Dear MMD friends,  Starting our 2010 calendar with the first of four
sales, this 21 April fine sale at Knightsbridge, London, with 146 lots,
is set to be one of the largest put forward.  Highlights include:

* The Grant Dixon and John Logie Baird experimental scanning disc,
as used in the Hastings tests (£400-700); a very rare Clown Juggler
musical automaton by Vichy (£3500-5500); the Buffalo Bill musical
automaton, again by Vichy (£2500-3500); five other classic automatons;

* A fully untouched and original Mills Violano Virtuoso (£12,000-16,000);
a superb singing bird box selection to include no fewer than five fusee
boxes with a Rochat Frerés 1795 example expected to fetch at least
£80,000; huge quantity of singing bird box parts, castings and case
pressings (two lots bridging the £1000 mark); three gold musical fob
seals (from £1000); a highly erotic automaton hidden inside a musical
box casket (£3800-4200); three musical clock bases (from £250);

* A fine and early four-overture key-wind musical box by Lecoultre
& Falconnet (£3000-4000); a large selection of other cylinder boxes
including a Mermod Freres musical chalet with tantalus and humidor
(£3500-4500); one of the best 25-1/4-inch Symphonion upright disc
musical boxes on original bin to be seen on the market (£6000-9000)
and the only known complete Kimball & Morton Lion treadle sewing
machine (£20000-30000).

The online catalogue will be live from 12 noon Wednesday under the
sale number 17968 at www.bonhams.com.  If you would like a paperback
catalogue, please contact the hotline on 0044 (0)1666 502 200 quoting
17968.

Viewing starts at 11:00 a.m. on Sunday, 18 April, in the Brompton Room
at Knightsbridge. The remainder of our 2010 sales are 18 May and 7
December (Knowle) and 3 November (London).  Please contact me directly
if you have any questions.  I am here, as always, to help you.

With very best regards to you all -- keep those boxes playing and the
sun shining.

Laurence Fisher - Specialist Head, Mechanical Music and Technical Apparatus
Bonhams 1793 Ltd., 2 Relay Road, White City,
London W12 7SJ UK
Tel.: 0044 (0)8700 273 633