I’d like to inform MMD readers that Mr. Benjamin L. Conroy’s roll
collection will be auctioned on eBay in a series of ongoing sales
starting immediately.

Ragtime, boogie-woogie, and barrel-house piano fans might well remember
Mr. Conroy’s name, as he was a regular performer at ragtime festivals
throughout the country from the 1960’s through 1990’s.  Mr. Conroy is
best known for his piano duet performances with the late Charles Booty,
with whom he re-created the greatest and hottest recordings of the
incomparable Pete Johnson and Albert Ammons.

It was my personal pleasure to sit in with both Mr. Conroy and Mr.
Booty at a number of ragtime festivals those many years ago, as well as
at the now legendary piano parties held by our mutual friends Trebor
Jay Tichenor and Al Stricker, both members of the St. Louis Ragtimers.
Fond memories which last a lifetime!

Mr. Conroy has entrusted my wife, Amanda, and me with the sale of his
personal collection of player piano rolls, formed over a period
spanning a half century.  Included in this collection are many
priceless original jazz, blues, and ragtime piano rolls, as well as
recut rolls which were issued in very limited quantities many years ago
and are now virtually unobtainable.

Many of these rolls represent once-in-a-lifetime opportunities for
collectors to obtain items which are as rare as they are superb
musically.  Included in the collection are rare and outstanding
performances by Jelly Roll Morton, James Blythe, James P. Johnson,
Thomas "Fats" Waller, Clarence Johnson, Hersal Thomas, George W.
Thomas, Charles "Cow Cow" Davenport, and many others.  Rare ragtime
rolls will also be offered.

You may locate items from the Conroy collection by logging onto
eBay.com and searching for the seller-name handle MandyNMe.  Many items
have already been listed, with more to follow.  Full historical
documentation accompanies each roll listing.

Frank L. Himpsl
Valley Forge Music Roll Company
http://www.valleyforgemusicroll.com