Dear MMDs,  Yesterday (Dec 7th), the auction in Chartres (France) was
a success.  (The catalog with photos is visible on the MMD web site at
http://mmd.foxtail.com/Auctions/ )

Outside, the sunshine was cold and bright, 200 yards from the
magnificent gothic cathedral (Ah, these wonderful blue stained glass
windows ...), and in the fine old gothic chapel which is now for
decades the auction room, several hundred people enjoyed themselves
attending the auction.

They even all sang together : "Ah le petit vin blanc" (a traditional
song: "Ah this little white wine ..."), when a good modern portable
organ by Roulive was offered for auction and a book of music was
played.

Clients from USA, GB, Belgium, Portugal, etc., made a long journey and
seemed happy -- even if many didn't buy anything !

Now some results (the complete results will be posted soon on the MMD
web site).  (1 euro = ca 1.20 US dollar.  Add 15% premium).

- Magic and conjuror's artifacts :

Jean-Eugene Robert-Houdin is always in great demand.  A very rare
period photograph fetched 1500 euros, and a fine printed fan that
Robert-Houdin was usually giving to the ladies after his theatrical
performance, went up to 3700 euros.

- Automatas :

Documentation : The classical book by Chapuis et Droz, Les Automates,
Neuchatel 1949, 420 euros.

A fine conjuror by Lambert fetched 22,500 euros.

I liked very much a fine German toy of a boy and a girl following the
rhythm of the manivelle music with small bells; sold for 1250 euros.

A singing bird by Bontems on top of a fine chinaware flower pot,
4400 euros.

A smoking monkey by Decamps for 1700 euros.

- Mechanical music :

A good old print of "Oh you wicked Dragon", a rare "scene de genre"
picturing a soldier playing a serinette (bird organ) to influence
a young ironing girl in an attic. Sold to a museum for 260 euros.

A rare and very curious "movie" projector with built-in organette,
by Paya (Spain), 660 euros (cf. similar in MMD 23/3/2002,
description by Ch. Greinacher, and photos on
http://mmd.foxtail.com/Pictures/greinacherCineRai.html )

Several fine snuffboxes were sold for 900 euros (teeth by group of 3),
950 euros (a rare metal box with yellow transfer decoration) and 550
euros.  A good cylinder musical box base, teeth by groups of 2 (3 teeth
broken), ca 1815/1820, 2100 euros.

A small Limonaire Barrel Piano, end of XIXth c, with 3 cylinders,
2400 euros.

An interesting Orchestrelle Aeolian model "O", to restore, 2700 euros.

An Ariston organette, in its original travelling case stamped in black
"Ariston", 850 euros.

A good serinette by Welters, dated 1778,1500 euros (some restoration
to complete).

- Fairground art :

3 good wooden automatas for fairground organs, dirty but in original
condition, fetched 6800 euros for a pair, and 2100 euros for a
conductor.  So the "chef" was less expensive than his assistants!

- Phonographs :

A rare Lioret catalogue (1900), with a special print inside, for
1500 euros.

A Jumeau articulated Lioret doll (phonograph lacking), 1700 euros,
and another (with phonograph, but lacks to the body), 1600 euros.

A Peter Pan small travel phonograph, for 1700 euros.

A Zon-o-phone, 2400 euros.

A Edison Home cylinder phonograph, 1350 euros, and an Edison Standard,
1000 euros.

That's all, folks!  Next auction mid May 2004.

With best regards,

Philippe Rouille  (Paris, France)
http://www.musicamecanica.org/

 [ See http://mmd.foxtail.com/Auctions/Chartres0312/index.html
 [ and http://mmd.foxtail.com/Auctions/Chartres0312/0312paid.html
 [ -- Robbie