We all know about Swiss antique musical boxes, and some know that small
ones are still being made.  However, I was surprised to learn of what is
still being made under the Reuge label in good old St. Croix.  My trip to
Vienna went on SwissAir via Zurich, with a nice two-hour layover to
explore the airport shops.  The "Heimatswerk" (homeland works) shop had
quite a variety of brand new boxes for sale:

1. The usual tiny novelties, with maybe 17-note movements.  Never mind.

2. 40-note, two-tune boxes, about palm sized.  These are just as
nice as they have been for the last 40+ years, but nothing new.

3. 70-note boxes about the size of a cigar box, 2 or 3 tunes.  Some
in glass cases.  These can be had by mail order in the USA (as can the
others above).

4. Sublime Harmonie boxes with two combs and 3 tunes, somewhat larger
than (3).  These sound very warm full, and the arrangements are good.
These have a tune indicator dial, and cost around US$ 2500.  Antique
sublime harmonie boxes cost at least this much (though with more tunes).
Haven't seen these offered anywhere in the States.  I was impressed.

5. A box similar to (3) but with interchangeable cylinders (re'change)!
Includes a lower drawer for the other 4 cylinders, which are supplied as
part of the package.  I seem to recall about $5000 for this one.  I was
impressed that such a thing is still being produced.  The program
included opera, piano classics, light classics, and folk songs -- just
like the antique boxes.  Each cylinder had at least 4 or 5 tunes.

6. A box a little bigger than your hand, about 40-note, whose lid is
imprinted with the musical score of the single tune on the box.  Not just
the tune, but the *exact* score of what's set up on the cylinder.  I
thought this was so neat, I bought Schubert's "Trout" for just over
US$200.  They also had Beethoven's Minuet in G.

7. A nicely packaged version of the venerable Thorens "Edelweiss" small
disc box, about 30-40 notes.  I forget the price, but I've seen these in
US shops for $300 with a good set of discs.  I never liked the
uninteresting sound of these, but they play well.

8. A 70-note job with dancing ballerinas on top, etc. etc., and three
bells too.  I didn't hear this one play, but should have, to hear whether
"3-bell-nasties" have been improved.

General comments: Since most of these have at most 3 tunes, the teeth are
set very close together, and the fine teeth give a soft tone; much like
the early (1840's) antiques.  But one feature that would never be
mistaken for a Nicole Freres box is the spring and winding arrangement --
all these boxes use the same squat dome spring barrel on a vertical axis,
with the keywind out the bottom, as is used in the cheap little
movements.  The music pauses if you wind while it's playing.  Sort of
cheap, but only if you know about the original antiques.

So, music boxes are like crank organs and band organs -- they're not
extinct; it's just the big ones that aren't being made anymore.

BTW, the SwissAir audio program featured music from the various Swiss
cantons (states), and mentioned that the Jura Valley (where St Croix is)
was until recently part of Bern's canton; nothing was said about music
box making.  I thought it odd that the Jura wouldn't be merged with
Geneva, which is physically and culturally very close (and the original
capital of music boxes).

The tape announcer blamed the mismatch on the Congress of Vienna, which
in 1820 tried to put post-Napoleonic Europe back together again, and may
have wanted to mess up Switzerland on purpose.  But the usual story is
that the diplomats were too busy learning the new 3/4-time local dance
craze to pay much attention to their work.

Mike Knudsen