To answer David Smalts' question [140519 MMDigest], the box is called
a "manivelle" (hand cranked). The two main styles were the round
"hockey puck" design, and the typical small square or rectangular box
style. They were inexpensive boxes, sold as children's toys.
Unfortunately, being in the hands of children, many of these were
cranked backwards which broke teeth in the comb. Some later date boxes
had a mechanism that could be back-wound with no damage to the comb.
The anchor on the comb on your mechanism tells us that yours was
made by Thorens, one of the most prolific makers of this type of box.
Sorry, I can't identify the tune.
Enjoy!
Nancy Fratti
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