If I recall correctly, the Malignon is the music box which has
cylinder pins of two differing lengths.  This was to provide
"expression", as the longer pins would lift the comb teeth higher to
accent those particular notes, just as a reproducing piano will strike
certain notes harder to make them louder.

Years ago, my late, dear friend Ruth Bornand told me of a customer who
had acquired such an instrument and thought there was something wrong
with the cylinder.  Some uneducated music box restorer worked it over.
What he did was to study the pins, probably under a microscope.  Then
he set up the cylinder on a lathe and ground all the long pins down to
the level of the short pins, thus totally destroying the point and
value of this prize, unique instrument.

Somehow the owner found out about the gaff, and asked Ruth B. for help.
To affect a cure would have been harder than setting up an original
music box.  The entire thing would have had to be laid out on paper,
arrangements figured out, the pins boiled out, new ones inserted and
cemented in for the short length, then ground to an even level, checked
for straightening, and thoroughly inspected.  Then somehow go through
the entire same routine for the longer pins, et cetera.  A monstrous
job, undoubtedly extremely nerve-wracking and time consuming, perhaps
impossible for contemporary workers.

This was tantamount to the young girl in today's news who was given
a heart and lung transplant from a donor with the wrong blood type.
We pray for that little girl, but I fear that for both the Malignon
and she, these were fatal blunders.

So, a dire warning to The Heritage Museum, and anyone else who ever
comes across such a wonderful gem.  It could just as readily be applied
to people in today's worldwide argument and concern:  Know and heed
the history of your subject!  Beware!

Lee Munsick
Appomattox County, Virginia