Jonathan Holmes, in his post of May 3, 2006 on MMD, laments the news
that a sale of a Gavioli 110-key fairground organ in Great Britain is
about to be consummated to an American collector.  Mr. Holmes suggests
that such a sale is somehow either inappropriate, historically
damaging or in some manner unfair.

In my view Mr. Holmes views on the matter are misplaced.  Firstly,
Mr. Holmes suggests that removing the machine from Great Britain will
strip the machine from its historical context.  Simply stated these
large Gavioli 110 key machines were all manufactured in Paris, France,
and not in Great Britain.  While the machine may have been exported
to Great Britain and used there, the associated objects that may have
surrounded the machine as part of an amusement attraction have already
been disbursed to other collectors or been destroyed so it is unclear
what historical context Mr. Holmes is referring to.  In actuality,
Mr. Holmes is using this view to support his belief that governmental
intervention is an appropriate remedy to stop the trade and sale of
such machines when the existing legal framework of a country's export
restrictions do not allow the refusal of an export license.

In light of the world economy, the cost of acquiring and restoring
such machines and other factors, there are only a handful of people in
a financial position to purchase such an organ and restore and display
it in a such a manner as to bring credit to the object.

Mr. Holmes made a similar argument when efforts were made by Mr. Mark
Yaffe to export the 110 Gavioli from France.  After much litigation,
the French Government invoked its appraisal and acquisition rights under
French Export Law and acquired the object.  Today, to the best of this
writer's knowledge, the Gavioli 110-key fairground organ resides in the
French National Museum of Popular Traditions and Culture in Paris where
-- due to its size, number of pipes, lack of completion of restoration
and the size of the space in the museum where it is located -- the
object cannot or has not been played or shown to the public in any
manner other than as a static display.

Like it or not, the best place and situation for such machines is
in the hands of collectors who possess the space, resources and
willingness to restore and maintain these machines as well as the
kindness to share them with the members of such groups as the MBSI and
similar organizations.  Should this Gavioli be acquired by an American
collector I believe that collectors of mechanical music will receive
ample opportunity to view and enjoy such a machine.

Kevin F. Kline