The recent passing of Laura Eakins inspired me to dig through piles of
old pictures and papers, many of which were on the subject of Paul and
Laura and their collection.

I was particularly interested in locating a picture of Laura taken in
1964 as she sat in my 1964 Ford USAC Stock Car.  We had raced at
Springfield, Illinois, the day before and for some time we had wanted
to visit the museum in Sikeston, Missouri.  Upon arriving at the
museum, we found it closed.  There was however, a gentleman in the War
Drum Restaurant parking lot, whom we asked if he knew were we could
find Paul Eakins.

He replied, "Oh, you don't want to talk to him.  He is a mean old so and
so!"  We were climbing back in the truck when he said, "I'm Paul
Eakins.  Come on in and look around."

That visit was the beginning of my collecting and love for music
machines that continues today.

Enough ancient history.  Among the pictures, etc., I found the list of
prices Eakins asked for some of the machines in 1970.  As it is five
pages long and contains prices of machines, rolls, arcade machines,
etc., I picked a few notable music machines for examples.  By then the
major organs were gone, with the exception of the Wurlitzer 157.

  Wurlitzer 157: $15,500
  Tangley calliope: $7,500
  Wurlitzer Caliola: $5,000
  Wurlitzer 105, pin roller: $3500
  Wurlitzer 105, roll: $5,000
  Wurlitzer 148: $6,500
  Artizan 61-key: $10,500
  Bacigalupi 20-key: $1,500
  Encore Banjo: $5,200
  Seeburg KT, flutes: $3,500
  Coinola C-2: $6,500
  Mills Violano, Double Violin: $5,000
  Mills Violano, Single Violin: $2,500
  Wurlitzer Fascinator: $7,500
  Cremona M: $5,000
  Seeburg H: $15,500
  Eakins Special: $10,500
  Eakins "Memory Lane" Special: $10,500.

I hope that some will find this information interesting.

Sincerely,
Jim Welty