Restored 1862 Nicole Freres 12 Tune Swiss Cylinder Music Box Hear & See It Play

Restored 1862 N icole F reres 12 Tune Swiss Cylinder Music Box – Hear & See It Play

Up for sale is a beautiful recently restored Victorian era Swiss 12 tune 13” cylinder music box.  This music box is dated by its serial number(42221) to 1862.  The tune card with the box is original with the serial number of 42221 stamped on the card and bottom of the box.  The sound is bold and clear with the 12 tunes.

Hear it Play:

Click on the following YouTube link and it should come up in a separate tab.  If you are listening to the music box on your phone, you will need to hold your finger on the link for several seconds for it to open in another screen.  You can actually hear all 12 airs in the link.

YouTube Link for 12 airs:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jzgZscG1TM

To get the best sound effect, listen to the music on something other than your phone if possible.  A computer at minimum gives a decent feel for the base that a phone simply cannot reproduce. The videos of the music are actual and not modified in any way.  I have included many photographs and video to give you as much information as possible in order to make a well-informed decision.

Dimensions of the box and weight:  Please study these closely as this is not an ordinary “tinkly” music box.

Length:  22”

Depth: 7.25”

Height: 5.5”

Cylinder length:  13.25”

Weight:  20.5 pounds

Tunes:  12

Condition and Description:   I ran it through my shop and replaced any missing dampers, cleaned and made minor adjustments along with lubrication.  Speaking of dampers, I ended up replacing about 75% and just some very minor squeaking.  I did put a light French polish on the lid to bring out the beauty of the veneers.  I replace if needed or restore the finish with shellac by hand with pad as were the originals.  This box appears to have well cared for most of its life with no water damage noted.

It appears to have been restored about 50-60 years ago and a good job done at the time.  The box will play about 4 songs before needing winding.  This is one of the early “classic” boxes by a very renowned manufacturer of music boxes. This box has a solid brass bedplate and one of the first ratchet winding boxes that replaced the earlier key wound design. Nicole Freres is stamped in the brass bedplate and the comb.  No broken or replaced teeth.

YouTube link:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jzgZscG1TM

Lid: Has a nice very ornate detailed marquetry of a floral and bird motif with a rosewood background veneer with burl walnut in the edges and stringing.  The colors and beauty of the lid marquetry is simply stunning.  See photos.

Case:  The front of the case has a similar veneer pattern as the lid with rosewood veneer on all sides.  Very few music boxes had veneer on all sides.   More ornamentation was spent on this box.  Very beautiful!! The case sides have a very nice original grain pai.  Remember this is over 130 years.  Please see photos of all of these areas.

Tune card:  The tune card is an original Nicole Freres card with the serial number of 42221.  This matches the serial number on the bottom of the box.

Lock:  The music box contains its original lock and is functional with key and tassel.  I always warn the new owner to not over exercise the lock as it is over 160 years old.

Inner Glass Door:  This box contains original wavy glass in its dust protective lid.

Mechanism:

Bedplate:  Solid Brass!!  Only the early music boxes had solid brass bedplates.  Later boxes had a less expensive cast iron base that was painted either gold or silver.

Spring: This movement has the original spring that is strong, lubricated and in good condition.  Will play about 4 tunes on one winding.

Governor:  In excellent condition and is self-starting and needs no push to get started. (provided the spring is wound)

Jewel:  Original jewel in good condition.

Cylinder:  Polished and 13.25” in length. Has been lacquered to prevent tarnishing.

Comb:  All teeth and tips are in place and good condition.

Dampers:  In place and adjusted.

Geneva Stop:  In place and set correctly to prevent the spring from being completely overwound.

Control Levers on right of music box: 

Start / Stop lever:  Functions as it should.

Change / Repeat lever: Functions as it should

Please note that this music box is an original 160+ year old antique and is not perfect.  There are soft bumps and abrasions and slight changes in the wood that commiserate its age.  Please look at all photographs and videos.  To some, this makes the box more desirable and to others who wish perfection will be disappointed.

Please study all photographs and videos as they are an important part of the description.  

Shipping:

I am well versed in packing these boxes and pack as well as possible.  The box should survive the trip baring a total crush.  I will insure the box against damage that will allow the buyer to collect on any potential damage should it occur.  I allow a two-week return policy if not satisfied.  If you should return the music box, it must be insured and returned in the same packing and condition as it was when it was sent. I have sent these boxes worldwide and have not encountered damage to date.

Local Pick-up:  I would be more than happy for the buyer to pick up the music box in person to save on shipping.  If local pick up is the option you prefer, I will be glad to hold the box for you up to two months at no charge provided the box is paid for up front within three days of the sale.   I have a booth at the Collector’s Antique Mall in Asheboro, North Carolina.  Feel free to stop by and see it in person.

Some interesting facts about 19^th century music boxes

These 19^th century cylinder music boxes were truly a marvel and commanded high prices that only the wealthy could afford.  Music boxes could cost as much as a 40-acre farm at the time.  They were a wonderful form of home entertainment that were astonishing works of art and music.  Consider this, each cylinder contains several thousand precisely placed pins that pluck the teeth of the comb.  The tuned comb itself was tuned by ear from a master comb.  Additionally, consider all of the metal used in the box was milled by hand and the wood was cut and shaped by hand.  No electric light, no electric motor, no electric tools, no digital tuner was used in the making of this box! Truly a beautiful elegant box that entertains from a simpler by-gone era.  This box was meant to last generations—and it has!  Compare this to your modern phone or television.  All disposable!

Sadly, the cylinder music box fell victim to the disc playing music boxes of the mid to late 1890’s that could play many different tune discs. Up to several thousand disc tunes were available for some disc playing boxes.  The disc playing music boxes finally gave way to the cylinder and disc playing phonographs.  The last major music box companies were out of business by the end of WWI.  Over time most of these boxes were either disposed of or were ruined in basements or attics.  Particularly during the great depression.  These cylinder music boxes cannot tolerate hot temperatures.  Inside the pinned brass cylinder is a resin that keeps the pins of the cylinder in place.  The resin in these attic stored boxes would liquefy and fall to one side that would ruin the playing ability.  Please note that the resin of this cylinder was inspected and was still perfectly placed.

I am a member of the Musical Box Society International and have been an enthusiast since the 1970’s.  I have been tutored by Ms. Nancy Fratti and restore music boxes in my spare time.  I do enjoy these treasures although sometimes they make me want to pull my hair out.  It is fun thought!!