Cylinder Music Box, Nicole Frères Manufacture, Genève, Switzerland, 19th Century

Garibaldi's profile is an original decorative wooden object realized in Italy by Italian manufacture during the second half of the 19th century. Carved on wooden disc, bronze pati...

Bas Rilief with profile of Ferdinando IV Borbone, dressed as a Roman Emperor. Beginning of 19th century. Wax sculpture within circular hickory frame. Very fine piece belonging to ...

Garibaldi's Portrait is an original decorative bronze object realized by Italian manufacture during the end of the 19th century. This bea...

Pair of candleholder is an original decorative object realized at the end of the 19th century by French manufacture. The artwork has two arms in gilded bronze with a capital base ...

Nicole Frères. Mystique de Genève. A rare and wonderful music box which when wound will play six different wonderful calming and tranquil tunes. Set into...

Marquetry wooden music box by Nicole Frères Swiss, Late 19th Century Height 14cm, width 64cm, depth 19cm This elegant wooden music box is a fine example of 19th-century craftsmanshi...

A rare and spectacular grand format four overture cylinder music box made by the prestigious firm of Nicole Freres in Geneva, Switzerland in c. 1865. Musically sumptuous, visually st...

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...