How do these boxes work?

A wound spring turns a brass cylinder set with hundreds of tiny steel pins. As the cylinder rotates, these pins pluck the tuned teeth of a steel comb to create melody. More advanced movements engage additional components like drums or bells during rotation. This adds rhythmic accompaniment to the main comb melody.

An air simply refers to an individual tune recorded on the musical box cylinder. Boxes typically play a sequence of six, eight, twelve or more distinct melodies before repeating. Changing between tunes is managed by a small internal lever that shifts the cylinder laterally. This brings a fresh set of pins into alignment with the comb.

How do disc and cylinder boxes differ?

Cylinder boxes use a pinned brass barrel dedicated to a fixed set of tunes. The music is permanently pinned into that specific metal cylinder. Disc players like the polyphon utilise flat, removable metal sheets punched with holes. Owners can swap these discs easily to play entirely different pieces of music.

Where were they made?

The majority of nineteenth-century mechanical movements originated in Swiss workshops and factories. Swiss makers dominated the production of fine musical cylinders and complex multi-air mechanisms. These movements were frequently exported to British retailers who housed them in local timber cases. Rosewood, walnut and marquetry cabinets often reflect British taste of the period.