A vintage multi-tone faux tortoiseshell cased grand piano-form musical box
Swiss movement
mid 20th century,
Catalin piano man...
When wound by captive winding key to underside and the keyboard lid is opened, the sweet music plays from single air Swiss cylinder movement within, coming to a stop when the lid is closed to conceal the wonderfully detailed white and black keys executed to perfect scale.
With three-octave keyboard, shaped main lid with moulded edge, tapered legs with gilt ball feet, start/stop lid actuating movement with micro twine linkage to the governor.
size - 6.1/2in. from front to back depth, 4.1/2in. keyboard width.
Point of Interest -
Tortoiseshell toned catalin was very much in vogue from the early 1930s. Here, the use of yellows, browns, tan and black dyes roughly mixed, creates a superb close match to the much more expensive tortoiseshell. Catalin is just as fragile as tortoiseshell, making larger objects such as this in complete and totally damage-free state very rare indeed.
This is not a typical market object - take a very close look at the level of quality attended to the keyboard with each key moulded and crafted. The music is a good bonus too!
Prop up the main lid with the gilt lid stilt inside and open the keyboard for a touch of vintage mechanical music magic...