About six years ago, I attended an auction in Edinburgh which
included several musical boxes consigned by a Doctor Fraser.  I met
the vendor and got on well with him.  He told me that he sold all his
music boxes except the two best.  They were both by Nicole Freres;
one was a four-overture box and the other was an oratorio box of the
same quality and, best of all, both were forte piano.

We corresponded a little and yesterday I thought I would call him.
It transpires that, last January, he killed himself by walking into
a Scottish river.  He was in his 70s.  What a shock.

Apparently the boxes went to Shapes antique auction in Edinburgh at
the beginning of the year and were sold.  I watch auctions in the UK
but I missed these.  I wonder if they have been bought by a collector.

Brian Chesters