A rare Junod 'Helvetia' interchangeable musical box

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Details

A rare Junod 'Helvetia' interchangeable musical box
No. 8377, with one cylinder playing six airs, Sublime Baryton combs, nickel-plated left-hand crank-wind to direct-drive spring, coin-release, tune indicator, zither and pressed metal J.A.C. plaque, in rosewood and thuya veneered case with floral inlaid lid, J.A.C., Helvetia Patent transfer to front and coin drawer at rear - 30½in. (78cm.) wide, the cylinder 15¼in. (39cm.), (approximately ten tip repairs, lacking safety check), on a wood stand.

Literature

H.A.V. Bulleid (1994), Cylinder Musical Box Technology, p. 94-99.

Special notice

This lot is subject to Collection and Storage Charges. No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 17.5% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis

Lot Essay

The unusual mainspring arrangement, in which the arbor is directly in line with the cylinder spindle, means that the winding crank revolves anti-clockwise, convenient for left-hand crank.
The stop/start and change/repeat levers project from the ends of the case, which has a full-length inner glass lid. The coin slot is in the frame of the latter. Bulleid notes that the term 'Baryton-harmonique' was also used rather mysteriously by Langdorff.

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