We don’t have an image of this object online yet. V&A Images may have a photograph that we can’t show online, but it may be possible to supply one to you. Email us at vaimages@vam.ac.uk for guidance about fees and timescales, quoting the accession number: W.61:1-1975
Find out about our images

Not currently on display at the V&A

Symphonion disc music box, style 192

Music Box
1900-1910 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Symphonion Musikwerke company (Leipzig, Germany) was founded in 1885 and became the world’s largest commercial producer of disc-playing music boxes. The business employed Gustave Brachhausen and Paul Rissner, talented engineers who made a significant contribution to the development of the 'musical movements' industry. In 1889, they created Polyphon Musikwerke, and three years later, in 1892, another company called the Regina Music Box Company in New Jersey, United States.

These companies: Symphonion, Polyphon and Regina were known as the "Die Grosse Drei" (the great three) in the field of the perforated plates blocks and music boxes. These three firms owned roughly 90% of the world’s market and were well known around the world.

Symphonion Musikwerke was known for its diversity of models and for pioneering the use of electric motors in disc musical boxes in 1900.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 12 parts.

  • Musical Box
  • Key
  • Disc
  • Disc
  • Disc
  • Disc
  • Disc
  • Disc
  • Disc
  • Disc
  • Disc
  • Disc
TitleSymphonion disc music box, style 192 (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Brief description
Upright Symphonion disc musical box with nine discs. Germany, ca. 1900-1910.
Physical description
Upright Symphonion disc musical box with nine 19" discs, style 192. Walnut case

Note on key: works normally (2018)
Dimensions
  • Height: 116.8cm (Note: Measurement converted from department registers)
  • Top width: 44.5cm (Note: Measurement converted from department registers)
  • Top length: 82.5cm (Note: Measurement converted from department registers)
Credit line
Purchase made possible through the gift of an anonymous benefactor.
Summary
Symphonion Musikwerke company (Leipzig, Germany) was founded in 1885 and became the world’s largest commercial producer of disc-playing music boxes. The business employed Gustave Brachhausen and Paul Rissner, talented engineers who made a significant contribution to the development of the 'musical movements' industry. In 1889, they created Polyphon Musikwerke, and three years later, in 1892, another company called the Regina Music Box Company in New Jersey, United States.

These companies: Symphonion, Polyphon and Regina were known as the "Die Grosse Drei" (the great three) in the field of the perforated plates blocks and music boxes. These three firms owned roughly 90% of the world’s market and were well known around the world.

Symphonion Musikwerke was known for its diversity of models and for pioneering the use of electric motors in disc musical boxes in 1900.
Collection
Accession number
W.61:1-1975

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
Download as: JSON