A few years later, Francois Nicole, of the famous Nicole Frères firm, created a steel hairspring damper to soften the ring of each note, and the modern music box was born. However, it wasn’t until 1875 that the first music box factory was opened by the Paillard company in St. Croix, Switzerland. Previously, all music boxes were produced through smaller cottage-industry operations using the skills of different craftspeople to assemble a complete product. 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.

Vintage OTAGIRI Hummingbird Hand Painted Music Box, Made in Japan Vintage Otagiri Japan Iris Lacquer Music Jewelry Box Plays Fascination Vintage Otagiri Seesaw Panda Bears on Seesaw Music Box Plays Playmates SO CUTE Vintage 1980 Otagiri Parrots Music Box Hand Painted Plays "Stranger in Paradise" Music Box - Otagiri Japan Otagiri Golden Calla Japan Music Jewelry Box Otagiri Vintage Nautilus Lacquerware Music Box Blue Plays “Feeling” Made Japan SAILOR BOAT TEDDY BEAR OTAGIRI CERAMIC VINTAGE MUSIC BOX - RARE Otagiri Mini Jewelry Music Box Lacquer Plays The Look Of Love Black Vintage Vintage Otagiri Christmas Music Box Santa Dancing Jingle Bells 1979 Japan Works! Vintage Otagiri Birds Figurine Rotating MUSIC BOX Plays “It’s A Small World” Vintage Otagiri Japan Flamingo Bird Music Box "The Way We Were" Vintage Otagiri Music Box Mouse MAKE SOMEONE HAPPY Gibson Greetings Foil Sticker VINTAGE OTAGIRI TEDDY BEARS Rocking Horse "EDELWEISS" Music Box Ceramic Japan Otagiri Porcelain Music Box with 2 Frogs on Shore and Lillipad Plays "Moon River Vintage Grand Iris Otagiri Japan Grand Iris Grey Music/Jewelry Box -Very Nice! Vintage Otagiri Japan music box, bears & drum, plays “This ol Man,” Porcelain. Vintage Otagiri Music Box “How Much Is The Doggy In The Window” Dog Mirror Otagiri Japan Porcelain Duck Goose Duckling Music Box Autumn Leaves Song NWT Otagiri Lady Golfer Music Box - Oh What a Beautiful Morning VINTAGE Otagiri Girl with Hat Music Box Figurine Plays “Younger Than Springtime VINTAGE OTAGIRI JAPAN 1980 MEXICAN SCENE MUSIC BOX PLAYS "SOUTH OF THE BORDER" Vtg Otagiri Japan White Geese Music Box Revolves Plays: Close to You Teddy Bear Music Box Plays 'This Old Man' Children's Marching Song JAPAN Otagiri Otagiri Frogs Porcelain Music Box Vintage Otagiri Porcelain Music Box "I’d Like To Teach The World To Sing" Birds porcelain otagiri hummingbird figurine music box Vtg Otagiri Music Box Baby Blue Birds “ I Whistle A Happy Tune” 4.5" x 3.5" Otagiri Christmas Mouse Skating To Skaters Waltz Music Box Japan 2 Adorable Otagiri Dalmation Puppies On Seesaw And Fire Hydrant Music Boxes **Vintage OTAGIRI ISHIGURO MUSIC BOX SEAGULL BY THR BEAUTIFUL SEA Otagiri Music Box Chicken Hen Chicks and Rooster "Oh What a Beautiful Morning" Prima Otagiri Lackerware Jewelry Box Musical Waltz of Flowers Vintage Vintage Otagiri Ceramic Music Box 1980 Camelot Rotating Castle Hand Painted Vtg Otagiri Nativity Music Box Baby Jesus Plays "Silent Night" Christmas Japan Otagiri Music Box, 2 Whales, Plays Tiny Bubbles Pre-owned Excellent Condition Vintage London Bridge OTAGIRI Porcelain Bear Fire Truck Music Box Otagiri Memory Cat looking Into Pond Music Box Rare Porcelain Vintage Otagiri Music Box, Momma & 2 Baby Ducklings musical box vintage otagiri 1981 Vintage OTAGIRI Ceramic Victorian House Bank Music Box~As Money Goes in it Plays Vintage 1979 Otagiri Nested Birds Music Box I'd Like To Teach the World to Sing