These early musical contraptions were an expensive luxury item favored by the aristocracy, primarily playing hymns and operatic songs. Later versions added mechanical automata to their complex musical tunes for increasingly magical effects. By the late 1800s, music boxes were built with removable cylinders whose tunes could be changed by replacing specially designed drawers. Finally, in 1885, Paul Lochmann created a music box called the “Symphonion” using a flat metal disc that rotated on a turntable. These metal discs could be easily swapped out, much like a vinyl record. Pop music was suddenly affordable and immediately accessible; within weeks of a Broadway show’s debut, its most memorable musical themes were available on music-box discs. Gustave Brachhausen, foreman of the Lochmann firm, split with the company and created his own business manufacturing the “Polyphon,” perhaps the most famous disc-operated music box. In 1892, Brachhausen moved to the United States where he opened the Regina Music Box Company in Jersey City, New Jersey. Though Regina produced its own mechanical works, Brachhausen still imported discs from the Polyphon factory in Leipzig. Regina’s immediate success allowed the company to move into a larger factory space and begin producing its own musical discs by hiring additional staff from the best companies of Europe. Besides designing devices for home use, Regina created machines for public spaces which would play songs for a nickel.
Selected Products
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Music Box Heart Shape Vintage Wood Carved Mechanism
Music Box Elfen Lied
Music Box Canon
Music Box With Candle
German Music Box
Music Box Hedwig Theme
Music Box For Kids
Music Box Pitty Party
Music Box Photo Album
Happy Birthday Music Box
Music Box Inserts
Music Box You Are My Sunshine Granddaughter
Hummel Music Box
Music Box Hedwigs Theme
Music Box Oil
Music Jewelry Box
Music Box Gift
Music Box Elise
Josef Music Box
Music Box Charm
Music Box Paper
Tallent Old Bond Street Music Box
Music Box Love Song
Music Box 18 Note
Angel Music Box
Music Box Girl
Canon In D Music Box
Music Box Stella
Music Box Personalized
Music Box Gone With The Wind
Music Box Once Upon A December
Music Box Dancer Jewelry Box
Music Box Parts
Music Box Enesco
Music Box
Music Box Horse