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Musical Instruments For Sale
Recognized Seller Listings
PH Grand Piano PH150 Excellence, cognac leather with chrome, Modern, Sculptural
Located in Copenhagen, DK
- All prices are listed ex works. - 5 year guarantee. - We regularly crate, ship and install PH Pianos worldwide with full insurance. Please contact us for individual shipping quote and for any questions. The PH Grand Piano...
Category

2010s Danish Bauhaus Musical Instruments

Materials

Chrome, Aluminum

Philips & Medea 'Playbox' Record Player
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Philips & Medea, 'Playbox' record player, Italy 1974 Italy, 1974 Stunning 'Playbox' record player unit by Philips & Medea made in Italy in 1974. The solid construction is based on a...
Category

1970s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Musical Instruments

Materials

Aluminum

Hohner "C-Tenor" Concert Woodwind Instrument Germany, Circa 1950
Located in Incline Village, NV
Hohner C-Tenor "Koncert" wooden recorder; this circa 1950, made in Germany instrument is in excellent condition (appears to be unused); is made of pearwood. It is in three pieces con...
Category

1950s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Musical Instruments

Materials

Wood

PH Upright Piano, Cognac Color Leather with Chrome, Modern, Sculptural
Located in Copenhagen, DK
- All prices are listed ex works. - 5 year guarantee. - We regularly crate, ship and install PH Pianos worldwide with full insurance. For those who want a traditional acoustic upright piano with one of the most iconic design silhouettes, the PH Upright Piano...
Category

2010s Danish Bauhaus Musical Instruments

Materials

Chrome

Johan Rippen Grand Piano in Off-White Cast Aluminum
By Rippen Pianos
Located in Waalwijk, NL
J.J. Rippen for Rippen Pianofabriek N.V, grand piano, cast aluminum, wood, brass, The Netherlands, design 1946, production 1950s. This model is a renowned grand piano conceived by ...
Category

1940s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Musical Instruments

Materials

Aluminum, Brass

A small French music box, 19th c
Located in Stockholm, SE
A small music box where the top has a motive of Palais de l`Industrie in Paris. The building was built for the world exhibition that took place in Pa...
Category

Mid-19th Century French Antique Musical Instruments

Materials

Bone

Mario Bellini for Brionvega 'RR 130 Totem' Stereo System in Chipboard
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Mario Bellini for Brionvega, 'RR 130 Totem' radiogram, chipboard, plastic laminate, Italy, 1970 Postmodern stereo system designed by Mario Bellini (1935-) for Brionvega, Milan. The ...
Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Musical Instruments

Materials

Plastic

Arburo Orchestrion Organ By Bursens And Roels
By Arburo
Located in New Orleans, LA
Once a fixture in bustling dance halls, cafés and fairgrounds throughout Belgium and the Netherlands in early to mid-20th century, this incredibly rare, early Orchestrion organ is a masterpiece of automated music. Crafted by the Arburo firm run by Arthur Bursens and Gustav Roels, this mechanical marvel is essentially an entire band set within an elegantly constructed Art Deco cabinet. No two Orchestrions were ever created alike and each was made-to-order, one at a time. Each was crafted entirely by hand, even down to the paper music rolls...
Category

20th Century Belgian Art Deco Musical Instruments

Materials

Wood

PH180 Bow Grand Piano in Macassar Wood with Brass, Art-Case Piano
Located in Copenhagen, DK
- All prices are listed ex works. - 5 year guarantee. - We regularly crate, ship and install PH Pianos worldwide with full insurance. Inside and Out, A Masterful Work of Art This PH Bow Grand Piano Curated Edition is an exquisite instrument and sculptural art case piano, featuring Macassar Wood casing with a high gloss finish, with polished brass metal trim. Inside the beautiful case lies the highest-quality, hand-selected piano action. Design Legacy and Skilled Craftsmanship The iconic Danish designer Poul Henningsen designed the PH Bow Grand Piano in...
Category

2010s Danish Art Deco Musical Instruments

Materials

Brass

Antique Gothic Revival Harp by Erard
Located in London, GB
Antique Gothic Revival harp by Erard French, circa 1840 Measures: Height 178cm, width 54cm, depth 91cm Of typical form by the famed instrum...
Category

Early 19th Century French Gothic Revival Antique Musical Instruments

Materials

Brass

PH Bow Grand Piano in American Red Maple Burl with Brass, Modern, Sculptural
Located in Copenhagen, DK
- All prices are listed ex works. - 5 year guarantee. - We regularly crate, ship and install PH Pianos worldwide with full insurance. This gorgeous new PH Bow Grand Piano...
Category

2010s Danish Art Deco Musical Instruments

Materials

Brass

Claude Montal Exposition Universelle Piano
Located in New Orleans, LA
Crafted by renowned French artisan and author Claude Montal, this piano was presented at the famed Crystal Palace exhibition in London in 1851, where it ...
Category

19th Century French Antique Musical Instruments

Materials

Bronze

PH Grand Piano PH150 Excellence, Black Leather and Chrome, Modern, Sculptural
Located in Copenhagen, DK
- All prices are listed ex works. - 5 year guarantee. - We regularly crate, ship and install PH Pianos worldwide with full insurance. The Poul Henningsen designed PH Grand Piano PH150 Excellence...
Category

2010s Danish Bauhaus Musical Instruments

Materials

Chrome

100-Record Retro American Seeburg Select-O-Matic V-200 Jukebox
Located in London, GB
100-Record Retro American Seeburg Select-O-Matic V-200 Jukebox, American, c. 1955 Dimensions: Height 149cm, width 91cm, depth 68cm This stylish vinyl jukebox is a classic American Select-O-Matic V-200 by Seeburg. Inspired by car design, the coin operated jukebox features a distinctive metal exterior, with the front appearing almost like a car grill. The cabinet form features painted burgundy and turquoise accents, brass metal fixtures, shiny chrome trim, and a large glass dome. The mechanism features burgundy record rack side covers and strong 'High Fidelity' sound system. This revolutionary mechanism plays 45 RPM records vertically using two separate needles, allowing the jukebox to play both A and B sides of 100 different records without flipping. All the labels are displayed in a rotating title barrel, which includes great names including Billy Fury, Dusty Springfield...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Modern Musical Instruments

Materials

Chrome, Brass

PH Grand Piano PH150 Avantgarde, Black High Glass Wood with Chrome Lid
Located in Copenhagen, DK
- All prices are listed ex works. - 5 year guarantee. - We regularly crate, ship and install PH Pianos worldwide with full insurance. The PH grand piano Avant Grade...
Category

2010s Danish Bauhaus Musical Instruments

Materials

Chrome, Aluminum, Brass

PH Grand Piano Vintage Model 'mid 1930's' by Poul Henningsen, Modern, Sculptural
Located in Copenhagen, DK
This PH Grand Piano, from around the mid 1930's is an excellent-conditioned vintage instrument. It was in 1930 that this instrument was first designed b...
Category

1930s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Musical Instruments

Materials

Chrome

PH Grand Piano PH186 Excellence, Black Leather, Chrome, Modern, Sculptural
Located in Copenhagen, DK
- All prices are listed ex works. - 5 year guarantee. - We regularly crate, ship and install PH Pianos worldwide with full insurance. The Poul Henningsen-designed PH Grand Piano...
Category

2010s Danish Scandinavian Modern Musical Instruments

Materials

Chrome

PH Grand Piano PH186 Excellence, Red Leather and Chrome Lid, Modern, Sculptural
Located in Copenhagen, DK
- All prices are listed ex works. - 5 year guarantee. - We regularly crate, ship and install PH Pianos worldwide with full insurance. This PH Grand Piano...
Category

2010s Danish Bauhaus Musical Instruments

Materials

Chrome

PH Grand Piano PH170 Curated, Mineral Leather, White Oak and Burned Brass
Located in Copenhagen, DK
- All prices are listed ex works. - 5-year guarantee. - We regularly crate, ship, and install PH Pianos worldwide with full insurance. This spectacular PH Grand Piano Curated Edition is the first of its kind. It has been created in collaboration with Stevns Klint Experience, a UNESCO heritage site located an hour away from Copenhagen, Denmark. The materials and finishes of this piano have been completely customized to represent key elements of the Stevns Klint Experience geography. From the leather banding, to the type and finish of the wood, to the metal trimming on the case, this piano is very special. More than Just a Piano- Finishes with Symbolism The mineral-colored leather banding of this piano represents the Fish Clay found in the chalk cliffs of Stevns Klint. Fish Clay is the layer of gray clay which contains meteorite particulate, and is scientific proof of the collision 55 million years ago of a meteor with Earth, that ended almost all life including the dinosaurs. Hand-carved beautiful ash-wood frames the delicate and elegant transparent lid, and all metal trim has been done in a semi-matte oxidized brass finish called Burned Brass. All materials and finishes combine to create an extremely elegant, aesthetically stunning-yet approachable- piano. Stevns Klint Experience has provided four fossils from the site which have been set into the frame of the piano, making this instrument a true collector’s piece. Original Design, Unique Customization Designed by Poul Henningsen in 1930, the PH Grand Piano is an iconic design from Denmark that has captured the attention of art collectors everywhere. As a Curated Edition, this instrument is the first of its kind to use a piano action...
Category

2010s Danish Bauhaus Musical Instruments

Materials

Brass

PH Grand Piano Vintage Model '1935-1938' by Poul Henningsen, Modern, Sculptural
Located in Copenhagen, DK
This PH Grand Piano, serial number 4600, was manufactured between 1935 and 1938. It is an excellent-conditioned vintage instrument that has been careful...
Category

1930s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Musical Instruments

Materials

Chrome

Glass Ball Full-Range Stereo Speaker Set W. Travertine Base 'Customizable'
Located in Copenhagen, DK
With the Singularity speaker, the function takes on infinite value. we have built our design up from the most fundamental requirements of the product. Our clear sphere has captured the moment- and has augmented and empowered it- in a stunning work of art that delivers incredible, lucid sound. The Singularity speaker uses the most foundational materials and nothing else: stone, glass, wood, and the finest-quality full-range speaker driver all assembled and handcrafted in Sweden while designed in Denmark. We have encapsulated sound's vibrating air inside the crystal-clear sphere, making for a phenomenal sound that is both transparent and present. This configuration is for a pair of stereo floor...
Category

2010s Danish Scandinavian Modern Musical Instruments

Materials

Travertine, Quartz, Marble, Granite

PH Grand Piano PH159 Legacy, Black Woven Leather, Chrome
Located in Copenhagen, DK
- All prices are listed ex works. - 5-Year guarantee. - We regularly crate, ship, and install PH Pianos worldwide with full insurance. This very special PH Grand Piano...
Category

2010s Danish Bauhaus Musical Instruments

Materials

Chrome

Ph Grand Piano PH159 Legacy, Black Woven Leather, Oxidized Brass, Walnut Wood
Located in Copenhagen, DK
- All prices are listed ex works. - 5-year guarantee. - We regularly crate, ship, and install PH Pianos worldwide with full insurance. Designed by Poul Henningsen in 1930, this ...
Category

2010s Danish Bauhaus Musical Instruments

Materials

Chrome

PH Upright Piano, Cognac Leather with Brass Metal Parts, Modern, Sculptural
Located in Copenhagen, DK
- All prices are listed ex works. - 5 year guarantee. - We regularly crate, ship, and install PH Pianos worldwide with full insurance. An incredible design piece for all spaces. This new edition of the PH Upright Piano...
Category

2010s Danish Bauhaus Musical Instruments

Materials

Brass

Louis XV Kingwood Grand Piano
By Carl Bechstein
Located in New York, NY
French Louis XV-style ormolu mounted kingwood, tulipwood & parquetry grand piano (sgnd C.BECHSTEIN, numbered 20475 for the date 1888)
Category

19th Century French Antique Musical Instruments

Materials

Ormolu, Brass

Silver Fusée Singing Bird Box by Charles Bruguier
Located in New Orleans, LA
This extremely rare, early Swiss fusée singing bird box by the renowned Charles Bruguier combines exquisite artistry with outstanding mechanical cra...
Category

19th Century Swiss Other Antique Musical Instruments

Materials

Silver, Enamel

Glass Ball Full-Range Stereo Speaker with Built-In Subwoofer 'Customizable'
Located in Copenhagen, DK
This configuration is for a pair of stereo floor speakers with built-in subwoofer. Prices starts from € 7.950 / $ 8.450 Our audio evokes the beauty...
Category

2010s Danish Scandinavian Modern Musical Instruments

Materials

Quartz, Marble, Granite

PH Bow Grand Piano, Maple Birch with Brass Details
Located in Copenhagen, DK
- All prices are listed ex works. - 5 year guarantee. - We regularly crate, ship and install PH Pianos worldwide with full insurance. The PH Bow Grand Piano...
Category

2010s Danish Art Deco Musical Instruments

Materials

Brass

Parquetry Inlaid Piano by François Linke
Located in Brighton, West Sussex
An important gilt-bronze mounted parquetry inlaid piano a queue, by François Linke, the Movement by Erard.  Signed 'F.Linke' on the keyboard cover mold...
Category

19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Musical Instruments

Materials

Ormolu

Antique George III Period Square Piano by Beck
Located in London, GB
Antique George III period square piano by Beck English, 1788 Height 81cm, width 148cm, depth 52cm This elegant instrument is a square piano, a type popul...
Category

Late 18th Century English George III Antique Musical Instruments

Materials

Wood

Customizable Glass Ball Full-Range Pedestal Mono Speaker.
Located in Copenhagen, DK
This configuration is for a single mono floor speakers without built-in subwoofer. Prices starts from € 7.950 / $ 8.450 Our audio evokes the beauty...
Category

2010s Danish Scandinavian Modern Musical Instruments

Materials

Quartz, Marble, Granite

Rare Low Walnut Italian Baroque Period Cellist Lectern
Located in Montreal, QC
Rare Low Walnut Italian Baroque Period Cellist lectern.
Category

1750s Italian Baroque Antique Musical Instruments

Materials

Walnut

Mermod Fréres Station Cylinder Music Box
Located in New Orleans, LA
This exceptionally wonderful and rare automaton cylinder musical box by the Mermod Fréres firm of Sainte-Croix, Switzerland is a marvel of musical crafts...
Category

19th Century Swiss Other Antique Musical Instruments

Materials

Walnut

PH Grand Piano PH157 Legacy, Walnut Cognac Leather Brass, Modern, Sculptural
Located in Copenhagen, DK
- All prices are listed ex works. - 5-year guarantee. - We regularly crate, ship, and install PH Pianos worldwide with full insurance. In 1930, Poul Henningsen completely reimagined the world’s most popular musical instrument with his PH Grand Piano...
Category

2010s Danish Bauhaus Musical Instruments

Materials

Brass

Louis XVI Style GBaby Grand Piano by Gaveau à Paris
By Gaveau
Located in Brighton, West Sussex
A fine Louis XVI style gilt-bronze mounted baby grand Piano by Gaveau à Paris. Serial number 67874. This fine baby grand piano has a quarter-veneered top with a stiff leaf cas...
Category

1910s French Louis XVI Vintage Musical Instruments

Materials

Ormolu

Asprey, Pair of Antique Silver Plate Music Stands, Made Circa 1910
Located in London, London
Made in London circa 1910 by Asprey & Co. Ltd., this stylish pair of Antique Silver Plate Music Stands, are plain in design. Each music stand measures 13.5"(34 cm) tall, by 13.5"(34 ...
Category

1910s English Edwardian Vintage Musical Instruments

Materials

Silver Plate

English Victorian Inlaid Music Box
Located in New York, NY
English Victorian rectangular inlaid music box.  
Category

Late 19th Century British Victorian Antique Musical Instruments

Early 20th Century Western Apache Wooden Fiddle with Display Stand
By Amos Gustina
Located in Denver, CO
Custom Display Stand is included. This piece was created by the renowned Apache artist, Amos Gustina (1858-1945) commonly called an "Apache Fiddle," thi...
Category

Early 20th Century American Native American Musical Instruments

Materials

Other

PH Upright Piano, Natural Undyed Leather with Chrome Metal Parts and Wood Panels
Located in Copenhagen, DK
- All prices are listed ex works. - 5 year guarantee. - We regularly crate, ship, and install PH Pianos worldwide with full insurance. An incredible design piece for all spaces. This new edition of the PH Upright Piano...
Category

2010s Danish Bauhaus Musical Instruments

Materials

Chrome

Large Gilt Bronze Mounted Maple Harp by Pleyel, Wolff, Lyon and Cie
Located in London, GB
This fine antique harp dates from the second half of the 19th century and was made in France by Pleyel, Wolff, Lyon and Cie. The renowned Parisian firm ma...
Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Musical Instruments

Materials

Bronze, Ormolu

Swiss Gold and Enamel Musical Vinaigrette
Located in New Orleans, LA
A musical movement distinguishes this wonderful early 19th-century gold vinaigrette box. The vessel is covered in delicate engraving highlighted by bl...
Category

19th Century Swiss Neoclassical Antique Musical Instruments

Materials

Metal

Swiss Station Cylinder Music Box
Located in New Orleans, LA
Tiny dancers twirl to the melodious tunes produced by this Swiss station cylinder music box. The cylinder is joined by a drum and bells that give richness and depth to the wonderful music the box creates. Music boxes were at the height of fashion in the late 19th century and served as a status symbol for the European gentry. Switzerland was the birthplace of cylinder music boxes and home to the great majority of the most renowned manufacturers. This example, in its finely crafted English walnut case, boasts two combs, allowing the box to play in harmony for a richer, more complex song. This particular style, commonly referred to as a “station” or “showcase” box, was used to entertain guests in hotel lobbies, train stations and other similar public places, and as such would have been coin-operated. This example, however, does not accept coins. This, combined with its overall quality, complexity and beauty, indicates it was made for a private household of significant means. Today, these ingenious musical masterpieces are highly sought-after by collectors of musical automata...
Category

19th Century Swiss Other Antique Musical Instruments

Materials

Brass

French Musical Automation Picture Clock
Located in New Orleans, LA
This incredible work of art blends the beauty of a painting with the mechanical complexities of both a cylinder music box and an automaton. A clock is integrated within the arched giltwood and gesso frame, and, when activated, this painting quite literally comes alive. As the cylinder mechanism within plays its lovely tune, every character in the farrier's shop becomes animated – from the group of farrier's toiling away at the forge and anvil forming the horseshoes, to the wagging of the charming terrier's tale. This musical automaton picture clock is attributed to Xavier Tharin of Paris who was the preeminent creator of these fantastical "moving pictures", especially this particular scene. His process mixed oil painting and hand-colored lithograph images that were layered starting from the back and into the middle and foreground to craft the complex series of movements throughout the painting. A look inside this particular work reveals the complex mechanism (with the three gongs, pendulum and cylinder components immediately visible) which run the timepiece, the cylinder musical component, plus the multitude of moving elements in the painting -- a truly incredible feat considering the technical prowess to create just one of these devices. Musical picture clocks...
Category

Late 19th Century French Other Antique Musical Instruments

Materials

Wood, Giltwood, Paint

PH Bow Grand Piano in Maple Birch with Brass Details, Modern, Sculptural
Located in Copenhagen, DK
- All prices are listed ex works. - 5 year guarantee. - We regularly crate, ship and install PH Pianos worldwide with full insurance. The PH Bow Grand Piano...
Category

2010s Danish Art Deco Musical Instruments

Materials

Maple, Birch, Birdseye Maple

Mandolin Singing Bird Automaton Music Box
Located in New Orleans, LA
This exceptional singing bird cylinder music box is a wonder of Austrian mechanical ingenuity. Not only does it play a selection of classical airs with remarkable tone and clarity, but its lush sound is accompanied by a colorful, singing bird automaton...
Category

19th Century Austrian Other Antique Musical Instruments

Materials

Satinwood

PH Bow Grand Piano, Maple Birch with Brass Details, Modern, Sculptural
Located in Copenhagen, DK
- All prices are listed ex works. - 5 year guarantee. - We regularly crate, ship and install PH Pianos worldwide with full insurance. The PH Bow Grand Piano...
Category

2010s Danish Art Deco Musical Instruments

Materials

Brass

Polyphon Autochange Disk Music Box
Located in New Orleans, LA
As exceptionally scarce as it is fascinating, this autochange disk player by the Polyphon Musikwerke in Leipzig, Germany can change between six disks and play with the incredibly rare addition of bells that accompany the music. Before a coin is dropped into the slot, slide the brass indicator until it points to the desired music selection, insert a penny, and the chosen song will play automatically. An extremely limited number of these automatic disk changers were ever created, and even fewer have survived in such outstanding condition. Standing over seven feet tall, this particular model boasts a magnificent walnut case with handsome burl panels on its original, matching storage cabinet. A true technical marvel for its day, Polyphon’s automatic disk changer symbolizes pure ingenuity and superlative craftsmanship. This antique player...
Category

Late 19th Century German Other Antique Musical Instruments

Materials

Brass

PH Pianette, Cognac Color Leather, Wood Panels and Chromed Metal Parts
Located in Copenhagen, DK
- All prices are listed ex works. - 5 year guarantee. - We regularly crate, ship and install PH Pianos worldwide with full insurance. The PH Pianette ...
Category

2010s Danish Bauhaus Musical Instruments

Materials

Chrome

Horn Speaker
By Altec Lansing Corporation
Located in Sagaponack, NY
A multicellular galvanized outdoor horn speaker.
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Musical Instruments

Materials

Steel

Modernist Cello Case
Located in Sagaponack, NY
A unique cello case with cubist angles in its design.
Category

1950s American Art Deco Vintage Musical Instruments

Materials

Wood, Leather

Louis XVI Serinette in the Form of a Miniature Commode by Richard, Paris, 1775
Located in Brighton, West Sussex
A very rare Louis XVI period serinette or bird organ in the form of a transitional style gilt bronze mounted and marquetry inlaid miniature commode in the manner of gilbert, by Robert Richard, Paris. With a label for ' RICHARD - maitre facteur d’orgues et mécanicien / Rue de richelieu à la bibliothèque Du Roy / Paris 1775'. This rare Serinette or Bird Organ has a wooden cylinder barrel mounted by twelve pins and linked to twelve sound pipes. A crank attached to the front panel controls the bellows that activates the mechanism. The exceptional marquetry inlaid case is in the form of a gilt bronze mounted transitional style miniature commode. The top of the commode is inlaid with a landscape scene with buildings, opening to an interior with an allegory of Love Conquering All, represented by two doves perching on a bow and quiver. The front of the commode depicts two obelisks centred by a Fine musical trophy and each side is inlaid with panels depicting the Medici Vase. The back of the commode is decorated with floral marquetry. A closely related Serinette dating from circa 1770, also in the form of a miniature commode, with the marquetry case stamped by the master marqueteur Leonard Boudin, is in the collection of the Victoria & Albert Museum, London. The term serinette is derived from serine, French for finch. The instrument worked like a small barrel organ with a barbed cylinder, wind box and lead pipes and produced a high, thin sound in imitation of birds. Other versions included a merline, which copied blackbirds and a turlutaine, which copied curlews. Used to teach caged birds to sing tunes, different barrels could be inserted to train different birds. It first appeared in France circa 1730 and became a popular drawing-room toy for fashionable women. An interesting painting commissioned in 1751 for Louis XV by Jean-Baptiste-Siméon Chardin and now in the collection of the Louvre, depicts a refined lady seated in her salon playing a bird organ to encourage her bird to sing. Robert Richard Robert Richard was a Parisian organ and harpsichord maker and the mécanicien du roi to Louis XV and Louis XVI and was based in the Bibliothèque du Roi in rue de Richelieu. Initially working alongside the Cliquot family who acted as 'facteur d'orgue du Roi', he is recorded as building an organ for the church of Notre-Dame de Quebec, in Montreal in 1753 (destroyed in 1759) and as the inventor of a mechanical concert shown in an engraving by d'Eisen in 1769. Canon Jean Marie De La Corne described Robert Richard as : ''Le plus habile ouvrier de paris, fameux mechanitien et Homme de probité''. French, Dated 1775. Literature: Pierre Kjellberg, The French Furniture of the 17th century, The Editions of the Amateur, 2008 Count Francois de Salverte, Cabinetmakers of the 18th century, Editions of Art and History, 1934 Raymond Russell, Victoria and Albert Museum Catalogue of Musical Instruments, Volume I - Keyboard Instruments,(London, 1968; p. 69.) Elizabeth Miller...
Category

Mid-18th Century French Louis XVI Antique Musical Instruments

Materials

Wood

The Mills Double Deluxe Violano Virtuoso
Located in New Orleans, LA
One of only a handful ever made, this Double DeLuxe Violano Virtuoso, created by the Mills Novelty Company, is an extremely rare example of American musical automata, featuring not one, but two brilliantly tuned violins. Singled out by the U.S. government in 1909 as one of the eight greatest inventions of the decade when it was introduced at the Alaska Yukon Pacific Exposition, the Mills DeLuxe Violano-Virtuoso stands as one of the most important and incredible musical devices ever made. The “Double Mills,” as it was nicknamed, plays classical, operatic and popular music. It can play on a single or up to 15 nickels and has the ability to run for approximately an hour. It produces exceptional sound with a crisp tonal quality and melodious notes. Housed in a beautiful quarter-sawn oak case, each violin produces 64 notes and is accompanied by a 44-note piano. It is truly rare to find a historical musical mechanism so complete, with such remarkable sound quality and in excellent condition. This particular Violano has been updated with a digital player system that allows song selections to be made over a WiFi connection. This gives the user a choice between digital downloads or traditional paper rolls for added convenience. Perfected and patented in 1912 by Henry K. Sandell, the Violano-Virtuoso was produced in limited quantities until 1929 and could be found in the very finest restaurants, hotels and oceanliners. In fact, the Violano-Virtuoso was one of the few American-made mechanical musical devices to be distributed worldwide to the most exclusive international clientele. The below testimonial was sent to the Mills Company by the Governor of Idaho, aptly describing the incredible music produced by the Violano-Virtuoso. Dear Sir, Have just had the pleasure of listening to your wonderful Automatic Violin and Piano on exhibition at the Government Building here. This marvelous instrument certainly far surpasses anything that I have eve heard in automatic music. The tone and expression of the violin and the piano are so perfect and clear that is really hard to believe but that there is the human hand playing..." Indeed, for the price of a nickel, the Mills Violano...
Category

20th Century North American Art Deco Musical Instruments

Materials

Wood

Pierre-Paul Montagnac Modernist Piano
Located in Philadelphia, PA
French Modernist Art Deco piano and bench by Pierre-Paul Montagnac, a variant of the model used in one of the luxe apartments, the Caen, on the great French oceanliner Normandie in 1935. Created in rosewood and sycamore, and carefully and correctly restored, including the fine Erard (#127208) instrument. 56” wide x 60” deep. Documented in numerous sources, including the July 1935 issue of Art et Decoration. Pierre-Paul Montagnac (1883-1961) Born in Saint-Denis, France on 9 May 1883, Pierre-Paul Montagnac was equally talented as a fine artist and a decorative artist. He was educated in both disciplines, studying with Eugene Carriére as well as at the Académie de la Grande Chaumiére, both in Paris. His inaugural exhibition was at the 1912 Salons – and at the 1920 Salon d’Automne he received a traveling scholarship. In 1918 he began working in the firm of André Mare and from 1922 collaborated with Maurice Dufrene at La Maîtrise, the famous design studio of Galeries Lafayette. From 1921 he exhibited at the Salons of la Société des Artistes Décorateurs, Salon des Architectes Modernes, and internationally, in Barcelona and Leipzig. He designed suites on the grand French oceanliners, l’Atlantique, Normandie and Pasteur. At the 1925 Paris International Exposition his work was in a standout class. At the 1937 Exhibition he organized the pavillion of the Artistes Decorateurs and personally won a Grand Prix. For the New York Exhibition in 1938, he was a member of the international jury, organized the group of Decorators, and, as architect, organized the exhibitions of jewelry and perfumes. He became a member of the Society of Modern Architects and executed important and numerous architecture and decorating projects including the luxury apartments on the great French oceanliners l’Atlantique, Pasteur, and Normandie. Vice President and then President of the Societe des Artistes Decorateurs from 1930-1938, he was also President of the Salon d’Automne and Vice President of the Committee of the Exhibition of Arts and Embellishments of Life; member of the steering committee of C.T.I. and Artistic Property, member of the Board of Directors of the Central Union of Decorative Arts. He was also an Officer of the Legion of Honor and received the Cross of War. MONTAGNAC was the son of an engineer and he had a taste for geometry and science that predisposed him to the rigors of architectural laws. Multi-talented, he worked independently as a painter – who had paintings acquired by the French government – while also working in the related fields of architecture and decoration. His work included homes, apartments, galleries, luxury shops, banks and the aforesaid oceanliners. As a designer/decorater, Montagnac had the taste for quality, luxurious furniture, using precious woods, bronze extensions, ivory inlays, mother-of-pearl, metal and coral. He advocated for a resolutely modern style and, free of all pastiches, focused on beautiful cabinetry, the challenges of furniture design, particularly from 1940 to 1945, captured all his attention. The tireless activity of Montagnac, whose varied works are represented in official museums and residences, was also recognized from a professional and social point of view. He was a remarkable organizer, devoted to the cause of art, to the defense of the trade and his colleagues. It was Montagnac who, in 1939, with Anatole de Monzie, took the initiative to found the ENTRAIDE to Artists (which provides support to talented young French artists). MOBILIER ET DECORATION, September/October 1953 ERARD An illustrious piano manufacturer, Sebastien Erard began building superior harpsichords in Paris in the mid-1700s, produced pianos for the French Court, and received a multitude of patents, many of which are still in use in piano manufacturing. Erard pianos were marketed as the finest pianos in the world and were owned by Queen Victoria, Franz Liszt, Chopin, Verdi, Ravel, and Felix Mendelssohn among many others. They continued to enjoy international success well into the 20th century. They were known for their unique sound quality, similar to the American square grand piano...
Category

1930s French Art Deco Vintage Musical Instruments

Materials

Rosewood, Sycamore

Unusual Continental Bisque Porcelain Automaton Figure
Located in London, GB
Unusual bisque porcelain automaton figure Continental, circa 1900 Measures: Height 57cm, width 21cm, depth 21cm This unusual doll takes the form ...
Category

Early 1900s European Antique Musical Instruments

Materials

Porcelain, Fabric

Rare Gabonese African Harp
Located in New York, NY
A rare figurative harp from made by the Vuvi or Tsogo people of Gabon. It is an instrument traditionally played by young men and boys. These rare instruments are well known for their...
Category

20th Century Gabonese Musical Instruments

Materials

Wood

Regina Upright Music Box
By Regina Company
Located in New Orleans, LA
An extraordinary and rare coin-operated Regina Sublima upright music box crafted by the Regina music box company, one of the most recognized music bo...
Category

19th Century American Other Antique Musical Instruments

Materials

Oak

French Musical Automaton Picture Clock
Located in New Orleans, LA
One of the most amazing timepieces we have ever acquired that offers far more than meets the eye, this incredible work of art blends the beauty of a painting with the mechanical complexities of both a cylinder music box and an automaton. While it is clear to see the integrated clock residing within the arched giltwood and gesso frame, when activated, this painting quite literally comes alive. As the cylinder mechanism within plays its lovely tune, every character in the farrier's shop becomes animated – from the group of farrier's toiling away at the forge and anvil forming the horseshoes, to the wagging of the charming terrier's tale. This musical automaton picture clock is attributed to Xavier Tharin of Paris who was the preeminent creator of this fantastical "moving pictures", especially this particular farrier scene. His process mixed oil painting and hand-colored lithograph images that were layered starting from the back, middle and foreground to craft the complex series of movements throughout the painting. A look inside this particular work reveals the complex mechanism (with the three gongs, pendulum and cylinder components immediately visible) which must run the timepiece, the cylinder musical component plus the multitude of moving elements in the painting...a truly incredible feat considering the technical prowess to create just one of these devices. Musical picture clocks...
Category

19th Century French Other Antique Musical Instruments

Materials

Paint

19th Century Swiss Gold Musical Vinaigrette
Located in New Orleans, LA
This early 19th century Swiss gold vinaigrette has the charming addition of a musical mechanism. The entire box is crafted of 14-karat yellow gold envelo...
Category

19th Century Swiss Neoclassical Antique Musical Instruments

Materials

Gold, Enamel

Antique and Vintage Musical Instruments

Pay tribute to a history of rich and diverse musical traditions that have taken shape all over the world by decorating your home with a collection of antique and vintage musical instruments.

Whether you’re playing them or merely displaying them, vintage musical instruments, when cared for properly, can be a wonderful addition to any space. At between four and five feet in length, an elegant early-1900s Steinway & Sons baby grand piano will undoubtedly steal the show if you’re thinking of yielding some precious real estate to one of these American classics, but maybe you’re simply shopping for art to warm the bare walls of your new apartment or weekend home.

For your living room, maybe you’ve already hunted down portraits by Gered Mankowitz, a celebrated 1960s-era photographer who spent his life capturing iconic images of music’s biggest stars. If you’ve got more space to work with there — or perhaps you need some entertainment room ideas — consider positioning an old guitar as a focal point. If a room has no distinguishing architectural features, you could create a prominent focal point with trending paint colors, stylish shelving, an arrangement of flowers or by wall-mounting a spectacularly aging early-20th-century guitar or other stringed instrument.

Alternatively, much in the way that you might group a collection of artwork to hang salon-style, with a little help from strong hanging wire or some wall hooks, vintage brass instruments such as a gong, French horn or trumpet can help elevate a home office or complement the efforts you’ve made to ensure a welcoming vibe in your home’s entryway. Bells or antique wind instruments can add provocative metallic contrasts to dark woods as tabletop decorative objects. Think of them as eye-catching ornamental flourishes that you can bring to end tables in a common area, to the top of a desk or to a mid-century storage cabinet.

Bring culture and creativity into your space with decades-old plywood tabletop radios or musical instruments from all over the world — be they drums from Africa or harps from France. Even if you’re not exactly getting the band back together, we can promise that the range of antique and vintage instruments on 1stDibs can help strike a meaningful chord in your interior design plan.

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