First, thanks Nancy for writing the first comprehensive tips in the MDD
on this important topic. I remember that Larry Karp wrote a story for
the MBSI News Bulletin of the horrors he experienced in shipping a
music box a couple of years ago.

I strongly support the concept of using air freight. So long as the
carton is properly packed, this is by far the least cumbersome and
usually the least expensive method of transport. I have been told that
all cartons should be able to sustain a weight of over 100 pounds,
assuming that the carton being shipped will be at the bottom of a
stack.

The primary concern I would have is the comb. Sometimes the shock of a
dropped carton can set off vibrations in the bed plate that could
damage the comb. For that reason, I support the practice of securing
the comb with screws to a suitable size wooden board that has side
flanges to protect the lead resonators. This is then wrapped in bubble
and packed firmly in the carton. The problem with this procedure is
that it assumes the customer can properly set up the comb(s), which may
be too much to ask for. The late George Worswick, a renowned restorer,
had the practice of completely disassembling every component, including
the entire governor. When one received such a package from George, they
could expect to spend several hours reassembling the entire "puzzle."
However, there was virtually no chance damage could be sustained by
such a procedure.

Thanks again for a thorough description of the procedures. I agree with
Jody. It would be good to have more conversation about musical boxes.
Especially during this bicentennial year to celebrate the patenting of
the musical tooth.

For those who are philatelists, the Swiss Postal Service has issued
four stamps commemorating the musical box bicentennial.  These stamps
are featured in a 48-page catalog that is available from the SPS.  It
also is available as part of three commemorative documents that were
available at the Musical Box Society annual meeting in Chicago last
Labor Day.  These documents include the stamp bicentennial catalog, a
48-page booklet featuring the instruments on exhibit in Chicago and two
articles written by Art Reblitz that document the history of mechanical
music machines made in the Chicago area and a tribute to Svoboda's
Nickelodeon Saloon.  All three documents are available to MBSI members
for $5 ppd.,  from:

     MBSI
     887 Orange Ave. E.
     St. Paul, MN 55106
     
Make checks payable to MBSI. Foreign orders, cost is $8 ppd.