Dear Friends,  Picking up on an article I started several years ago,
I am going to work toward completion of an article for the MBSI
journal, "Mechanical Music", on the two largest-size cylinder music
boxes regularly made by Mermod Frères (Mermod Brothers) of St. Croix,
Switzerland.  These have 20.5 and 24 inch cylinders and seem to have
been introduced in the early 1890s (not listed in the 1889 catalog).
They use cylinders numbered in the 1050 series and 1200 series, plus
some custom cylinders bearing five-digit and six-digit numbers.

Most of those that I have studied over the years were with mechanisms
imported from Mermod Frères by Jacot & Son of Union Square, NYC, and
fitted into oak (a few mahogany) cases made locally.  I am aware of
two Manhattan firms who in the 1890s were expressly in the business
of making cases for music boxes (1893 and later it was economical to
import just the mechanisms from Mermod Frères and have the cases made
domestically; this resulted in a tax savings).  The 1893 exhibit of
Mermod Frères at the World's Colombian Exposition seems to be mainly
of European-made cases, per a photograph of it published at the time
(available to any MMD reader who asks).

Importation was exclusively through Jacot & Son, who then wholesaled
them to various American distributors, some of whom (such as Heeren
Brothers of Pittsburgh) issued catalogs under their own name.  Sales
continued into the early 20th century after which they were largely
replaced by Stella (1896) and Mira (1903), also made by Mermod.

What I desire is the following.  Credit will be given to those who help:

[1] Information concerning any boxes of these two sizes which you may
own or may have handled.  Cylinder numbers (stamped on the right end
of the cylinder flange) also.  If you have tune cards for any custom
cylinders with five-digit or six-digit numbers I would appreciate
receiving those as well.

[2] Your opinions and observations regarding these two sizes.  Any
estimates of rarity.  It has been suggested that 10 or 12 of the
24-inch size are known in American collections.

[3] Any photographs you may have of instruments.

[4] Any Mermod Frères sales literature or catalogs.  I have those
circa 1889, 1893, and 1895.  Any tune lists of cylinders.


I expect to complete this article within the next several weeks.
I very much appreciate any interest you may take.

Thank you very much!

Dave Bowers
Box 539, Wolfeboro Falls, NH 03896 USA
qdbarchive@metrocast.net.geentroep [delete ".geentroep" to reply]