I have discovered two more books at the library which may be of
interest to this group.

The first is "Making Musical Instruments by Hand" by Jay Havighurst
(Rockport Publishers, Inc.).  This beautifully photographed book gives
step-by-step instructions for making nine different instruments includ-
ing a splitwood shaker, thumb piano, eight-sided drum, didgeridoo
(aboriginal pipe-like instrument), whistle, flute, lyre, spike fiddle,
and zither.  The author also provides a picture gallery with distinct-
ive examples of these instruments which others around the world have
made.

While most of the instruments are made of wood, I was amused to learn
that the didgeridoo is made from PVC pipe!  So John Kleinbauer is not
the only one making musical instruments from PVC.

Even if you are not interested in making any of these instruments
yourself, this book is worth checking out just to see the woodworking
craftsmanship of the author, and to learn his techniques.

The second book is "Peepshows: A Visual History" by Richard Balzer
(Harry N. Abrams, Inc.).  The book gives a brief history of peepshows,
defined as "...a closed, or semi-closed, box having at least one viewing
hole through which a view is seen.  The box may or may not use mirrors
to create an illusion or redirect the viewing point."  The operator of
the peepshow could change the scene by pulling strings on the outside
of the box.

These were also called raree shows, dioramas, zograscopes, boites
d'optiques, lanternes magiques.  Peepshows were the forerunner of
Edison's hand-cranked Kinetescope and later, motion pictures.

"Peepshows" contains many engravings and illustrations from the 18th
and 19th centuries depicting the peepshow operators presenting their
shows to street audiences and at fairs.  This is significant because
peepshow operators, organ grinders, and other street musicians would
have been out there at the same time, competing for the same audiences.

It's a fascinating book which gives a contemporary look at the milieu
of street entertainers.

Joyce Brite
Player Piano and Mechanical Music Exchange
http://mmd.foxtail.com/Exchange/