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Orchestral musical box

Large rectangular case of ebonised wood, veneered on front and sides, top and underside of lid with panels of burr walnut edged with a light wood stringing, crossbanded with tulipwood. Interior of case ebonised, the front section decorated with scrolling fretwork design, backed with modern yellow silk fabric. Double tandem barrels, wound by means of a detachable crank on left side of case, both barrels fitted with a Geneva stopwork mechanism and mounted on a common arbor. Speed governed by a worm-driven centrifugal fly on the left-hand side. Large cylinder, released by a thumb lever at each side, with three combs, the central one controlling the bells and drum. Four brass levers in front of combs engage and disengage the drum, bells and organ. Stop/start levers located on right-hand side. Twelve bells, with hammers in the form of enamelled metal butterflies and bees. Thirteen organ pipes and 22 reeds, activated by set of bellows below the metal bed plate. Glass cover, the frame veneered with burr walnut and pierced in each corner with decorative scrolling pattern. Six interchangeable cylinders, each playing eight tunes, detailed on tune-sheet attached to underside of lid and printed "B.A. Bremond, Manufacturer, Place des Alpes, Geneva, No.17912". Stand, on four carved cabriole legs with metal castors, also of ebonised wood veneered with panels of burr walnut, crossbanded with tulipwood and inlaid with a light wood stringing. Chamfered corners of stand and 'knees' of legs carved with scrolling acanthus decoration. Two drawers in centre front of stand, concealed by a flap, their fronts veneered with a pale bird's-eye maple, with compartments for five extra cylinders.

  • Date:
    c.1885–1890
  • Maker:
    Bremond, B. A. [Person]
  • Collection:
    National Museums Liverpool
  • Inventory number:
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  • Place of production:
    Switzerland
  • Culture:
  • Period:
  • Materials:
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  • Decorative elements:
  • Inscriptions:Stamp: "B.A. Bremond, Manufacturer, Geneva, No.17912" on brass tune-selection plate inside case
  • Hornbostel-Sachs category:
  • Repository:National Museums Liverpool
  • Measurements:Height 1150mm, width 1420mm, depth 740mm