Antique Swiss, Six-Air Rosewood Musical Box, circa 1890

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Antique Swiss, Six-Air Rosewood Musical Box, circa 1890

About the Item

This is a lovely antique Swiss 6 airs rosewood cylinder music box, circa 1890. The hinged marquetry lid opens to reveal a cylinder with a comb. The tune sheet with serial number 43847 was printed by Picard-Lion Geneve. The beautiful rosewood case is inlaid and crossbanded with kingwood and boxwood and decorated with a marquetry of musical instruments. The music box has got original pictorial music sheet inside which lists the following tunes: 1. Beautiful Adele 2. Pretty Lips Schottische - Coote 3. Stephanie Garotte - Czibulka 4. Nancy Lee - Adams 5. We are a mercy family - Adams 6. Wedding March Condition: In excellent working condition having been beautifully restored in our workshops, please see photos for confirmation. Dimensions in cm: Height 16 x Width 55 x Depth 25 Dimensions in inches: Height 6 inches x Width 1 foot, 10 inches x Depth 10 inches Music box (also musical box) is a 19th/20th century automatic musical instrument that produces sounds by the use of a set of pins placed on a revolving cylinder or disc so as to pluck the tuned teeth (or lamellae) of a steel comb. They were developed from musical snuff boxes of the 18th century and called carillons à musique. Some of the more complex boxes also have a tiny drum and/or small bells, in addition to the metal comb. For most of the 19th century, the bulk of music box production was concentrated in Switzerland, building upon a strong watchmaking tradition. The first music box factory was opened there in 1815 by Jérémie Recordon and Samuel Junod. There were also a few manufacturers in Bohemia and Germany. By the end of the 19th century, some of the European makers had opened factories in the United States. The cylinders were normally made of metal and powered by a spring. In some of the costlier models, the cylinders could be removed to change melodies, thanks to an invention by Paillard in 1862, which was perfected by Metert of Geneva in 1879.[citation needed] In some exceptional models, there were four springs, to provide continuous play for up to three hours. Rosewood is a rich warm reddish brown wood that has a distinct grain with dark brown and black outlining. One variety of Rosewood can vary significantly from another even though it is of the same species. These Rosewoods, native of India, South East Asia and Brazil, were dense and awkward to work with. It was renowned for quickly bluntening cutting tools and visibly darkening in colour when over prepared. The Brazilian species of Rosewood was by far the most beautifully figured and therefore it became the most sought after and rare. This was the wood of choice for the great box makers, David and Thomas Edwards who used it to veneer some of their finest pieces. Our reference: 05834

Dimensions:
Height: 6.3 in (16 cm)Width: 21.66 in (55 cm)Depth: 9.85 in (25 cm)
Place of Origin:
Switzerland
Period:
Late 19th Century
Date of Manufacture:
c.1890
Condition:
Seller Location:
London, GB
Reference Number:
Seller: 058341stDibs: LU95061970772