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Information and Price Guide

Information and price guide to antique music boxes. A music box or musical box is an automatic musical instrument in a box that produces musical notes by using a set of pins placed on a revolving cylinder or disc to pluck the tuned teeth (or lamellae) of a steel comb. They were developed from musical snuff boxes of the 18th century and called carillons à musique (French for “chimes of music”). Some of the more complex boxes also contain a tiny drum and/or bells in addition to the metal comb. Reference: Wikipedia

This category has information and price guides to many different kinds of music boxes, including novelty items, musical watches, clocks and furniture.

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Polyphon Comb music box
Posted inGlossary Information and Price Guide

Comb Music Boxes

Comb Music Boxes. Combs come in a variety of sizes and ranges of notes. A simple one octave diatonic comb can produce a wide range of tunes and chords. Reference:…
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French gold miniature fob music box
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Gold Music Boxes

Gold music boxes are some of the finest and even non-working ones can fetch high sums of money. They are often found in miniature forms and can be as small…
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European Silver Harp Music Box
Posted inInformation and Price Guide Novelty Music Boxes

Harp Music Boxes

Harp Music Boxes. Harp shaped music boxes are very collectible and make excellent gifts for musicians or for those who have just passed music exams. Below are some examples and…
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Posted inInformation and Price Guide, Novelty Music Boxes
Walnut Polyphon Music Box
Posted inGlossary Information and Price Guide

Walnut

Walnut is a hard wood with hues which range from light to dark. Various walnut trees are used in the production of objects but the most common are English walnut…
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Music Box with Automata
Posted inGlossary Information and Price Guide

French Music Boxes

French music boxes are usually of high quality and come in many shapes and sizes. Although the cases may be of French origin, the movements may be Swiss. Below are…
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Gilded Brass Musical Bird Cage
Posted inGlossary Information and Price Guide

Brass

Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc. It is a versatile metal making it useful in both musical movements and as a container in novelty music boxes. Although it…
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A RARE GOLD, ENAMEL AND PEARL SNUFF BOX WITH 'TEMPLE' AUTOMATON, MUSIC, WATCH AND VINAIGRETTE, SENÉ & NEISSER, GENEVA, 1807/1808
Posted inGlossary Information and Price Guide

Automaton Music Boxes

Automaton Music Boxes. Automatons have been around since the Hellenistic era  but they are more commonly recognized nowadays as toys which move to a defined pattern. However, automatons, or moving…
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Posted inGlossary, Information and Price Guide
An Ormolu Drum-shaped Music Box
Posted inGlossary Information and Price Guide

Ormolu Music Boxes

Ormolu Music Boxes. The manufacture of true ormolu employs a process known as mercury-gilding or fire-gilding, in which a solution of mercuric nitrate is applied to a piece of copper,…
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Rosewood Music Box by Galle
Posted inGlossary Information and Price Guide

Rosewood Music Boxes

Rosewood Music Boxes. Rosewood was often used in antique furniture, jewelry boxes, musical instruments and music boxes. Genuine rosewood is now a protected species due to over exploitation although antique…
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Inlaid music box, zither and bells in view
Posted inGlossary Information and Price Guide

Swiss Music Boxes

Swiss Music Boxes. For most of the 19th century, the bulk of music box production was concentrated in Switzerland, building upon a strong watchmaking tradition. The first music box factory…
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Posted inGlossary, Information and Price Guide
George Baker & Co Music Box Maker's Mark
Posted inInformation and Price Guide Music Box Makers

George Baker & Co

George Baker and Company were one of the leading makers of larger music boxes in Switzerland. In 1874 the company merged with Samuel Troll to become G. Baker-Troll & Co.…
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Posted inInformation and Price Guide, Music Box Makers
ANTIQUE CELLULOID PHOTO ALBUM MUSIC BOX
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Music Box Photograph Albums

Music Box Photograph Albums. A photographic album, or photo album, is a series of photographic prints collected by an individual person or family in the form of a book. Victorian…
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Welcome to Antique Music Box Info. We have information and price guides to all kinds of music boxes including musical snuff boxes and other novelty boxes.

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