People don't have to be rich or collectors of expensive items to belong
to either AMICA or MBSI (Musical Box Society, Intl.).  For many years
we collected mostly from the 50%-70% discount section of the local San
Francisco Music Box store.  I even had a special deal with lady who was
the manager at the time to sell me her seconds in movements.  (She has
since moved on to something else.)  We sought out and joined MBSI and
attended a wonderful meeting in Massachusetts coinciding with a
Skinner auction.  We didn't know enough to buy, but observed, asked
questions and learned.  We met some really terrific people.

While there we were invited to an AMICA meeting, even though we had
no reproducing piano, organ, etc.  Almost immediately upon returning
home from Massachusetts a friend nearly forced an upright Knabe Ampico
piano on us for only $100.  It cost more than that to move it.  Since
then we have become members of both groups, visited many collections,
both large and small, and have come to appreciate mechanical music.
I have now built several music boxes, turned one of our dining room
chairs into a musical chair, obtained about 350 piano rolls and two
roller organs.

We know people with no collection at all, but love the friendship
and enjoy the collections of others.  The membership fees in both
organizations are minimal compared to the friends we have made,
the education we have received, the music we now enjoy, and the
publications that we devour.  In MBSI there are many people with
collections of music boxes all under $20.  These are wonderful and
delightful.  No one that I know of has sneered at such a collection.
My wife and I may not be able to afford to buy a $10,000 or higher
Regina, Mira, Porter or Nicole Frere, but we can certainly enjoy them.

People from around the world continue to enjoy our modest collection.
We have entertained people from most of the former Soviet republics,
England, No. Ireland, Israel, Brazil, and most of the United States.
Recently we hosted the Lady Liberty chapter of AMICA.  No one
complained about either the food, the mechanical music, or the small
music boxes.  A famous composer from Ukraine visited us and was
fascinated with the Ampico piano.  He had seen one in a movie, but
never dreamed that he  would actually see and hear one personally.
He reveled when he heard Rachmaninoff actually play and followed every
key and hand action.

Both AMICA and MBSI are worth every penny of the membership fees.

Vincent Morgan, NY City