Theremin by Theremin : Restoration

Please read on and consider helping with restoration of a true piece of musical history (Thank You!), a 1929-30 Theremin... made by Leon Theremin.  This is not an RCA Theremin, which used a similar cabinet model.  I was fortunate enough to buy this at auction just outside of Asheville, NC.  After purchase I was able to seek additional information on the Theremin from Moog Music, headquartered in Asheville... I made their day and they made mine.  Streams of employees took turns putting their work aside to come look and take pictures.  
      
     Their pictures were circulated around social media and caught the attention of the guys at RCATheremin.com.  The site was created and is maintained by Mike Buffington and Andrew Baron, who are the only persons who have the experience and knowledge to apply appropriate conservation methods for the safe restoration and preservation of
these early machines.  They have reverse-engineered and recreated comprehensive physical and technical data for three of the several surviving instruments made by Theremin himself, so they know what they are doing.  They have also conducted research and provided repair service at notable museums such as the Musical Instrument Museum and The Franklin Institute, as well as for private collectors.

The guys at RCATheremin.com backtraced the pictures  taken at Moog to one of the employees who posted it and were able to contact me directly.   Since then, we have been in contact to discuss the ressurrection of this great instrument.  I say resurrection, b/c it is expected to work with minimal repair... Though that remains unsure at the time.  

Here's where all of you wonderful people come in at.  I wish only the best for this instrument and it's care.  So do the onlly two people on the planet who know what they are doing with it.  Unfortunately, one of them lives in New Mexico and the other in New York.  If they lived right here in town with me, this request might not be necessary.  However, I am extremely lucky enough to have the folks at Moog just downtown from me.  

We have been discussing cost since last May and trying to find ways to get this genuine artifact of musical history taken care of properly.  Including one member of the team travelling to be in person, while the other remains at home and particiopates via Skype or a similar media.  I have decided that to do this properly, I need to ask for help.

In order to pay the hourly rate (that these gentleman have agreed to reduce in consideration of the importance of the task), travel expenses, airfare, hotel and other exspenses that may arise (depending on the amount of work that needs to be done), I am asking for 3,000 dollars.  

This amount will cover the currently estimates costs for travel, restoration work and details specific to this surviving example, to augment the previously prepared technical data.  The latter will allow for repair/maintenance to be completed by engineers at Moog, should the necessity arise in the future.   Any funds donated to this project that exceed the final amount required, will be donated to the Mockingbird Foundation for music education with verification to be available upon request.

Ideally, the Moog Foundation & Moogseum  (not completed) in Asheville, NC would be allowed to showcase this Theremin during their special events.  After all, if it wasn't for the Theremin, Bob might never have been inspired to create the synthesizer.  Also, they are just great people there.  

Now that you've made it all the way down here, thanks again!  The following picture is of the placard locted inside of the rear cabinet doors, which can also be seen on this campaign's profile picture.