The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1885-11-21
THE MODERN MusIc-Box.
Some Interesting Facts Not Generally
Known-High-Priced Boxes.


known-High-Priced Boxes.
"There are good many facts about
music-boXes that the public are not
aware Of" remarked a dealer to a re-
porter recently. I'm the first place,
they were invented one hundred years
ago. and in Switzerland. They all
come from that country, even at the
present time. WhyP Because the
labor required to make them is too
costly in this country. The length of
time a music-box will play varies con-
siderably. They are furnished with
one, two or four powerful springs, and
will play for four, six, eight, fifteen,
twenty-five or seventy-five minutes, &C
cording.to the size of the box and the
number of springs it is provided with.
As rule. the works are inclosed in
highly-polished inlaid cases of a variety
of rich woods. They never require
tuning, as many people suppose, but if
the simple instructions which accom-
pany each box are followed, they will
last lifetime, requiring like clock,
only an occasional cleaning. There
are number of cautions which should
be told to every one who owns music
box. Under no circumstances should
it be moved while it is playing; it
should never be allowed to remain run
down in the middle of tune; neither
the tly-wheel nor any part of the move
ment should be unscrewed unless it is
certain that the instrument has entirely
run down"
"What is new in the musc-box line?"
"Several things. One with inter-
changeable cylinders, for instance.
Boxes with only one cylinder play from
one to twelve tunes, but we have Just
introduced class of boxes with in
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 'Marotte, musical
doll made in Paris. 1t is a dolls head
and shoulders attached to stick in
the shape of a handle, and the child,
by taking hold of the stick and whirl-
ing it around in a small circle, makes
the head move while the musc-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 cigar
holder with places for a large number
of cigars. 1t is turret-shaped, with
doors at each partition, and as it moves
around it plays a tune. The dolls cost
two dollars each, and the cigar-stands
from six dollars and fifty cents up
wards.
What tunes do people prefer in the
boxes just now?n
Light operate music and popular
American airs. But there is no end to
the variety of tunes in them. Our
boxes are provided with all the favor
lite dances, marches, national airs, and
ballads, as well as with the best Sc
lections from the most popular operas,
ballets, etc"
'What are some of the prices?"
"You can buy music-box for ninety
cents, and have sold one in this city
for as high as five thousand dollars.
But this was a number of years ago.
Some are as large as an upright piano
and cost two thousand dollars. These
have. an unlimited number of tunes,
owing to the interchangeable cylinders.
The ninety-cent boxes have twenty
eight teeth, play one tune, are made
round or square, of iapanned tin, wood,
or papier-mache. w Y. Mail and
EGDreSS.