Last Sunday my wife and I visited the Musical Wonder House in Wiscasset,
Maine. It was well worth the visit. This museum has an outstanding
collection of all types of mechanical music. It contains several
reproducing pianos, numerous disc music boxes, even more cylinder music
boxes, musical clocks, musical toys and other unique music collectibles.
We saw and heard instruments that were previously only known from
books, such as a Regina disc music "drum" table, a station music box
with interchangeable cylinders (and it dispensed candy), the largest
interchangeable cylinder boxes I can recall, and a disc music box
that also plays organ and drums. After viewing and hearing a Lochman
Original disc music box, I now understand their popularity.
Paulo Carvalho is the collection's trustee and warmly welcomed us. Our
tour guide, Richard, gave us a customized tour, playing each instrument
we requested and explaining its history and characteristics. It is a
great collection and is presented very well.
If you travel, I recommend that you take the time to visit the Musical
Wonder House. If really is a large and special collection of unique
musical instruments, expertly restored, that make beautiful music.
Wayne Finger
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