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Lot Essay
The box contains a chain fusee movement with a single pin barrel activating forty-six individual tuned teeth and eight white hammers striking on eight bells
As recorded by the inscription, "This musical box was left in the charge of the British Consul at Genova in 1822 by Lord Byron on his departure for Greece and was transmitted on his death in 1824 to Mr. Hobhouse (afterwards Lord Broughton) his Executor, whose property it became. It was inherited in 1869 by Lady Dorchester from her father, Lord Broughton." This inscription is testament of the most enduring friendship of the short life of this most celebrated poet whose notorious life is well recorded. Byron met Hobhouse, later a leading whig statesman, while at Cambridge. Hobhouse was later to Best Man at Byron's fated wedding in 1815. Byron continually lived beyond his means and the bill for this box illustrates his extravagance, although in the previous year he had received the not inconsiderable sum of £600 for the copyright of Childe Harold.
As recorded by the inscription, "This musical box was left in the charge of the British Consul at Genova in 1822 by Lord Byron on his departure for Greece and was transmitted on his death in 1824 to Mr. Hobhouse (afterwards Lord Broughton) his Executor, whose property it became. It was inherited in 1869 by Lady Dorchester from her father, Lord Broughton." This inscription is testament of the most enduring friendship of the short life of this most celebrated poet whose notorious life is well recorded. Byron met Hobhouse, later a leading whig statesman, while at Cambridge. Hobhouse was later to Best Man at Byron's fated wedding in 1815. Byron continually lived beyond his means and the bill for this box illustrates his extravagance, although in the previous year he had received the not inconsiderable sum of £600 for the copyright of Childe Harold.