As an antique dealer and shop owner, I've been reading the thread
on antique store prices with some amusement.  I, too, am shocked at
the prices I often see on mechanical musical items as well as other
supposed rare items.  I know of no other field with perhaps as many
variables, and very little in the way of pricing guidelines prior to
eBay.  I generally do a percentage of what I paid for the markup,
excepting that all-too-rare "steal" which I come across.

Player pianos are especially treasured if they work at all, and wind-up
phonos and music boxes are almost always unrealistically marked.  I
think the term "market price" covers the situation.  I have known of
completely restored standard upright players selling for $17,000.00
here in Atlanta (not by me!), and I have bought cylinder boxes recently
for as little as $75.00, so it all makes for an interesting search.

I note with interest that specialty dealers generally have the most
realistic prices and that single item to an unknowing dealer can be
a real joke or a real bargain.  Just my observations.

Thanks, John McClure