A very interesting 'Mandoline Piccolo-Zither Timbres' musical box, by Paillard,
circa 1880,
Ser. No. **7176
playing eight airs for the German market, with double-spring motor, two-section comb with the five-tooth bell comb to extreme-left on lever-select, the finely engraved bells arranged two-tier buffet with left and right trio groups having bee strikers flanking three plain ball hammers, the four top tier bells with cast bird crowns, coloured Magnenat-printed tunesheet behind glass in recess, flanked by twin smaller panels, the start/stop and change/repeat functions performed by push-button operation, mounted on large inscribed control board with indicator for start and stop, in imposing veneered cabinet in walnut and kingwood, details highlighted in ebony and boxwood, with good inlaid detail in mother-of-pearl, faux malichite and brass to lid and front, lid handle and side carrying handles, (dustlid missing) - 30in. (76cm) wide, the cylinder 11in. (28cm)
Ser. No. **7176
playing eight airs for the German market, with double-spring motor, two-section comb with the five-tooth bell comb to extreme-left on lever-select, the finely engraved bells arranged two-tier buffet with left and right trio groups having bee strikers flanking three plain ball hammers, the four top tier bells with cast bird crowns, coloured Magnenat-printed tunesheet behind glass in recess, flanked by twin smaller panels, the start/stop and change/repeat functions performed by push-button operation, mounted on large inscribed control board with indicator for start and stop, in imposing veneered cabinet in walnut and kingwood, details highlighted in ebony and boxwood, with good inlaid detail in mother-of-pearl, faux malichite and brass to lid and front, lid handle and side carrying handles, (dustlid missing) - 30in. (76cm) wide, the cylinder 11in. (28cm)
Sold for
£2,500
inc. premium
Footnotes
- This push-button operation feature has not been seen on any other musical box at the time of printing this catalogue.
It is clear when looked at carefully, this is a later feature - within a decade perhaps of manufacture - made by a very skilled person with a great depth of technical understanding.
Most modifications are seen as rushed and do not stand the test of time. This feature's quality is done well enough to make one wonder why more were not made.
Category: Collectibles / Mechanical Music
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Mechanical Music