Dear friends from all over the world,  Here is our brand new
"La SeriNET" recently issued in the AAIMM magazine No. 86,
published by l'Association des Amis des Instruments et de la
Musique Mécanique,  http://www.aaimm.org/ 

This time you will find a bit of this and a bit of that for your
pleasure of the discovery or re-discovery of a few instruments.
You can go to "La SeriNET" No. 86 in English at this address:

  http://www.aaimm.org/spip/spip.php?article899 

You must not miss the videos of the Guinness Collection's automatas
in the Morris Museum.  Here are a few examples of the famous French
builders such as Thereoude, Vichy and Phalibois.  Everything in the
videos are of great quality -- the sound, the close-ups, the various
angles -- without loosing the emotional effect!   Thanks to the
initiators.  Let's enjoy the Flautist by Theroude (1869-1877) at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TxrjpWGRXU
 

Another suggestion: the well-known Racca Piano Melodico of 73 notes
playing beautifully Chopin, Nocturne Opus 9 No. 2.  The comments
are interesting:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrectKth 

A last piano, little known, fully mechanical: the Stransky piano using
punched cardboard rolls: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dIYbYFiAEs
 

All comments are welcome!

All our best from France,
Jean Nimal