•Hi Les, there are no replacement rubber diaphragms for the plastic bellows. Even if one could rebuild them the air supply and pressure is not sufficient for the proper bird song operation. They were cheap in the first place. We rebuild the cage with a wood whistle and zephyr-skin bellows and requir...

•I have a singing bird box of unknown origin. Can you recommend me to someone to whom I can email a photo for identification and perhaps an estimate of value? I do wish to sell the item after I am sure of what it's worth. Thank you, Mark Rogge mmrogge@gmail.com.geentroep [delete ".geentroep" to repl...

•Eibert Draisma is looking for a source of whistles for bird boxes and bird cages. I believe brass whistles can be found only on old bird boxes and cages. Today, manufacturers are using plastic molded whistles which work quite well. They are made with an engineering plastic that retains its dimensio...

•Greetings. I am hoping to purchase a spare copy of Geoffrey Mayson's book entitled "Mechanical Singing-Bird Tabatieres", 256 pages, hardcover (and I would also pay for shipping of course). I am aware of the current eBay listings. Thank you in advance. Best regards, Dan Peterson (San Diego area) ...

•I just finished repairing the internal mechanics on a Charles Bruguier singing bird box; it was a 10-hour effort. There are only a handful of pictures in fairly expensive books detailing how these work, and no videos. I made a video demonstrating how the head turning bird works with a cutaway view ...

•Troy Duncan writes: > I just finished repairing the internal mechanics on a Charles > Bruguier singing bird box; ... I made a video ... Holy Cow! I didn't realize just how tiny this bird was until you picked it up half way through the video -- this is in the realm of watchmaker work! Nice video, th...

•[ Rick Inzero wrote in 130719 MMDigest: > Holy Cow! I didn't realize just how tiny this bird was until > you picked it up half way through the video! I was initially very hesitant with taking the bird totally apart due to the age, small size and complexity of the mechanism. However, I acquired this...

•Troy Duncan has done a good job on the head turning bird. I have had the same problem several times but usually excessive Evostick glue or similar was used, which is easier to clean off than Super Glue. I even had one bird filled with body filler and no mechanism. I have repaired many Bruguier boxe...

•Hello, I recently acquired an Eschle singing bird cage (1960s?). The birds move but the bellows has disintegrated. I believe it was made of rubber; has anyone a suggestion for replacement of the bellows? Also, would anyone be willing to provide a drawing or photo of what the bellows looks like as a...

•Dear Kathi, we do repair bird cages and bird boxes. You can find us listed under services in the MBSI Journal as The Musical Box Doctor. To restore your bellows, and even if we had one to send you, it would be very involved to replace it and make the final adjustments for the birdcage. You can call...

•I recently purchased a singing bird in brass-finished cage that was made about 1960. Everything works, however the bird is missing one of its feet. The foot is braided brass or metal of some sort. Can you recommend a source of parts that might be able to provide one to me? Thanks, Dave Gleason ...

•Dear Fellow MMD friends, I have a problem which, to me, is much more difficult than restoring piano pouches and valves! I have a vintage Karl Greisbaum singing bird in a brass cage. The mechanism (the part I would be most familiar with) works perfectly but the poor little bird has lost most of his ...

•"Colibri" or Hummingbird: a previously undocumented music box type! Well, "relatively undocumented", although no mention of this type of box has appeared in any published tome in the field of mechanical music. This exact box was the subject of an article, penned by the late Jack Tempest and printed...

•Regarding the Colibri musical box [171106 MMDigest], the comb screw washers are typical of Ami Rivenc musical boxes as is the tune sheet with the seated lion. I have a Rivenc Hymn Box on my web site that has a similar tune sheet. See http://antiquemusicbox.us/riven05.jpg and also see No. 45 in Mr. ...

•[ Ref. Mark Kinsler in 171207 MMDigest Hi Mark, You have been "gifted" for repair with a classic Karl Griesbaum whistler. If there is a flashlight type bulb in the lamp post, then there is likely to be a battery compartment in the wooden base, used to light that bulb. You can see demonstrations of ...

•Eleanor Sudler asks in the 19.12.27 MMD for someone to repair her beautiful singing bird in a brass cage. Moe Goldy, Port St. Lucie, Florida, used to be the go-to birdbox repairman. But Moe, born in 1929, died in 2018, sad to say. Don Caine is alive and well in Lomita, California, and has the skill...

•I had posed a question on the 170713 Mechanical Music Digest about information on the book, "Mechanical Singing-bird Tabatieres", by Geoffrey T. Mayson. It has been quite a while, but I thought I would send a note letting you know what has occurred in my quest. I am now the copyright holder for thi...

•Hello -- I have for sale an original Bruguier singing bird box. It is a very nice one, made in a silver gilded case with nice enamel on top and on the lid, engine-turned and engraved to all sides. It also has the original carrying case. The mechanism runs, the bird is singing. If interested, please...

•Hello, Here some singing birds at Carlo Bonte Auctions. One is never seen before -- nice and rare! https://www.carlobonte.be/auction-lot/a-charming-singing-bird-box-by-emile-brenk-with-g_C8048F6B62/ https://www.carlobonte.be/auction-lot/an-early-singing-bird-box-with-black-lacquer-and-_216478DA08/ ...

•For sale: A singing bird by Bontems, but this one with a clock! The clock makes the bird sing every hour. All in pristine condition ready to enjoy for another 100 years! Some technical details : - Butterfly pendulum with anchor escapement. - Clock running over 8 days - Strikes on bell every hour (f...