Dear MMDs,  The usual autumn auction in Chartres, on Sunday Dec 6th,
with 200 lots, went well, especially for mechanical music, phonos and
arcade machines.  (The auction was announced in MMDigest of Nov. 20th).

You will find the complete price list on the MMD web site, and the
catalogue in PDF format, thanks to Robbie Rhodes and Jody Kravitz,
at  http://www.mmdigest.com/Gallery/Auctions 

Prices are given at the hammer, in euros.  Add 18 per cent for the
premium.  1 euro = ca. 1.50 US dollar.

Mechanical music :

- A good "Boîte de gare" style musical box, coin-operated, with three
  dancing dolls (looking like 10 dolls, thanks to the mirrors!) and
  an automatic curtain, fetched 9000 euros.  Bought by a museum.

- A large piano melodico on feet, 73 notes, 3500 euros

- An interesting musical table distributing tokens, 2400 euros

- A good Triola zither, 1600 euros

- A Bruder portable organ, 25 keys, 8 tunes, 3500 euros

- A very good Charles Ullmann Qualite excelsior 12 tunes on a 33 cm
  cylinder, 1600 euros

The 26 keys Gavioli portable organ, and the large musical picture,
were unsold.  Otherwise, most of the items (cylinder and disc musical
boxes, novelties, etc.) were sold.

Automatas :

- A fine doll riding a horse, 8500 euros (estimate 4/6000)

- Vichy, a Spanish lady playing a guitar, in original carrying box,
  7800 euros

- A Lambert "bébé cage", 4800 euros

- A Lambert black smoker, 3800 euros

- An electrical Triboulet glass-striking lad, 3400 euros

- A Farkas spinet player, 1050 euros

- Decamps, a monkey coming out of a coconut, 900 euros

- A rare mechanical camel, 500 euros

The Vichy acrobat clown (featured on the catalogue cover) and several
other automatas were unsold, which is unusual in Chartres.

Arcade machines: Almost all of the 45 lots were sold, with highest
price (5000 euros) for a Rol a Top Walting USA, and 4700 euros for an
American "Aeroplan" machine for the French market.

Phonos: Most were sold, with special mention (2500 euros) for a very
complete cylinder machine, "Je chante haut et clair," with crystal
pavilion (repaired).

The next auction in May 2010.  It will be announced beginning of January
on the web site : http://www.musicamecanica.org/

Most kind regards to every one, and Seasons Greetings !

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