Antiques M.S. Rau | Swiss Tubular Bell Cylinder Music Box By F. Conchon

Crafted By The Celebrated Swiss Firm Of F. Conchon, This Cylinder Music Box Possesses A Crisp, Melodious Sound As It Plays One Of Ten Airs. The Piece Ingeniously Allows For Continuous Play By Means Of A Release Attached To One Of The Arbor Supports, While A Dial On The Left Indicates Which Air Is Currently Being Played. The Inclusion Of Twelve Tubular Bells Adds Depth And Richness To The Melodious Sound Produced By This Mechanical Music Masterpiece. Also, Thanks To A Pair Of Zithers, The Box Is Able To Achieve A Pizzicato, Or Plucked String Effect, Adding A Layer Of Diversity To The Box’S Overall Sound. An Incredible Effort Was Clearly Made To Reproduce Such Expressive Musical Nuances. A Very Similar Box Was Displayed By F. Conchon At The Swiss National Exhibition Of 1896 In Geneva.

Music Boxes Were At The Height Of Fashion In The Late 19Th Century, Serving As A Status Symbol For Gentry Throughout Europe. Switzerland Was The Birthplace Of Cylindrical Music Boxes And Home To All The Most Renowned Manufacturers, F. Conchon Among Them. Large Boxes With Bells Such As This One Produced The Richest Sound, Making Them The Most Desirable Both Then And Today.

Marked “F. Conchon” On Inside Label And Tune Selector

Circa 1895

12 1/2″ High X 28 3/4″ Wide X 15 1/2″ Deep