Relative to the recent discussion about antique store prices, here is
a good one on eBay: the item is a "Rare Museum Quality 1885 Jacot's
Music Box".

Someone in a music box store told the owner, "This is a museum quality
music box and may well be one-of-a-kind by now.  Jacot and 3 sons
migrated to the US, and is was made here in the U.S.  The songs are
French or European."

She looked it up in a book and said that there were "originally 13,000
of them made and it has a value of $25,000-$30,000."  This person even
called all of her employees over to see it and told them to "take a
good look because they may never see another one like it."

I believe it may actually be one of a kind -- perhaps the only 8-inch
cylinder box in the world that is worth $25,000 -- and made by the
Jacot Brothers in the USA to boot.  Take a look at how the seller
carefully avoids taking responsibility for the 'appraisal'.  I
certainly hope none of the MMDers takes this as accurate.

Craig Smith

 [ The seller also stated, "We have not set the reserve anywhere
 [ near the value we were told it was worth, we want to sell it!"
 [
 [ I found the item by searching eBay "completed auctions".  See
 [
http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=403602419&ed=966283534
 [
 [ "On Aug-08-00 at 11:03:36 PDT, seller added the following information:
 [  This music box has a cylinder that measures about 2" across and
 [  is 8" long without counting the end pieces. The comb has 58 teeth,
 [  and I found the number "135 15" on one of the metal pieces.  This
 [  is the first antique music box I have ever listed, so I have tried
 [  to quote the owner's "expert" word-for-word.  I assume this expert
 [  gave my friend accurate information as she did not buy it from
 [  their shop."
 [
 [ -- Robbie