Longtime mechanical music collector Tommy Protsman died April 7, 2000,
and was buried on Monday, April 10. Many of you have known Tommy
personally and/or have visited his collection (of mechanical musical
instruments, antique cars, and a large collection of brass items) at
the Stone Mountain Antique Car and Music Museum in Atlanta (Stone
Mountain), Georgia.
He and my father, John Bagley, were longtime friends. His wife,
Elizabeth, is still living. The museum has been managed for the last
few years by their only son, Bobby. While in graduate school in the
late 1960's, I restored several of his original nickelodeons.
He loved mechanical music and enjoyed seeing the eyes of adults and
children light up to the lively music of one of his instruments.
Many of us will carry a mental image of this energetic devotee to
nickelodeons, band organs, juke boxes and old cars!
Gary Bagley
Buford, GA
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