Two weeks ago I was able to buy a small cylinder music box with 14
interchangeable cylinders.  I asked the man who sold it about this box,
and in addition at least around 20 people here in Germany, but nobody
knows who made the box, when it was made and what it is called.
I could not find it in the Bowers' Encyclopedia nor anywhere else.

The wooden case is made from walnut, and it measures 175 mm by 110 mm
by 150 mm (breadth x height x depth).

Inside is a keywound movement, a 38-note comb.  Its scale is

  G  G  A  C  C  D  E  F  G  G  A  H  C  D  E  F  G  G G#
  A  A  H  H  C  C  C  D  D  E  E  E  F  F F#  G  G  G  A

The cylinders are made from thin iron and can be changed by drawing
them from the supporting cylinder arbor and taking them out of the case
through a small lid or door on the right side of the case.

I have 14 different cylinders for this box, and the melodies on these
cylinders indicate that they were made in or for a German speaking
country, and let me guess that they were made before or just around
1900.  The attached pictures show the box, outside and inside, and a
close-up view of one of the cylinders.

Is there anybody who knows something about this music box?  Who made
it, where and when?  I would appreciate all pieces of information.

Christian Greinacher
ba1437@fen.baynet.de
Sun, 21 Nov 99 21:06:50 +0200