A music box or musical box is an automatic musical instrument in a box which produces musical notes by using a set of pins placed on a revolving cylinder or disc to pluck the tuned teeth (or lamellae) of a steel comb. They were developed from musical snuff boxes of the 18th century and called carillons à musique (French for “chimes of music”). Some of the more complex boxes also contain a tiny drum and/or bells in addition to the metal comb. Reference: WikipediaMusical movements are sometimes incorporated into automatons.
Below are some examples and price guides of musical automatons including a Theatrical Puppet Opera and a Banjo Player by Gustave Vichy
A CONTINENTAL ENAMELED GOLD MUSICAL AUTOMATON AND TIMEPIECE CASKET
THE CASKET, 19TH CENTURY; THE AUTOMATON, CIRCA 1920
Rectangular case on four paw feet, chased with scrolling foliage and musical trophies, each panel set with an enamel plaque, on the cover Apollo and his lute, signed ‘L’ on the bottom right, the sides with musical instruments, the interior revealing on one side, a circular enamel panel featuring a lakeside view, with three vari-colour gold automaton figures of a putto, helped by his mother, dance to the music of a lute player, and on the other side a rectangular panel with an enamel dial with landscape view above in beaded oval frame, on an engine-turned ground enamelled in deep blue, with original key
4 1⁄4 in. (108 mm.) wide
Sold for GBP 27,500 at Christie’s in 2021
Jean-Pierre Camus Musical Automaton Theatrical Puppet Opera
With seven costumed figures, including the puppet master, winding key signed REUGE MUSIC; affixed brass tag plate signed Camus. Height overall 25 1/2 inches; width 21 1/2 inches, depth 19 1/4 inches.
Sold for $693 (includes buyer’s premium) at Doyle in 2021
Gustave Vichy
(French, 1839-1904)
Banjo Player Musical Automaton
circa 1895
signed with metal tag
paper mache head and hands, brown glass eyes with articulated leather eyelids, wiry black hair, carton torso
19 x 17 x 9 inches
The movement depicts the man turning his head from side-to-side, then blinking his eyes, teasingly sticks out his tongue and peacefully strums the banjo. As to signal that the performance is ended, he raises his strumming hand high in an elegant sweep and sticks out his full tongue to signal the finale.
Sold for US$5,500 at Fontaine’s Auction Gallery in 2022
A troika musical automaton of a painted wood horse-drawn sled, Russia, late 19th / early 20th century
realistically carved, on a painted wooden base, a moving troika with a driver and two passengers riding through a winter landscape, with bells chiming, the base hollow and fitted with wind up mechanism to set the troika in motion, with two keys and fitted cogs for activation
length 111.3 cm; 43⅝in.
Sold for 378 GBP at Sotheby’s in 2021
