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The history behind

The concept of mechanical music dates back to ancient times with devices like the water organ. However, the music box as we know it began to take form in the late 1700s.

The first known music box was patented in Switzerland, where skilled artisans began experimenting with mechanisms that could produce music mechanically.

Imagine a quaint workshop nestled in the Swiss Alps, where the crisp mountain air mingles with the sweet sound of tinkering. There, craftsmen meticulously carved intricate metal pins onto revolving cylinders or discs. These pins, like tiny conductors, would pluck the teeth of a steel comb, creating a symphony of notes that danced through the air.

Types of mechanisms

Hand crank

This device produces sound when a hand-crank is turned. Inside, a metal cylinder with raised pins plucks the tuned teeth of a metal comb as it rotates, creating musical notes. Once it is finished, it will start again from the beginning as long as the crank is being turned.

Wind up

This system is semi-automatic. In order to produce a sound, simply turn the small crank located below the box twice. The music will then play by itself.

Paper strips

Plays tunes by reading a perforated paper strip. The paper strip contains a series of holes that correspond to musical notes. When the strip is fed through the music box mechanism, it activates a series of pins or tines that produce sound based on the holes in the strip.