N° 113102
An Orchestral Mandarin-striker interchangeable cylinder music box, by Mermod Frères, Circa 1890, the American-market 'Ideal Orchestra' model movement, as retailed by Samuel Troll, N° 113102, with the five cylinders playing six airs each, massive double-spring single-barrel crank-wind motor, Jacot safety check, governor with expanding weight blades, speed regulator with butterfly-form plaque, change/repeat, tune select and start/stop to right, central 29-key organ flanking ST stamped double combs, with the six-hammer drum comb with select to the left, shared six-tooth bell and castanet comb select to the right, with each Mandarin figure painted as jesters holding plain clappers and the bells arranged horizontally in the traditional buffet style, shaped rosewood castanet, on reeded gilt cast bedplate with the organ soundboard fretted with scrolls, plain polished interior under the full bevelled glass dust-lid with stay, start/stop to right, in imposing polished rouge-mahogany case, the lid with recessed moulded panel edge and double chevron decoration on wide cleated frame, slight-canted corners, with the base featuring carved front of leaves and flower heads, framed with exaggerated double notch mark frieze, absent carved panels to sides and back whilst the frieze continues, double-stepped and moulded plinth base. 43.1/2in wide, 21in deep, the cylinder 20in, the diameter 3.1/2in Bonhams, New York, 7 Oct 2010 Reference: Encyclopedia of Automatic Musical Instruments, Q. David Bowers, 1972, pp.55, (for good detailed illustration) The Golden Age of Automatic Musical Instruments, Arthur A. Reblitz, 2001, pp.11 Musical Boxes – A History and an Appreciation, J. E. T. Clark, 1961, pp.57-60
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