This is a magnificent large antique music box of rare quality made by George bendon in Switzerland in c. 1865. 

Every aspect of this music box, from its size to its tune selection to its sound quality, mark it out as a superior quality item. The movement features an organ with 18 notes (each individually numbered with a stamp) along with 9 engraved bells, 2 combs with zither bars and an enormous lever-wound spring. 

It was serviced professionally some years ago and plays a selection of 12 operatic airs with a fantastic sound and tone. These tunes are etailed on the original tunesheet, and include La Traviata, Il Trovatore, La Norma, The Africain and Blue Danube. Like the box, the cylinder is large– 60 cm long – and together with the well-tuned bellows gives the music box a superb tonal range and quality. 

The movement sits beneath a glass dust lid with ebonised fretwork around a miniature oil painting of Interlaken in Switzerland. This is all housed inside a huge case on a stand with cabriole legs veneered in burr walnut with kingwood crossbanding. It forms one complete piece, and so has a pair of gilt carrying handles to the sides.