As it gets into the holiday season, my mailbox is increasingly stuffed
full of mail order catalogs. In today's batch, in the Hammacher
Schlemmer Christmas catalog, I came across an item that I thought would
give you folks a chuckle...it seems to cram every misconception about
mechanical music machines into a single object!

"Animated Victrola Music Box. This decorative music box plays an
assortment of 15 different holiday carols as a reel of punched paper
passes through the cogs and wheels of its player piano type musical
mechanism. The hand crank on its side rotates as the music plays,
giving a miniature mouse a ride while two more mice act as conductor
and audience. The scalloped horn displays intricate decals and has an
inquisitive mouse poised to go inside. Wood grain effect plastic
housing has two clear acrylic windows to watch the workings inside.
Plugs into household outlet...$129.95."

YIKES! Even forgetting the common mistake of calling an outside horn
gramophone a "Victrola"...this thing's a nightmare! The photo looks
like a cartoon version of an early McTammany-type organette with a
morning glory horn sticking out of the top. I'd love to talk to the
whiz-kid who came up with this creation...he obviously isn't aware of
the dangers of letting mice near a "player piano type musical
mechanism"!!!

Jim Canavan¶
CYBRFLASH@aol.com¶
Alexandria, VA