How Did the End Come for the Cylinder Disc Driven Music Box?

The music box has a long and interesting history.types unique is that music results when the teeth
Long before collectors sought the dresser topof a tuned, steel comb vibrate when plucked by
music jewelry boxes, inlaid music boxes, and poptiny pins protruding from the cylinder. Many
up ballerina music boxes that are the popularcollectors today highly value these music boxes
today, the cylinder or disc driven music box wasand love to add then to their collections. Favorites
the entertainment in many homes in the 1800?s.include those manufactured during the 18th
These vintage music boxes, ranging in size, style,century by Lecoultre, Nicole Fre'res, and
and value are still sought today by manyDucommon- Girod.Making cylinder music boxes
collectors of automatic musical instruments.Davidwas quite the art until 1875. Many craftsmen
Le Coultre first created the cylinder music box inworked in their homes assembling various parts
Switzerland. around 1870, while Mermod Fre'resand then took them to factories to complete.Up
was the largest manufacturer of the cylinderuntil the Civil War, cylinder music boxes were
musical instruments in St Crox. Years later therather plain. Then, manufacturers began making
highly collectible disc driven music boxes were alsomore elaborate cases with brass, wood inlays,
made in France, Germany, Austria,tortoise shell, and mother of pearl.The years
Czechoslovakia, and other countries.While there1890-1914 marked the end of time for large
were numerous companies making music boxes,cylinder automatic musical instruments. In his
Mermod Fre'res, active during the 1800's was one"Encyclopedia of Automatic Musical Instruments",
of the few who manufactured both a cylinderQ. David Bowers states, "The disc-type box, as
music box and a disc driven automatic musicalmade by Polyphon, Symphonion, Regina, and
instrument. Two of the most popular ones by theothers, drove cylinder instruments from the
company were the "Stella" and "Mira", mademarketplace. Mermod Freres made fine, large
during the late 1890's, were made of oak incylinder instruments in the 1890's, but by 1900,
furniture styles popular in the states during thatWorld War I ended what was left of the cylinder
time.What makes the cylinder music box, inlaidmusic box industry.So ended the age of the
music boxes , and musical snuffboxes, and othercylinder, disc driven music box.