Music Box
1900-1905 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The Regina Music Box Co. was established in 1892 in Rahway, New Jersey, by Gustave Brachhausen as an offshoot of the established Polyphon Musikwerke company in Leipzig, Germany. The boxes were initially imported from Germany but as the business' commercial success developed they were able to establish their own manufacturing capability. As competition from the phonograph grew, the business diversified, dropped 'Music Box' from its name and began to sell new products such as the Reginaphone, a hybrid music box phonograph, the Reginapiano, a 'player' coin piano and even vacuum cleaners. The business eventually went bankrupt in 1922.
The Regina Music Boxes used a flat metal disc as opposed to a cylinder and were renowned for their rich tone. The box was accompanied by 19 disc records with popular song titles such as the William Tell Overture, Wild Irish Rose and the Toreador from Carmen. Consumers were able to buy new discs to play on boxes they had already purchased.
The Regina Music Boxes used a flat metal disc as opposed to a cylinder and were renowned for their rich tone. The box was accompanied by 19 disc records with popular song titles such as the William Tell Overture, Wild Irish Rose and the Toreador from Carmen. Consumers were able to buy new discs to play on boxes they had already purchased.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 11 parts.
|
| Materials and techniques | Wood, metal |
| Brief description | Regina music box, Style 19 with ten discs, in a carved wooden case. USA, ca. 1900-1905. |
| Physical description | Regina music box, Style 19 with ten discs. Ornately carved wooden box featuring latticework, scrolls, and foliage with a rosette at the centre of the lid, and the figure of a goddess on front and back. The music box lid opens to reveal the musical movement and an engraving of a goddess surrounded by cherubs on the inside of the lid. There is a duplex music comb assembly. |
| Dimensions |
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| Credit line | Purchase made possible through the gift of an anonymous benefactor. |
| Subject depicted | |
| Summary | The Regina Music Box Co. was established in 1892 in Rahway, New Jersey, by Gustave Brachhausen as an offshoot of the established Polyphon Musikwerke company in Leipzig, Germany. The boxes were initially imported from Germany but as the business' commercial success developed they were able to establish their own manufacturing capability. As competition from the phonograph grew, the business diversified, dropped 'Music Box' from its name and began to sell new products such as the Reginaphone, a hybrid music box phonograph, the Reginapiano, a 'player' coin piano and even vacuum cleaners. The business eventually went bankrupt in 1922. The Regina Music Boxes used a flat metal disc as opposed to a cylinder and were renowned for their rich tone. The box was accompanied by 19 disc records with popular song titles such as the William Tell Overture, Wild Irish Rose and the Toreador from Carmen. Consumers were able to buy new discs to play on boxes they had already purchased. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | W.51:1-1975 |
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| Record created | June 24, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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