An excellent quality mandoline piccolo antique cylinder music box made by Paillard of St Croix, Switzerland in c. 1880.

The fully serviced movement features a wonderful fat cylinder and two combs to create a beautiful complex sound. There is a zither bar for the larger of the combs, engraved with the maker’s mark ‘PVF’ and floral engraving on the control. The spring is also particularly large to drive this impressive movement.

The movement plays 6 operatic tunes as detailed on the original tunesheet, including an overture from Rossini’s Semiramis and The Barber of Seville.

The case is gorgeous, veneered in bird’s eye maple with ebony and boxwood stringing, together with a carthouche inlay to the lid composed of mother-of-pearl, brass, ebony and kingwood. The case also features gilt carrying handles to the sides and an ebonised plinth to the base.