--- forwarded message, please reply to sender and MMD ---

 From: aw090@chebucto.ns.ca (Anna Barron)
 To: rollreq@foxtail.com
 Date: Fri, 9 Jan 1998 21:03:53 -0400

 Subject: need information

The address, mmd.foxtail.com, was given to me by a friend.  He thought
I may be able to find information about an item I have that may be a
music box at one time; I will describe it and if you can help me in
any way I would be grateful.

The glass dome 16" high sits on a mahogany oval base 14" long and
2-1/2" high; Victorian style.  The base has two protruding knobs and
a hole where there may have been a third.  These do nothing at this
time, but may have at one time been for music and motion.

Under the glass on the base is a papier-mache sea with a sailing
ship riding the waves.  The flags on the ship seem to be Spanish.
The land portion, about 1/2 the space of the base, is made of wood
and two houses, one with a tower.  They are painted shades of brown;
two windows have orange flags and one has a white flag hanging from
them.  There are small trees made from twigs and dried grass and green
paper, the trees also have an orange and a white flag attached.

At the top of the tower is a male figure, dark and dressed as a Moorish
and carrying a Scimitar.  The background is hand-painted on the inside
of the glass dome.  Blue sky, green sea, brown, rock cliffs, and two
small houses.  There is a fishing boat painted in the water with a
fisherman, with a spear of stick for moving the boat.

All of this is something that may have been added at a later point and
we have not lifted the papier-mache to look at the mechanics.  If you
have any idea about an item like this please send me as much inform-
ation as possible.  If you know of another address I can write to
please let me know.

With many thanks

Anna Barron

 [ Maybe the Moor, who brandishes the scimitar, is a threat to the
 [ fisherman.  This suggests that the origin is a Mediterranean
 [ country, perhaps Spain.  What do the flags signify?  Do the knobs
 [ move the figures of the Moor and the fisherman?  This description
 [ is intriguing!  -- Robbie