Why are music box movements so expensive?
Why are some boxes so expensive? We have music boxes that range from $30 – $10,000. After a few hundred dollars, the price tends to increase as you incorporate higher note movements (music). The bigger, better the mechanical movement inside the box, the more expensive it is.
When did Reuge SA buy the music box business?
Produced musical movements and music boxes until 1985, when it [the music box concern—not the rest] was bought by Reuge SA. Known for its modern cylinder movements, which are found in many popular collectors’ items, such as wooden boxes with revolving tops.
When did the Music Box Theatre first open?
History. The Music Box Theatre was designed by architect C. Howard Crane and constructed specifically to house Irving Berlin ‘s and Sam H. Harris ‘s Music Box Revue. It opened in 1921 and hosted a new musical production every year until 1925, when it presented its first play, Cradle Snatchers, starring Humphrey Bogart.
Where did Fred Zimbalist get his music box from?
3) Wooden, revolving music figures made by the Italian firm of Anri (here: http://www.anri.com/) using Thorens mechanisms. Some examples are found here: http://pinterest.com/102351/music-boxes/ 4) Particularly ornate music boxes commissioned and imported from India by Fred Zimbalist (a relative of Efram).
What kind of Music Box is Switzerland Thorens?
The music box works are marked Switzerland Thorens, see photos. When tilted 90 decrees, a brass ball swings inside releasing the mechanism which plays How Dry I Am that sounds like a symphony arrangement in a loud pleasing presentation.”
When did Reuge start making mechanical music boxes?
Since 1865, Reuge has delighted clients with high quality Swiss-made music boxes and other mechanical music treasures. Reuge has thrived by continuing to employ traditional hand-crafted Swiss artisanry coupled with modern innovation and superb client service.
Why did Guido Reuge create the music box?
Reuge expanded rapidly due to the great demand for their superbly crafted music boxes. Reuge is known as a pioneer of the mechanical music industry and became the first factory to acquire other competitors, as the demand for their music boxes was so high. Guido Reuge, was fascinated by the mechanical singing birds.
What’s the history of the music box mechanism?
Music box mechanisms have a long and thrilling history. Snuff boxes were fitted with tiny mechanisms to transform them into music boxes as early as the 18th century. Musical boxes differed dramatically since some music boxes were the size of a loaf of bread while others were the size of a dresser.
What kind of key is in a Swiss Music Box?
There is a Breguet-style ratchet winding key in the form of a lyre. In the 1940s allied troops purchased music boxes in Europe to take home as tokens of love. The music boxes fitted with Swiss musical movements were so enchanting and reliable that musical boxes from Switzerland were very much in demand.
