> My teacher says there is a myth about the first music box made.

In response to the inquiry about the first known music box, early
self-playing instruments go back to early Greek history and the
inventions of Hero of Alexandria and others.  The inventions included
water powered organs that produced music and evolved into many other
complex forms that expanded over time.

The modern musical box is generally believed to owe its invention and
beginning to Antoine Favre.  Favre invented a simplified movement with
a few teeth and small revolving cylinder, and a registration document
exists in the Swiss archives with a drawing of the piece dating from
1796.  It was a gold seal and played a song whose title translated from
the French was "Find me Good Tobacco".  The item was previously owned
by Guido Reuge and was purchased with the rest of his collection by
Japanese interests some years ago.

There also exists a silver cup dating from the 16th Century with a
musical movement purportedly from the same time period.  There are some
who question whether this silver cup and musical movement were made in
the same time frame.  The historical analysis of whether this movement
pre-dates Favre remains incomplete.

Hopefully this sheds some light on the story, myth and facts concerning
the origins of the first music box.

Kevin F. Kline