Music
Box Maker
Presents the
following item for auction
Antique
Symphonion Sublime Harmony 11.875 inch Disc Music Box
$7,995
or best offer
If
your speakers are on you will be able to hear a recording of
“God
Save the Queen” (My Country Tis of Thee)
This is one of the finest
quality disc music boxes in history. Here is a little background about
Symphonion: Paul Lochmann was the co- patentee of the disc playing music box
along with Ellis Parr of England. The Symphonion company, of Leipzig, began the
manufacture of the first practical disc playing musical boxes in 1886. In
1889 Paul Wendland an engineer for Symphonion patented the starwheel which acts
as the intermediary between the tabs on the discs and the combs. The
starwheel had already been in use but this allowed for the horizontal mounting
of the combs thereby increasing the acoustic quality of the music. They
continued to make music boxes until 1914. In 1897 a production plant was
established in New Jersey America but it was closed by 1902. I found a
photograph of this exact model, “Plate number 125”, in the book “Musical Box A
History and Collector’s Guide” by W. J. G. Ord-Hume.
There are several pictures that are loading and the music file. It
make take a few minutes for them to load depending on the speed of your
computer and connection. Please be patient it will be worth the wait.
This antique music box was manufactured between 1890 and
1914. This is the table top sublime harmony version with twin note
combs. By now you should hear it playing the featured song. The
musical movement was completely restored by DB Musical Restorations in 2007 and
is in perfect working condition. Considering it is about 100 years
old the wooden case in very good condition. It could use a new coat
of wax. The top of the box has an inlaid flower design and brass adornments. The
side panels are beautiful burl wood veneer. On the inside of the lid is a
photograph depicting several young children creating and enjoying a
musical get together. There is a hinged glass lid that covers the musical
movement. On the brass portion of the starwheel assemblies it is stamped
“Schutz Marke Trademark” (with the Symphonion logo in the middle) and “Made in
Germany”. On the right side of the box is the hand crank for winding the
music box and on the left side there is a round push/pull knob that functions
as the stop/start switch. The visible movement has two combs set up in
the sublime harmony configuration. This music box comes with 20
discs (some discoloration and light rust on all the discs). 13 of
the discs are in very good condition. 7 of the discs have some minor dents and
creases. The outer rims are good and they play correctly 3 of them
had an occational "bump" when tested. The box measures
19.5 X 16 x 11 high inches and weighs approximately 38 pounds. It is
beautifully hand crafted and also features the use of burl wood veneers.
It has turned posts at the corners and rests upon 4 round legs. It is in
perfect working order. Now I will let the pictures tell you the rest of the
description. Following the list of pictures you will find the list of all
the defects that I found with this item and corresponding pictures will follow.
Want it now? - buy it today! or submit your best offer.
You will find the following defects: Chipping on the bottom side edge of the box. Chip in veneer along top side edge. 4 chips on the turned corner posts. Some scuffing along the back edge of the top. There is a slight separation and cracking of the veneer at the edge where the seam is and scratches on the top of the lid. Damage to the picture on the inside of the lid. Scratch marks on the frame of the glass cover from the insert and removal of the discs There is a slight separation and cracking of the veneer at the edge where the seam is. There are splits in the bottom of the box.
Symphonium Discs Song Titles (some were very hard to read an may be
misspelled or have a wrong number):
Good to very good condition: all have some discoloration but minimal or no defects
1)
Das Autollebchen Gilbert 35100(?)
2) Die
Hemzelmannchen Salenstuck, The Mandrakes 3361
3)
Ballsirchen Waltzer A. D. Oprie 35868
4)
Song from Hansel and Gretel 3646
5)
The Waves of the Danube Waltz 3676
6)
Hansel and Gretel 3488
7) The Waltz Song 3702
8) God Save The Queen
9)
10)
11)
12)
13)
(I
will be adding the other titles later)
Medium: All have some discoloration and also some minor creases, bends & small dents. All play propererly but about 3 had a bump or two when tested.
14)
Unreadable title: 33098
15) The
Monastery Bells 3046
16) The
Corinthian March 3047
17)The
Geisha Mimosa Waltz, Sydney Jones 3930
18) Sel Nicht Bos Lied A.D. Opii Der Obersieiger by C. Zeller 3456
19) Silent Night 3043
20) Morang Leaves Waltz? 3413? -Extremely discolored