First a personal note.
This blog has been delayed as themusicboxman had a
knee replacement operation in March, 2017. And that is
a painful affair, with the pain, the doctors say, may
take a year to completely disappear. Throw in a back
thrown out, physical therapy, massage, daily exercises
and it fills the day. But I can walk again, drive
and move around.
knee replacement operation in March, 2017. And that is
a painful affair, with the pain, the doctors say, may
take a year to completely disappear. Throw in a back
thrown out, physical therapy, massage, daily exercises
and it fills the day. But I can walk again, drive
and move around.
But it certainly confronts one with the results of age
and thoughts about the future of the Collection.
and thoughts about the future of the Collection.
The collection really exists of 2 parts, Musical Toys,
approx. 10% of the Collection and Music Boxes, the main
part of the Collection.
approx. 10% of the Collection and Music Boxes, the main
part of the Collection.
It may be that later this year the Musical Toys will be
split off and go elsewhere, no certainty yet. There is
really very little growth in this part of the Collection,
as toys were mainly used by kids and relatively fewer
survived intact, compared to music boxes. In the normal
market of thrift stores, flea markets, estate- and garage
sales little of value is offered anymore. If you look at
the net there are certainly parties still offering
musical toys, but at high prices; the low and medium
market has disappeared. And it was never my intention to
‘ buy ‘ the Collection, the sport was to find items of
interest at affordable prices.
split off and go elsewhere, no certainty yet. There is
really very little growth in this part of the Collection,
as toys were mainly used by kids and relatively fewer
survived intact, compared to music boxes. In the normal
market of thrift stores, flea markets, estate- and garage
sales little of value is offered anymore. If you look at
the net there are certainly parties still offering
musical toys, but at high prices; the low and medium
market has disappeared. And it was never my intention to
‘ buy ‘ the Collection, the sport was to find items of
interest at affordable prices.
I follow the same idea for music boxes, but find that music
boxes that add to the collection still crop up in many
places at affordable prices. But mainly from the eighties
onward. Earlier music boxes are certainly harder to find
already. And it is also true that the quality of the items
generally is declining. One really has to check an item well
to see whether it is complete, the music working or at least
intact and only slight chips in not important places; and
whether a head, a wing or whatever has not been glued back
on. Some of those glue jobs I have been only able to
see under special light, it happens, they are destroyed.
It is one reason I practically do not buy from the internet
or small private collections or items offered to me. I really
want to check the item myself first.
boxes that add to the collection still crop up in many
places at affordable prices. But mainly from the eighties
onward. Earlier music boxes are certainly harder to find
already. And it is also true that the quality of the items
generally is declining. One really has to check an item well
to see whether it is complete, the music working or at least
intact and only slight chips in not important places; and
whether a head, a wing or whatever has not been glued back
on. Some of those glue jobs I have been only able to
see under special light, it happens, they are destroyed.
It is one reason I practically do not buy from the internet
or small private collections or items offered to me. I really
want to check the item myself first.
And please also consider that the end date for items in both
parts of the Collection is around 1990. So even the youngest
items are meanwhile over 25 years old!
parts of the Collection is around 1990. So even the youngest
items are meanwhile over 25 years old!
The best place for the Music Boxes Collection would be a
museum or a private Collector that wants a ready ‘ museum ‘
in one fell swoop.
If there are interested parties, museum or private investor,
i would appreciate to hear from them to assure the future of
this Music Boxes Collection.
museum or a private Collector that wants a ready ‘ museum ‘
in one fell swoop.
If there are interested parties, museum or private investor,
i would appreciate to hear from them to assure the future of
this Music Boxes Collection.
I wish all the readers of the Blog well!
Themusicboxman