Regarding Mary Doerr's musical box, the maker is almost certain to
be Paillard of Saint Croix, Switzerland.  The number referred to is
called the serial number.  They were allocated sequentially as each
item was made.

Serial number 127745 is one of the highest so far recorded, according
to the Paillard dating chart produced by the late HAV Bulleid with whom
I had a close working relationship for many years.  In fact, his serial
numbers are firm and dateable up to about 119000, the year 1900.  After
that date the rate of production is unknown and dating is guesswork.

Paillard made thousands of small musical movements well into the early
1900s.  It is not known how many they made per year after that date
unless you have any supporting information that might indicate a date
of manufacture.  If you do, I would be pleased to have details.

CPC is almost certainly for C. Paillard (&) Cie, but the company name
changed in 1895 from C. Paillard to E. Paillard et Cie.  That makes it
a bit difficult to be precise about the date but then the CPC mark may
have lasted much longer after 1895.

Paul Bellamy