Dear MMD friends:  I am seeking information and data from anyone
who has in their possession any cylinder music box marked "Malignon
à Genève" or "A. Malignon".  Usually the name A. Malignon will be
found stamped into the brass bedplate near the left rear corner,
visible from the top with lid raised.  There may also be a paper
program card tacked to the lid, and possibly also a second tune
list glued to the bottom of the box, on the sound board.

I would appreciate hearing from anyone who owns a music box so
described.  I would like to get as much detail as you can provide,
including length of cylinder, number of tunes played, any visible
markings, presence or absence of tune list(s), overall condition,
and if possible, how, when, where and from whom you acquired the box.
Please respond privately via email, remembering to omit the suffix
".geentroep."  If you can share photos of your Malignon music box,
all the better.

It appears that Alphonse Malignon did not actually manufacture any of
the music boxes bearing his name.  Instead, he apparently purchased
fine quality examples made by other music box makers whose workshops
were in close proximity to his high end jewelry store in Geneva, and
removed the true makers' labels, and replaced these with his own,
likewise punch stamping his name into the bedplate.  These other makers
included David Langdorff, David Lecoultre, and possibly B.A. Bremond.

Most examples I have seen were made by Lecoultre, or Henri Metert
working in the shops of David Langdorff.  In any case, all of these are
musically exceptional.  Thank you for any information you can share.

Reg Smith
Dahlonega, Georgia
musicboxer@windstream.net.geentroep [delete ".geentroep" to reply]