The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1885-11-20
The MODERN MUSIC BOX
Some Interesting Facts Not Generally
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Boxes
New York Mail and Express.l

New York Mail and Express,l
There are a good many facts about
music-boxes that the public are not aware
Of, >" remarked a dealer to reporter re-
Gently. In the first place, they were IN
vented 100 years ago and in Switzerland
They all come from that country, even at
the present time Why2 Because the
labor required to make them Is too costly
In this country The length of time
music box will play varies considerably.
They are furnished with one, two, or
four powerful springs, and viii play for
four, six, eight, fifteen twenty -flVe or
seventy-five minutes. according TO the
size of the box and the number OF springs
1t Is provided with As rule the works
are Enclosed in highly polished inlaid
cases of a variety of rich woods. 1hey
never require tuning, as many people sup
pose, but if the simple instructions
which accompany each box are followed
they will last lifetime, requiring. like
clock, only an occasional cleaning. here
are a number of cautions which should be
told to every one who owns music box.
Under no circumstances should 1t be
moved while it is playing. it should never
be allowed to remain run down in the
middle of tune; neither the tiy-wheel
nor any part of the movement should be
unscrewed unless it is certain that the in
strument has entirely run down.
what is new in the music box liner"
Several things One with interchange
able cylinders, for instance. Boxes with
only one cylinder play from one TO twelve
tunes but we have just introduced a class
of boxes with interchangeable cylinders
of six tunes each. BY means of these the
number of tunes to box may be increased
indefinitely We keep these cylinders in
stock and special tunes are often ordered
for them. Another new thing is the
Narcotics. a musical doll made in Paris.
1t is dolls head and shoulders attached
to stick in the shape of handle, and
the child by taking hold of the stick and
whirling it around in small circle,
makes the head move while the music
box inside plays tune The whole con
trivance is about foot long, and the dolls
have very pretty faces and are tastefully
dressed in red white and blue, Another
novelty is a cigar holder with places for
large number of cigars. 1t is turret-
shaped, with doors at each partition, and
as II moves around it plays tune. The
dolls cost 81 each. and the cigar-stands
from So. so upwards
What tunes do people prefer in the
boxes just now"
Light operatic music and popular
American airs. But there is no end to
the variety of tunes in them. Our boxes
are provided with all the favorite dances,
marches national airs, and ballads, as
well as with the best selections from the
most popular operas ballets, ETC.
What are some of the pricesf"
"You can buy music box for 80 cents,
and have sold one in this city for as
high as so, 000 But this was number
of years ago. Some are as large as an
upright piano, and cost So, 600 These
have an unlimited number of tunes, owing
to the interchangeable cylinders. The 90
cent boxes have twenty eight teeth, play
one tune, and are made round or square,
of japanned tin, wood, or papier- mache