Bonhams 1793 : A rare Grand Format overture musical box, by Nicole Freres, circa 1862,

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3 May 2012 13:00 BST London, Knightsbridge
Mechanical Music
Back to auction 19798

A rare Grand Format overture musical box, by Nicole Freres,

circa 1862,
Ser. No. 39192,
Gam. No. 2117,
playing Barbier, Rossini; Flute Enchantée, Mozart; de Faust, Gounod; d'une nuit d'Ete, Kreutzer, with massive single-spring lever-wind motor, the stamped two-piece comb with brass screw washers on plain brass bedplate, in red stained interior under dustlid, fully inscribed gilt metal tunesheet inside the lid bordered by twin boxwood inlay, the case with veneers of coramandel upon which geometric tooled brass inlays and infils of figured birch to lid top and front, edges finished with further brass detail - 29in. (74cm) wide, the cylinder 16.3/4in. (42.5cm), the diameter 3.3/4in. (9.5cm)

Sold for £28,750 inc. premium

Footnotes

Condition: F II 2

This newly located Grand Format has been played little for some years.
The cosmetic issues are limited to the outside, with the interior untouched. The cylinder is dulled, but may not require a re-pin as the notation which is to be heard is outstanding.
Note the concentration on the descant instead of the main melody during the middle passage of the Magic Flute as a very good example.

Category: Collectibles / Mechanical Music

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