.  Wofford passed away not long
ago, but he left an indelible impression on me as well.  I guess if
people are kind and caring, and contribute something during their
lifetime, they will be remembered long after their period is over.

Today, South Carolina and Maine aren't so isolated as they were then,
but much of the rural charm still remains (if one searches for it).
It will be difficult to drive to that region of the South without
remembering some of the many travels we took with Dr. Baldwin in his
series of Buicks, or those bumpy rides we had over his rocky farm,
in a 1940s Jeep (which stayed out in the open and always started!).

He was a fine person in every way.

Regards,

Douglas Henderson
Artcraft Music Rolls
http://www.wiscasset.net/artcraft/