Ave Maria: Full Orchestral Antique Music Box

Full details here: https://www.vincentfreemanantiques.co... An outstanding exhibition quality and very rare full orchestral antique music box made by George Baker & Co in Geneva, Switzerland, c. 1890. This is a magnificent and very scarce machine. The musical movement features six individually engraved and coloured bells with beautiful musical and floral detaiuls; a skin drum with six beaters; a castanet with four beaters; and an eighteen note reed organ that can be disengaged and re-engaged at will. This reed organ feature was known at the time of manufacture as ‘Voix Celestes’ – literally, ‘celestial voices’. The movement also features four combs, two of which feature zither bars with decorative harp design controls; a tune selector allowing you to choose which tune to play; a speed control; a tune indicator emblazoned with the maker’s details; and an enormous double spring to power this complex machinery; The bells, drum, castanet, reed organ, and zither bars can all be engaged and disengaged at will. The music box plays twelve operatic and popular airs as detailed on the later replacement tunesheet: 1: Cavalleria Rusticana 2: Il Trovatore – Anvil Chorus 3: Tannhauser – Wagner 4: Faust – Soldiers Chorus 5: Barber of Seville 6: Mignon – Thomas 7: Ave Maria – Schubert 8: Wiener Waltz – Strauss 9: Faust up to date – Lutz 10: Mikado – Sullivan 11: Gondoliers – Sullivan 12: Tannhauser Bridal March The mechanical movement has recently been fully serviced to put it in excellent condition, and the sound is particularly fine for an organ box. Together with the superb selection of music, it makes this an extremely attractive music box. This is all housed within a large and exquisite quality case, veneered in walnut with inlaid brass string to the lid, front, and sides. The case is mounted on an ebonised wood plinth base and also features an interior dust lid with the original retailer’s label to its inner side. There are some small cracks to the outer veneer of the case, possibly due to the weight of the piece (it is very heavy). This excellent machine is museum quality, and a fantastic example of a full orchestral music box from the late Victoria era. Full details here: https://www.vincentfreemanantiques.co...