[ Ref. 100427 MMDigest, Orphan Cylinders for Mermod Freres Musical Box

Hi Lelland!  Interchangeable Ideal/Peerless series Mermod Cylinders are
easily identified by the 'hump' on the left end of the cylinder, in the
pinned area.  The 'hump', about 3/4" to 1" long, is in the pinned area
just beside the cylinder end cap, by the blank space.  The hump is the
activating mechanism for changing the tune.  No hump = not a Mermod.

The numbers identifying the Mermod cylinders are on the _drive plate,_
not the cylinder itself.  Many times the numbers will have some
letters under them which signify the type of tune arrangement, such as
SH (Sublime Harmony), G (Guitar), P (piccolo), etc.  This helps a lot
because when you find a Mermod cylinder of the right length, it might
not be the right format!  (For example, you can't play an 11" Guitar
cylinder on an 11" Sublime Harmony box -- it won't make sense.)
I hope yours are 'humped!'

There's a good source of cylinder numbers and tune titles on those
cylinders in the "Heeren Bros & Co." catalog.  I have reprints of it
for $12.50 + postage.  It's about 70 pages of pictures of boxes offered
for sale at the time (with prices), fix-it parts, cylinders and oiling
instructions.

Nancy Fratti - Nancy Fratti Music Boxes
Canastota, New York, USA
http://www.nancyfrattimusicboxes.com/