A. J. A. Symons (1900-1941) will be known to most readers of this blog as the author of the first and only biography of Frederick Rolfe to catch the public's attention, The Quest for Corvo. Although Rolfe was a serious obsession from Symons it was not his only one by far. He was an accomplished and respected bibliophile, a connoisseur of fine wines and fine dining and, perhaps least known among his passions: a serious collector of musical boxes. This Pathe Newsreel film is from 1938, five years after the publication of The Quest and has Symons showing off his collection. Sadly he does not speak.
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