Childs Swiss Hand Crank Music Toy

Object NameChilds Swiss Hand Crank Music Toy

Mediummetal, paper

Dimensions10 × 3 × 1 1/2 in. (25.4 × 7.6 × 3.8 cm)

ClassificationsMusical Instruments

Credit LineGift of Donald E. Larew to the Farm House Museum. In the Farm House Museum Collection, Farm House Museum, University Museums, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa.

Object numberUM2011.430

Status

Not on view

Collections

Household objects, Musical instruments and Tools

Label TextThis is a children’s music box. A popular toy throughout the 1860s to 1900 and judging by its shape was probably enjoyed as such for many years. This box is of Swiss origin due to the large word “SWISS” stamped into its case. This particular style was also known to have been made by dozens of small shops all over Switzerland. Music boxes of this size and sophistication were built by jewelers and watchmakers throughout the 19th century. Some were miniaturized versions of the larger cylinder type boxes but many others had individual teeth set at angles to be struck by a rotating wheel. The majority of these smaller children’s toys were spring wound but this version is a Manivelle type, which means it is a hand-cranked box with no internal spring. It is hard to determine when this piece was constructed but it bares a striking similarity to the most popular styles in circulation from 1895. This box plays two airs, but unfortunately the decal on the underside is far too deteriorated (no more than a slight representation of the original label remains) to tell what those airs would be. There is a good chance that this particular music box was acquired by a middle class family for a child, perhaps for Christmas, in the mid 1890s.