Inlaid wood Top Cylinder music box #26239

Date1870-1890

Mediumwood, glass, metal

Dimensions17 3/4 × 9 × 7 in. (45.1 × 22.9 × 17.8 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 numberUM2011.433

Status

Not on view

Collections

Household objects, Musical instruments and Tools

Label TextThis cylinder type music box is what most people would identify as the archetypal music box. It has a single cylinder that is capable of playing eight airs. It is fully self-contained and has a crank wind lever instead of a key. To operate this music box one simply rotates the crank lever in the left most section of the music box case and moves the switch located opposite the crank from “Stop” to “Play”. This switch moves a lever that engages the music box to release the wound spring thereby turning the cylinder. There is another switch on the box that prevents or allows the cylinder to switch tunes. The cylinder in this box is of a stationary type; it was not designed to be removed. It is a brass cylinder with steel wire pins inset. These pins directly pluck the comb in the front of the music box. Multiple tunes are stored on this cylinder by allowing some of the pins to pass through the spaces between the 50 teeth on the comb. As the cylinder rotates, and a new airs is cued up, the cylinder shifts horizontally to align a new set of pins with the comb. This actuates the register lever touching the cylinder and displays the airs number. The case for this music box is made of a dark stained wood and has a sophisticated inlay pattern on its lid. The box also stands on four individual feet, which is slightly uncommon to see as many boxes had feet carved from the main case. This music box has a single piece comb attached to its baseboard by multiple screws. This, along with the number of teeth and quality of sound produced, dates the manufacturing somewhere between 1870 and 1890 —the height of cylinder type manufacture. Plays 8 songs: 1. Mrs. Angok 2. The Monastery's Bells 3. The Merry War, Waltz 4. Pretty Lips, Schottisch 5. Bric-a-brac, Polka 6. Dancing in the Barn 7. Sweet Sixteen, Waltz 8. Sweet Bye and Bye