Dave Bowers will be the speaker at the Charles River Museum of Industry
and Innovation in Waltham, Mass., on Saturday, November 7.  That is the
Fall meeting of the Boston Area Chapter of AMICA.

Dave is not only the author of the "Encyclopedia of Automatic Musical
Instruments" and many other publications relevant to our hobby, a
monumental body of work in itself, but he is even better known for his
work in the field of numismatics as a business man, collector, expert,
and prolific writer.

Following the meeting, there will be a guided tour of the museum.  Here
are some of the kinds of objects displayed in the museum: textile
history, watch & clock, steam power, transportation, and marvelous
machines.

Some of the "Marvelous Machines" are a paper bag machine (1920), tack
machine (1890), Pearl printing press (1907), Victorian telephone
booth/switchboard, and a vintage machine shop with line shafting.

A 1919 Aeolian upright player piano was donated to the museum by the
Boston Area Chapter on September 10.  The "Museum Piano Project" was
carried out from purchase to final restoration by chapter members: Karl
Ellison, Bob Bowerman, Chris Christiansen, Bill Koenigsberg, Ken Volk,
Greg Volk, and Bob Hunt.  The piano is played by the staff for museum
visitors, who can view some of the workings of the piano by means of a
Plexiglas panel above the keyboard.

The November 7 meeting will begin promptly at 1:00 PM in the Stadium
Room.  (Allow extra time to get from the parking lot to the front
door.) Interested MMD readers are welcome.  Information and directions
to the museum may be found at http://www.crmi.org. 

Dorothy Bromage