Antique Interchangeble Mandolin Piccolo Music Box by Mojon Manger, c. 1875
A fine quality interchangeable music box on its own table made by the firm of Mojon Manger in Geneva, Switzerland in c. 1875.
The overhauled movement is run by a large double spring winding mechanism, and features a tune indicator as well as a mandolin piccolo arrangement. It plays four cylinders with a beautiful sound, as always with interchangeable music boxes by this maker.
Each cylinder plays a selection of 6 operatic and popular tunes, as detailed on the original tunesheet, and are housed in the drawer of the matching table.
Both the table and the case are veneered with burr amboyna and boxwood stringing, with an enamelled brass lozenge inlay to the lid of the case. The case also has gilt carrying handles. The table has canted corners and turned ebonised legs.
There is an old split repaired in the surface of the table, an imperfection that is almost characteristic of these tables (they seems to almost always split along this line over time) but it does not impair the overall quality of the box. The case is beautiful, and the sound superb.
Music box size: 35” / 89cm W x 10” / 26cm H x 14” / 36cm D. Overall size including table given below.