Magic, the Gathering Game Offers Great Entertainment

Magic, the Gathering is a game that involves cards much like many card trading games of the past. The game is fun to play for kids and the cards are fun to collect, each card having a different character, different attributes and different points and abilities.The GameThe game itself is fairly basic but can get confusing when considering all the elements and characters and trying to add up points. Basically you have a deck of cards that contains different characters, monsters, magicians etc. each assigned a point value as well as other points for strength, magic and health. The game consists of pitting one deck of cards against another one at a time to get the best and then assume ownership of the card into your own deck. It has become quite a past time for all age groups and can provide hours of entertainment that isn’t computer related.Play OnlineFor novices and seasoned gamers alike, there is now the Magic, the Gathering online site that allows you to build a deck and battle other players right on your computer. Full of great tips and tricks and how-to guides, it has become as popular as the actual cards although you are only collecting them in cyber space rather than physically. Online allows for more people to get involved that might not have money to spend on cards and allows for greater playing freedom with a wider group of people. There are forums and events that one can spend their time perusing when they aren’t actually playing and a wealth of information on how to get the best of your opponents and create the best and fullest deck possible.Fantasy is appealingBased on fantasy characters, creatures and magic beings, the game appeals to all age groups for a variety of reasons. Collectors look for certain cards that by their specific attributes are the hardest cards to obtain as well as the most fantastic of creatures and magical beings. A coveted card can be worth trading for money or for several other lesser cards that might be needed to complete a deck. Fantasy has always been appealing and a good go to source for creators of games, especially in the card trading category and Magic, the Gathering does not disappoint in its fantasy appeal.A New Twist on an old FavoriteMagic, the Gathering is a new twist on an old favorite in games that involve cards and trading. The characters are fun and fantastic and the cards are colorful and collectible. Much like its predecessors, the game itself has quite a following and provides much to talk about, as well as hours of entertainment.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | Comments Off

Collecting Mechanical Music Boxes

The first mechanical music boxes would have been produced in the early 1800s. The early ones, known as cylinder boxes, played no more than four tunes. The cases would have been made from plain fruitwood or rosewood, with the control lever protruding through the side of the box. By the mid 19th century lever-operated cylinder boxes could play ten or more tunes and keep going for up to three hours before having to be rewound. The cases became more ornate, reflecting the the Victorian taste for French 18th century furniture.During most of the 19th century the mechanical music box industry was centered in Switzerland, mainly in Geneva and St Croix. The Nicole and Lecoultre families were the main producers and their mechanical music boxes were soldall over Europe and America. In London you could find mechanical music boxes in large music emporias with the pianos and other musical instruments. The tunes they played were often on a hand-written sheet insde the lid and they ranged from folk tunes to dance music. By the end of the 19th century mechanical music boxes were mass produced in cheap, transfer-printed cases, playing popular music hall songs. It didn’t stop there – the movements were sold to retailers who would fit them to manicure or sowing necessaires or other household items, such as chairs. Just try to imagine the chair playing a tune every time you sit on it.As much fun as mechanical music boxes might have been they did have their limitations. The problem with cylinder machines was the fact that you were limited to the tunes on the cylinder and the cylinder could not hold that many tunes. In the 1880s the first disc player was produced in Leipzig, Germany. The earliest commercially available disc machine was the Symphonion and Polyphon and it could play hundreds of tunes and there was a constant supply of new discs with the latest tunes. Some of these musical boxes were produced as pieces of furniture in beautiful walnut cases. Some were the precursors of jukeboxes, with penny slot attachments to be used in cafes and other public venues.Another version of the 19th century mechanical music box was the barrel organ. These were first seen in the 17th century when wooden barrels operated by a crank were first used in churches. Some of these were quite expensive, but there were also cheaper versions, such as the table top ‘Celestina’ organettes made by the Mechanical Orguinette Company. These were cheaply made and sold in vast quantities and played music punched onto paper rolls. With the onset of the early 20th century, the mechanical music box was overtaken by the phonograph and the gramophone and it is thought that only 5 – 10 per cent of all the music boxes made have survived to the present day.Even after the mechanical music box had been eclipsed by more modern equipment there remained a nostalgic appeal for them. During and after World War I they were sent to the hospitals to entertain wounded soldiers. If you are interested in collecting mechanical music boxes you should be able to find mid-range boxes in reasonable condition from £500, better quality ones would cost upwards of £1,000. If you are after a rare example you will have to pay serious money – the record for an early Nicole Freres is £62,000.A few tips if you want to become a collector. The maker’s name and the retailer can often be found on the tune sheet on the lid and on the comb. The sound of the box depends on the quality and condition of the movement. In cylinder machines, the larger the comb the more teeth it will have and the better the sound will be. In disc-playing musical boxes sound quality depends on disc size, larger discs produce better sound. Combs often become rusty or dirty and cleaning can bend pins or throw out the movement. Complete restoration is very expensive but usually worth it.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | Comments Off