When I buy a collection of piano rolls for re-sale I always contact
my three local customers who are near enough to come and have a look
over them.  They might buy 5% to 10% between them, but I have not had
to type them onto the computer so have saved some time.

I then send the typed-up list to my 'regulars' and might sell another
20% of the total, and then I will send the list to all remaining people
on my address book who have bought rolls from me in the past and I might
sell another 10%.

This leaves me with 60% of the rolls, many of which are good QRS and
other lively rolls, as well as obscure makers, composers or titles but
there will still be 'gems' in amongst them.  Eventually all rolls will
sell except about 10% which will be in good playable condition, but
everyone who wants a copy already has one.

People collect different things -- some collect one particular make
(which often means they like one arranging style), others collect one
composer, or a genre of music.  I even have one customer who only
collects marches, and another who wants accompaniment rolls.

Here in UK I rarely come across rolls that need to be junked as we do
not have termite damage and the paper generally stays in good playable
condition as we do not have a dry climate which ruins the roll by
drying it out so it changes into 'confetti' like some USA-made rolls
I have imported in the last 20 years.

I also sell on eBay and via the postal roll auctions.  Often people
who have had my roll list buy in eBay because they missed seeing a
title or composer on the list as they did not know how to use their
system or it did not allow them to search the list; they are usually
suprised by this.

I have nearly 2,000 rolls currently listed for sale, both 88-note and
65-note, 99% are in playable condition.  If anyone is interested to
have a look at the list please ask for it by e-mail.  I do not expect
to be buying any more rolls in the future as I need the space for over
2,000 musical box discs.

Kevin McElhone
Northampton, England
http://www.mechanical-music.co.uk/