The manuscript of "The Encyclopedia of Disc Music Boxes" is
essentially complete.  Publisher Terry Smythe, of AMICA, is
formatting it.  There are 41 chapters comprising (at latest count)
278,337 words and 1,493 illustrations.

I have had great help from all over the world, including from
distinguished authors on the same subject such as Arthur W.J.G.
Ord-Hume and Kevin McElhone (who has written the foreword), not to
overlook dealers, collectors, and museums.

This is a non-profit project financed in part by Grand Patrons, who
will be credited in a special honor page in the front of the book.
If _you_ would like to donate $1,000 tax-deductible to AMICA for this
project or if you would like to be notified when the book is ready,
anticipated to be later this year, please e-mail Terry Smythe at
smythe@shaw.ca.geentroep [delete ".geentroep" to reply] and you will
receive an acknowledgement.

Without the wonderful help of the Grand Patrons a book of this size --
and hardbound, in color, and on fine paper -- would cost $200 or more.
We are aiming for a price well below $100!

That said, I am expanding my research into American organettes and also
building a representative collection of them.  If you have any catalogs
from Merritt Gally, Munroe Organ Reed Co., Mechanical Orguinette Co.,
James McTammany, or others (except Autophone, Massachusetts Organ Co.,
and American Automatic Organ Co.) I would love to hear from you!

For my own collection I desire to purchase nice quality original-finish
unrestored or restored organettes of these types:

 - Foot-pumped keyboardless Orchestrone, Aeolian, and other models;
 - Grand Roller Organ (32 notes),
 - Floor or console organettes.

Best wishes and thanks!

Dave Bowers
qdbarchive@metrocast.net.geentroep [delete ".geentroep" to reply]