Antique Mandoline Cylinder Musical Box c.1890 No.6398 8 Airs, 93 Teeth,
Listing: 1 x Mandoline inlaid cylinder musical box, with 8 airs and 93 teeth on a single comb. no.6398, circa 1890.
Condition: Used, antique condition. Manufactured in circa 1890, making this item around 136 years old. No original packaging, no instructions. This item can play the melodies, please see the listing video. To play the melodies, the musical box does need help starting. This is due to a couple of missing parts, or parts that need some TLC, alongside some oiling might be needed. There is a metal pole between the right levers and the main machine that is missing. The majority of examples we have seen have a wooden cover over the right sided area with two named switch areas, and this example does not have this. The lid hinges have been replaced and are not original. One of the front metal parts outside the box has been replaced, and is slightly bigger than the other one. No key for the lock. There is a handwritten list of the melodies, this has more recent pins holding it in place.
The item is as seen in the listing photos, there are no additional parts to be included.
There is surface wear, surface marks, metal wear, green patina on one metal lever. Overall, this is a good musical box example that has been shown to be capable of playing the melodies, it would need some restoring work to be used in the original working manner. As an example to collect or show, this piece would be ready to display.
Description: An antique Mandolin / Mandoline musical box.
8 airs = 8 melodies.
93 teeth = the number of individual teeth on the main music player that helps to play the melodies from the metal cylinder.
On the left-hand side is a hand crank to help start the musical box. This crank moves partially up, as part of the design, and is not designed to move all the way around.
The mandoline is protected by a glass display cover, inside the wooden box.
A beautiful example for mandolin and antique music box collectors and restorers.
The melody list:
1. Les Huguenots, Marches - Meyerbeer - 1836
2. Il Trovatore, Coro di Zaingari - Verdi - 1853
3. A Propos, Polka - Strauss - 1870s / 1880s
4. L'Extase, Valse - Arditi - 1867
5. Happy be the dreams - Thomas - 1850s / 1860s
6. The Last That Breathes of Thee - Balfe - 1850s / 1860s
7. Faust, Romance des Fleurs - Gounod - 1859
8. Le Barbier de Seville, Serenade - Rossini - 1816
Made from mahogany and boxwood wood, metal and glass.
Size –
Length: 57.5 cm Width: 23.5 cm Height: 13.5 cm
Weight: 10.6 kg, before postal packaging.
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