I think that many respondents to Kevin McElhone's posting have
completely missed the point of his remarks.  It is pretty obvious
that in the USA things are far better than in the UK.  Over on this
side of the Pond I think it is almost impossible for a dealer to make
a living selling mechanical music and associated rolls, etc., and
I concur completely with Kevin's remarks.

I have never been a dealer but instruments in my collection are now
almost worthless.  They were never meant as an investment.  I am
selling a barrel piano for less than half of what I paid for it 25
years ago, but the few younger viewers that have come to see it expect
it to sound like a Steinway.

Most collectors over here, like me, are pretty old and there is not
any interest in mechanical music from much of the younger generation --
a fact borne out, I think, with the closure of many auction houses,
mechanical music sales and closure or restricted hours of most of the
mechanical music museums.  Dealers with shops are almost non-existent.

One observation that I have made is that most collectors seem to
collect the things that were popular in their grandparents day and
for the younger generation that is electronic and not mechanical items.

Mike Nicholls