My collecting interests are similar to those of many friends here and
overseas: I started with phonographs (and gramophones) many years ago.

Records are an active interest, particularly the great personalities of
vaudeville and the British Music Hall, plus a representative collection
covering past operatic artists.  All aspects of mechanical music from
small music boxes to the Wurlitzer theater organ and Decap cafe organ;
juke boxes; and arcade coin machines including the most recent
acquisition, a Mills Panoram Soundies --  art deco delight!  Can't
afford to buy mint items so do my own restorations with the help of good
friends here and there.

A parallel interest is magic.  A sometime performing semi-professional
magician myself, I'm president of the local magic club and collect old
apparatus and posters.  I've seen items related to conjuring in many
American collections.  I think there's a common thread of fascination
with mechanical mysteries, reaching its height with the great automaton
figures such as those restored by magical expert John Gaughan.

Michael Woolf
New Zealand