Brian Chesters: You asked were they, Volumes 1 & 2 of "Guidebook of
Automatic Musical Instruments", in soft back cover, a forerunner to the
"Bible", the "Encyclopedia of Automatic Musical Instruments"?  In fact,
there was also a hardbound copy sold as well.

Before the book was printed there was an addendum to the price and
rarity indications that were included for each instrument in the book.
As Dave undoubtedly found out it would be a never-ending task to keep
the rarity scales and price guides up to date.  I assume that is why
the format changed when he produced his next book, which is commonly
referred to as 'The Bible', the "Encyclopedia of Automatic Musical
Instruments".

I am glad I purchased the original Guidebook as it is interesting to
review it and see how much things have changed, both in the number of
instruments known (then), which comprised the "rarity scale" and the
amount found in collections today.  The price scales, as we all know,
have risen astronomically; where very few were in the four-digit range
then, many are now approaching the seven-digit range.

An interesting note about the original Guidebook.  My wife and I were
married September 30, 1967, and were on our honeymoon at our summer
house in South Valley, in upstate New York.  As the Guidebook was
supposed to have been released, at that time, I suggested to my bride
that, being we were only an hour's ride from Vestal, New York, the home
of Harvey and Marion Roehl and their Vestal Press, wouldn't it be nice
if we could just go there and pick the Guidebook up in person.  I know
now most people would have had me committed to an institution, but it
really sounded like a good idea to "me" then; I have no idea what my
wife Kay was thinking about it :-)

Well, we did make that trip and, though Harvey was at work at the
college, Marion Roehl couldn't have been nicer to these two novices in
the field of automatic music.  She not only sold me the Encyclopedia
but offered me some seconds of other books they had for sale.  We left
there with arms full of books and the memories of their newly-built
music room and the collection and the tour of it that Marion gave us.
That trip provided us with memories lasting to this day.

Thank you, Marion, for that wonderful day and for your and Harvey's
friendship over the many years since.

Walter Kehoe