AMICA (Automatic Musical Instruments Collectors Association,
International) has kept an instrument listing for a number of years.
It has been quite popular with the members.  Listing is optional for
members, but most have listed their instruments, often with serial
number.

People frequently contact me (since I keep database) to find out if
there is an instrument similar to their own.  Usually the owners do
not mind giving out their email address and sharing tubing diagrams or
needed information.  It has been quite a task to keep this list
accurate, what with some entries found on scraps of paper or the back
of a gum wrapper.

However AMICA will now include an update sheet with the
soon-to-be-released directory.  The sheet will ask for changes of
instrument listing by line number, which will clarify which instrument
is being altered in the database.  I sympathize with Julian Dyer in
keeping the records straight.  People may refer to their piano by name
one year and by model when reporting changes.  It can be a bit of a
puzzle to make the changes.

I'm holding my breath -- no one has yet asked for their serial number
following flood or fire.

I once saw an estimate of the number of existing instruments by
category.  If all the listings were combined it might shed more light
on the rarity.  What a job that would be!

As long as AMICA is the subject, new members and existing members
will now get a free classified ad in the AMICA magazine during the
year.  I wish I could say that it will increase number of preserved
instruments, but I guess now its a matter of a limited number of
instruments that are changing hands.

Bill Chapman, AMICA Membership Secretary
2150 Hastings Ct, Santa Rosa, CA 95405
707-570-2258