This is my first message to the Digest.  I am Michael Start from
London, a trained horologist and restorer of automata and singing
birds, not to mention the occasional clock.

When off duty I relax by playing on our Duo-Art upright piano, which
is something of a new area for me.  I recently managed to buy another
one, that requires restoration, but it has a good selection of rolls to
add to the collection.

I have only just realised that a lot of hard-to-get restoration items
-- such as seccotine and other animal glues, vellum, various leathers,
invisible document repair tapes etc. -- are obtainable off the shelf
from bookbinding suppliers.  I know these are rare shops in themselves,
but I never went into one until I needed to repair torn music rolls,
and saw all the other relevant restoration materials that I had to send
off for in the past.

I am currently looking for sources of information (journal articles,
book chapters etc.) about serinettes, particularly their historical
context, and would be grateful if anyone can tell me where to look.

The other thing I would dearly like to track down is a copy of the
1928 two-volume book 'Le Monde des Automates' by Chapuis and Gelis,
either to buy or a reference copy somewhere that I could have a look
at.

Enjoying the MMD immensely.

Michael Start

 [ Welcome aboard MMD, Michael.  MMDer Francoise Dussour of Mirecourt
 [ has written several times about the little bird organs.  Check for
 [ her name in the Authors section at http://mmd.foxtail.com/Archives/
 [ -- Robbie