Musical box with pinned cylinder and automaton
Musical box with pinned cylinder and automaton
Switzerland, Geneve
The 1880s
Wood (walnut, birch, rose), bronze, brass, glass, paper, ivory; casting, veneering, intarsia, mechanical work
48 x 24 x 30 cm; cylinder 23.5 x 5.5 cm
On the label: HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE”, “DIEU ET MON DROIT”, “8 airs”, “Bells / Automata”, “meight / Automata”, “1. Rip Van Winkle. Valse / Naiw the Brilight. Blanquette.”, “2. The Fireman’s Polka. Polka des Pompiers. Macdona.”, “3. Les Brigans. Masurka. Offenbach.”, 4. Satience. The Soldiers of our Queen. Sullivan”, “ 46961/3372”, “5. H.M.S. Sinafore. No.7 Chorus of Sailers. Sullivan.”, “6. Carmen. No.17 Je vais danser en votre honneur”, “7. The Blue Bells of Scotland. Biset”, “8. Leichter Blut. Galop. Strauss”. On regulator: “GB & Co”
Musical box in wooden case, lined with walnut veneer, with a top opening lid with lock, with ornately shaped ivory pad onlay. The lid inner side is black, with label. The image of the Order of the Garter surrounded by a lion and a unicorn and ribbon with the motto “DIEU ET MON DROIT” (God and my right) is on the label. Cast bronze handles are on the lateral sides, two fastening elements of the chassis mechanism are on the front and rear sides. Wide stacked rosewood frames and thin birch veneered frames are on the case front and lateral sides. The internal glazed lid closes the musical movement. A niche with the drive connection and crank is on the left side, a niche with two levers for turning on the movement and the melody playback disconnection is on the right side.
The musical movement is mounted on cast ribbed golden color mounting plate and consists of a sound comb for 65 teeth, six bells and six poppy-shaped head beaters in the hands of three automata in oriental clothes, spring motor, cylinder for eight melodies and knob with red cabochon and engraving: “GB & Co”.
Bell-disconnecting lever is in front of the mounting plate on the left-hand side. While the melody sounds, the beaters in the hands of the figures alternately hit the bells, their heads move.
The box is made in Switzerland for the English market.
Инв.49/ММП