A Truly Unique Invention: The Music Box

Music boxes have been around for quite a long time. No doubt you or a family member have one that the received as a gift or bought for decorative reasons. Music boxes are unique inventions, and the history of the music box is an interesting one.

The History of the Music Box

The music box originated in the 19th century. It was, as it is still now, an automatic musical instrument. A set of pins on a revolving disc or cylinder strike a steel comb inside, of which the teeth are tuned as produce the sound that results. Some boxes are more detailed than others, having small bells and a tiny drum in addition to the steel comb.

The precursor to the music box came from the 18th century, and was a musical form of the popular snuff box. Snuff boxes were items that gentlemen typically carried in their pockets. The subsequent music boxes could range from anything as small as a snuff box, to anything as large as a piece of furniture.

However, as time went on, the more common size of a music box became what is its today, which is a box that can easily be placed on a table. In 1815, the first music box shop was opened in Switzerland by Jérémie Recordon and Samuel Junod. Other shops also opened in places like Bohemia and Germany. Finally, at the end of the 19th century, some European manufacturers began to move to the United States with their factories.

Since that time, there have been many different kinds of music boxes that have been manufactured. They have been manufactured to commemorate various things, such as holidays, and classic movies. When it comes to the music that emanates from them, they have been known to be anything from classical pieces to famous movie themes.

These unique inventions can be found in many different places today, such as local specialty shops that sell greeting cards. If you are a tourist visiting a city, no doubt you will find one that you can buy as a remembrance of your trip.

When it comes to figuring out how much one of these might cost, there can be no real determination, as some are very simple, and some are very ornate. Indeed, music boxes are an excellent idea for those who are looking for an addition to their mantelpiece, or for a nostalgic gift.