Antique German Symphonion Brevet Patent Disc Music Box Unique German Symphonion Disc Playing Music Box 1880s Start Price USD 2,900.00 Current Price USD 2,900.00 Time Left - Bid Count 0 Buy It Now Price - Reserve Price - Start Time Wednesday, September 03, 2008 End Time Wednesday, September 10, 2008 Location Toa Baja, PR See more about 'Antique German Symphonion Brevet Patent Disc Music Box ' Description This is a true collector's Item... Wonderful Symphonion Brevet Patent Table Top Music Box Made in Germany, double comb, with steel tongues and interchangeable steel 9 1/2 in diameter music discs.  On the 1880's disc music boxes replaced the more fragile cylinder ones. This music box is in perfect working condition, it's in black lacquer and the top has the design of 6 crests and other scenes and reads: "Symphonion Brevet Patent".  The top has some scratches and some wear due to its age, but overall in great condition. The serial No. is 359002, it is a double 36 teeth comb, complete and perfectly working. The box measures 12"x 12" x7".  On the inside of the top you can find a label that has a decorative motif with angels and cherubs with musical instruments. There are some instructions in English, French & German and the label is in perfect conditions due to age. Included with the music box there are 10 steel discs of various music like polka, waltz, marchs, most of them are German. These Symphonion music boxes are very hard to find in perfectly working condition. They range from $2,000 to $5,000. Don't miss this great opportunity to have a really Collectors Piece, it really is a Treasure!  Will ship worldwide, buyer is responsible for shipping/expenses and insurance to their country. Happy bidding!! Disc playing music box in black laquered timber case with hinged lid. Mechanism sits in lower part of box with top protruding. Features two metal combs of 36 teeth each facing inward and staggered which are sounded by series of wheels with teeth.  Perforated metal disc sits on central spindle above combs and secured by brass arm with series of small wheels on it to assist disc turning. Paper label fitting inside lid has decorative border with images of classical musicians and cherubs. Text located in centre of label divided into three columns and written in English (see below), French and German. Brass lever at front of box moves horizontally to wind clockwork mechanism. Brass lever on side moves short distance to operate discs. History Notes: From about the 1880s disc music boxes replaced cylinder music boxes as they were less fragile, had a greater volume and also there was a range of relatively cheap metal discs that could be purchased to play. Cylinder music boxes tended to be made in Switzerland but the centre for disc music boxes was Leipzig in Germany. Q David Bowers in Encyclopaedia of Automatic Musical Instruments (Vestal Press, Vestal, NY, 1979) suggests that disc music boxes were also marketed more aggressively than the cylinder music boxes and this also contributed to them dominating the market. According to Bowers, the disc music box hey-day was from about 1895-1905 when they were in turn replaced by gramophones as one of the growing popular forms of domestic entertainment. The Symphonion Musikwerke company was founded in Leipzig in about 1885 by Paul Lochmann and was one of the three largest producers of disc music boxes along with Polyphon (which was begun by two ex Symphonion employees) and Regina. Bowers estimates they controlled about 90% of the market between them. About 1895 a subsidiary which sold, as well as manufactured, Symphonions was opened in the USA and called the Symphonion Manufacturing Company. This closed in the early 1900s. The German company stayed in business until the late 1920s but had diversified to phonographs, player pianos etc.     Select a picture Place a Bid!