Continental Music Boxes. Antique music boxes made on the continent of Europe come in many different shapes and sizes. Many are exquisite and of high quality including musical automatons and watches.
Below are some examples of Continental music boxes and automatons.
Musical box,ca. 1820 Swiss, Geneva When wound up, the bird turns and flutters its wings while music plays. These “singing bird” boxes were especially popular in the East.
Reference: The Metropolitan Museum of Art
A Continental music box automaton in the form of a lion tamer wearing a beaded costume and standing on a mat, the wooden base enclosing a music box. Costume distressed. height 35 in. by width 20 1/2 in. 89 cm by 52 cm
Sold for 42,000 USD at Sotheby’s in 2004
French. A good continental gold open face key wind musical quarter repeating pocket watch Date: Circa 1810 Movement: Gilt cylinder with plain brass 3-arm balance, repeating on 2 gongs, pinned disk for music with 29 individually screwed tynes Dial: Gilt, engine turned centre, black Roman numerals, outer minute track, blued steel Breguet style hands Case: Finely engraved with foliate design, reeded band and bezel, plunge pusher, music lever at 6, music silent lever to band at 9, No. 24667
Sold for £ 3,750 inc. premium at Bonham’s in 2019
A CONTINENTAL GILT-METAL AND ENAMEL SINGING BIRD-BOX CIRCA 1950/1960, MARKED EB IN OVAL The cover enamelled with Saleve, Mole and Lake Geneva, the bird with metal beak 4 1/8 in. (105 mm ) wide
Sold for GBP 2,000 at Christie’s in 2017
Continental Silver and Cloisonné Enamel Music Box Unmarked, early 20th century In the form of a piano, with movable music rack and fallboard, enameled keys, the underside fitted with a winding key, the case enameled throughout with varicolored flowers and scrolling foliage and set with cabochon gemstones at intervals. Height 3 1/2 inches (8.9 cm), width 5 1/2 inches (14 cm), length 6 inches (15.2 cm).
Sold for $5,625 (includes buyer’s premium) at Doyle New York in 2018
A Continental paint decorated giltwood miniature piano form music box and stool late 19th century Interior with gilt metal sewing implements (7). the piano height 6in (15cm); length 14 1/2in (37cm); depth 7 1/2in (19cm)
Sold for $450 at Andrew Jones Auctions in 2019
