Mechanical Music Digest  Archives
You Are Not Logged In Login/Get New Account
Please Log In. Accounts are free!
Logged In users are granted additional features including a more current version of the Archives and a simplified process for submitting articles.
Home Archives Calendar Gallery Store Links Info
MMD > Archives > April 1998 > 1998.04.07 > 17Prev  Next


"Treasures of Mechanical Music" & "Encyclopedia"
By Marty Roenigk

Art Reblitz is wondering about whether to, and how to, reprint/rewrite
Treasures of Mechanical Music.  As a collector I would dearly love to
see this reprinted, especially in an expanded format with more tracker
scales and more photos.  And I would gladly pay a fair price for it.

I regret to say, however, that I can't see how it would end up being a
money-making effort, and there are few of us who can afford to donate
much more than personal effort to this hobby.

I speak from experience.  The Bowers 'Encyclopedia of Automatic Musical
Instruments' was out of print, I think, for over two years.  This book
has a much broader appeal than "Treasures" since it covers music boxes,
pianos, organs, etc., admittedly not in the same way.

I figured there would be a strong market for the Encyclopedia, in fact
I had offered to reprint it myself before the Vestal Press was taken
over, just to get it back in print.  I purchased 500 copies to help the
reprint effort (and to get the lowest cost I could).  To my disappoint-
ment, even though we are selling this great 1000-page oversized
hardback book for $80 postpaid, which I believe is the lowest price
anywhere, we probably have only sold 50 of them in the first six or
eight months of sales.

When you get as specialized as Treasures, it will become a much smaller
market after the initial burst of enthusiasm.  I think the only thing
that might work would be a very limited edition, priced very high, to
get the most out of the very limited market.

Marty Roenigk
www.mechantiques.com
mroenigk@aol.com


(Message sent Wed 8 Apr 1998, 00:38:00 GMT, from time zone GMT-0400.)

Key Words in Subject:  Encyclopedia, Mechanical, Music, Treasures

Home    Archives    Calendar    Gallery    Store    Links    Info   


Enter text below to search the MMD Website with Google



CONTACT FORM: Click HERE to write to the editor, or to post a message about Mechanical Musical Instruments to the MMD

Unless otherwise noted, all opinions are those of the individual authors and may not represent those of the editors. Compilation copyright 1995-2024 by Jody Kravitz.

Please read our Republication Policy before copying information from or creating links to this web site.

Click HERE to contact the webmaster regarding problems with the website.

Please support publication of the MMD by donating online

Please Support Publication of the MMD with your Generous Donation

Pay via PayPal

No PayPal account required

                                     
Translate This Page