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MMD > Archives > July 1998 > 1998.07.02 > 05Prev  Next


Swiss 10-tune Music Box
By Jim Quashnock

I've just collected my first cylinder music box.  Needless to say,
I don't know much about them.  Hopefully someone out there can tell me
what I have (i.e., the date and if it is a good one).  Let me describe.

This is a Swiss made 10-tune box measuring 16 L x 6 3/4 W x 4 3/4" H.
The cylinder is 15.5 cm and approximately 4 cm in diameter.  There are
35 teeth on the comb.

You cannot select the tunes directly, best as I can tell.  It either
advances automatically, or you can turn a lever to "Repeat" to hear the
same one over again.

The box is finished in what appears to be simulated wood grain -- not
very good either.  I would say it's original as some of the fine
painting on the top is still visible.  This appears to be a collection
of leaves, a vase, and a trumpet.  The finish is really in pretty good
shape but a lot of the decorative paint is missing.

The mechanism runs great and sounds great.  The play card is mostly
there (a little missing on one edge).  The serial number (I assume) is
handwritten on the bottom of the card: 65477.  The tune names are hand
written, and therefore a little difficult to read since it is very
ornate script.  However, I interpret the tunes to be:

  The Gonoliero (Sullivan)
  Erminic (Takobowski)
  Black Eyes (Fahrbach)
  Sweet By and By (Webster)
  Le Lere, La Victorie (Ganne)
  Mocking Bird (Grobe)
  Maikado (Sullivan)
  Sweet Violets (Emmet)
  Banditer (Strauss)
  Gitana (Bucalossi)

Pardon me if I murdered any of the titles or composers.

Any information or advise would be appreciated (i.e., should I have
it professionally cleaned, or should I restore the finish?).  If
someone would even be bold enough to estimate a price I would also
appreciate.  This is going to look very nice next to the Regina I got
a few years ago.

Jim Quashnock


(Message sent Thu 2 Jul 1998, 21:05:33 GMT, from time zone GMT-0400.)

Key Words in Subject:  10-tune, Box, Music, Swiss

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