Pair of musical boxes, XIX century.

Pair of musical boxes, XIX century.
Wood, brass, iron and gilt bronze.
In need of restoration and fine tuning.
Nicked combs, rollers with faults.
Measurements: 12 x 31 x 16.5 cm; 11 x 31 x 16 cm.
The modern music box was created in the 19th century. It works by means of rivets located in a rotating cylinder or disc, which produce the sound when touched by a metal brush. They were developed on the basis of a type of 18th century music box called "carillons á musique". Modern music boxes could be of any size, ranging from small enough to fit in a pocket to examples that took up the space of a piece of furniture. They were made by artisan watchmakers, and during the 19th century most of their production was concentrated in Switzerland. The first cases in the 18th century used metal discs, the system being changed to a cylinder after the Napoleonic wars.