A fine Swiss rosewood marquetry 8-air cylinder music box, LeCoultre circa 1860

Description

The mechanism

The brass mechanism is being driven by a spring barrel with a fixed winding handle and is numbered 14156. The 33-cm wide cylinder plays one of eight airs on a steel comb. There are three operating levers on the right side. The first handle can make the playing stop instantaneously. The second lever is for starting and stopping at the end of the melody. The back lever is for the repeating or changing of the melodies. With the engaging of this lever the music box will play all melodies in sequence and jump back to the first after having played the last melody.

The case

Both the lid and the front of the case are veneered with rosewood surrounded with crossbanded inlay. The lid has besides that also marquetry inlay of foliage and musical instruments.

The program

The tunesheet is made of engraved brass which is usually an indication of quality. This are the airs;

1. Die Vertrauten Walzer Labitzky
2. Il Trovatore Coro di Lingari Verdi
3. I Masnadieri Le Rubi gli Stupri Verdi
4. Dernière Pensée de Weber Weber
5. Il Trovatore Miserere Verdi
6. La Traviata Parigi O Cará Verdi
7. The Light of other Days Balfe
8. Martha The Last Rose Flotow