Music Box

An invention from the eighteenth century? I’ll be honest, my initial response was pretty vacant. No idea at all - but it’s definitely a challenge! Of course, with Blip, every day’s a school day - and thank goodness for the internet. 

But then, for some unknown reason, my thoughts turn to our very precious music box. Could this qualify, I wonder? Unsurprisingly, the ‘musical comb’ is not listed under great inventions of the C18th, but I find that it is generally accepted that it was invented by the swiss clockmaker Antoine Favre in 1796 and incorporated in watches, snuff-boxes and other objects. It just squeezes in by four years - and that’s good enough for me. 

Whilst Antoine Favre is credited with the invention of this mechanism, our box comes from the workshop of the great Nicole Freres, established two decades later, its comb’s teeth narrower and cylinder larger to allow for far more musical notes. 

The following link presents one of these boxes in outstanding condition, worth an astonishing $98,500. 
https://rauantiques.com/products/grand-format-cylinder-music-box-by-nicole-freres?variant=39494078955655
Sadly, ours is not ‘triple signed’ - the casing plaque having been removed at some time is its past - but both mechanism and comb bear the makers’ mark. Neither does it have the polished sheen of this one, and - if truth be told - it’s very temperamental when it comes to playing having been used to entertain the children over the years. Amazingly, it was purchased by G’s grandfather from Birkenhead market many years ago - because he thought it would look good on the Welsh dresser in the parlour. I’ve no idea what he paid for it, but he was certainly not a wealthy man. 

It now sits in our dining room, a decorative object, precious as a piece of family history. I’m sure we could have it restored to its former glory - at a price. But even then, no restoration would replace that missing plaque. When it is cajoled into playing, it’s quite magical - as the link below demonstrates. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-vM2qtEA5c

So there we have it. The inside of a music box with a metal comb invented in the eighteenth century - extras show the ‘signatures’ and marquetry design on the top of the cabinet. 

Thanks to Laurie54 for hosting such an interesting challenge - though I realise now having read the brief that a more creative interpretation was intended!