Restored 1898 12” Regina Double Comb Music Box 13 Discs Incl Hear & See It Play

Restored 1898 Mahogany 12” Double Comb Regina Disc Music Box– Hear & See It Play

Hear it Play:

Click on the following YouTube link and it should come up in a separate link.  You can actually hear 3 different 12” discs in the link.  The first tune (I think Romeo and Juliet) in on one of the original discs and some new discs by Henstooth are “Silent Night”, “The First Noel” that you get to hear play and will accompany the box along with 10 other  old original Regina discs.  Please note that the original discs will have dents and some rust, but they are all playable.   This music box has very good sound volume.  If you listen to the videos on your phone, you may want to turn the volume down some.

YouTube Video Clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWYmoaysqUk

See this box in person:  This box may be on display and for sale at my booth at the Collectors Antique Mall in Asheboro, NC.  If you would like to see it in person and possibly buy local, please stop in.

To get the best sound effect, listen to the music on something other than your phone if possible.  A computer at minimum gives a decent feel for the base that a phone simply cannot reproduce. The video of the music is actual and not modified in any way.  I have included many photographs and several videos to give you as much information as possible in order to make a well-informed decision.

Dimensions and weight:  Please study these closely as this is not an ordinary “tinkly” music box.

Wide:  16”

Depth: 15”

Height: 10”

Weight:   30 pounds

Discs included:  13 good discs included with the box!  A solid $500+ additional value with options of many more tunes available on line.

Overall the box presents itself very well with wonderful proportions.

Condition and Description:   This fantastic music box has been well cared for and no apparent abuse at all.  The Music Box Society International who are the official keepers of the Regina Company records, show that this is a mahogany style 16 music box and left the factory on December 23, 1898 bound for one of the Regina retail stores.  Some lucky person would probably get this box on Christmas day in 1898.  What a surprise!!!!!  This paperwork is included with the sale of this music box along with a reproduced copy of caring for the music box by Regina.  I ran it through my shop cleaned movement, comb and made minor adjustments along with lubrication.  The spring was removed, cleaned, relubricated and replaced in the spring barrel.  No no "clunking" noise from stiff lubrication!!  The good part about this box is that you get to hear in in the videos and it is in solid running condition.  No unknown surprises from an auction special.  The mahogany case wood is all original and in excellent condition.  Please note that the crank included in this music box is not original to the box.  It is what came with the box and is an altered antique phonograph crank.  If you did not look twice or more, you would never see it.  I want to be up front and make sure the buyer is aware of all known details.  I did clean the finish and put a light French polish on the lid and sides to bring out the beauty of the wood.  The mechanism is in excellent condition with little wear.  Overall, this music box would rate about a 10 for beauty and sound.  It is stunning!!  See and hear it for yourself in the video below.  Again, along with this music box is an information card listing the history of this specific music box from The Musical Box Society International who is the keeper of the Regina Music Box Company records.  This music box with the serial number 43609 was shipped from the factory on December 23, 1898.  The card will be included with the box.

Included with this music box is thirteen (13) 12” diameter discs to play on this music box.  A value of over $500 as these typically run about $50+ each.  Three of the discs included with this box are pictured in the YouTube videos.

The 12” disc playing Regina is a very good and practical size music box and will fit comfortably on most tables and stands.  Hens tooth discs have many titles available and they will even custom make discs for you.  Porter Music box has hundreds of discs for sale for this type and size music box.  The 13” Regina style Porter and Hens tooth discs will all play on this music box.  If you need more information, please let me know.  No question too small.

Case:  Solid Mahogany-   There are some minor bumps to the surface.  Please view all photographs for condition as they are part of the description.

Lid:  The original lid has beautiful solid mahogany wood construction.

Lock:  The music box contains its original functional lock and key with tassel.  As with all music boxes, I do not recommend over exercising the lock and key and you may end up with a locked box that is difficult to unlock.

Mechanism:

Spring: This movement has the original spring that is very strong, and in good condition.  The spring was recently removed from the barrel, cleaned, lubricated  and replaced in the barrel.  I have not played from completely wound to completely unwound, but it can play at least 10 revolutions.

Mechanism:  Excellent condition with little wear.  It was disassembled, cleaned, reassembled and lubricated.

Comb:  No broken, repaired or damaged teeth.  The comb was cleaned and lacquered to prevent rust.  Dampers have been checked, adjusted, and are in good order.  You can easily tell this by the sound.

Control Levers and Winding Crank of the music box: 

Crank Winding handle:  The crank is not original to the box.  The crank appears to be an altered antique phonograph crank that works perfectly for this box.  If you did not look twice, you would never know.  I want to be very up front about all details of the box.

Start / Stop lever:  Functions as it should.

Regina Logo:  This box still retains its original “REGINA”  paper logo on the inside of the lid.

The overall condition of this music box is extremely good.  It has been treated very well over time and does not display signs of being abused.  Very few bumps and bruises and the mechanism is in excellent condition.   I ran it through my shop and cleaned the mechanism and cleaned and touched up the finish.  I did add some felt bumpers to the contact area of the box lid so that the lid lands on a soft felt instead of wood against wood.  I also put felt bumpers on the bottom of the music box to prevent scratching of the surface it is displayed.

Please study all photographs and videos as they are an important part of the description.  If you have questions, please ask prior to bidding.  A person is standing beside the box in the first photograph to help give a perspective of size.

Shipping:  I do ship worldwide using the Ebay shipping program.  If you are overseas and cannot place an order, please let me know.   I am well versed in packing these boxes and pack as well as possible.  The box should survive the trip baring a total crush.  I will insure the box against damage that will allow the buyer to collect on any potential damage should it occur.  I allow a two-week return policy if not satisfied.  If you should return the music box, it must be insured and returned in the same packing and condition as it was when it was sent.  When I ship out the box and discs, I will send a message for the buyer on the tracking number.

Local Pick-up:  I would be more than happy for the buyer to pick up the music box in person to save on shipping.  If local pick up is the option you prefer, I will be glad to hold the box for you up to three months at no charge provided the box is paid for up front within three days of the sale.  Again, if you would like to see this box in person and have it demonstrated for you, please stop by my booth at he Collector’s Antique Mall in Asheboro, NC.

The Regina Music Box Co. was the first to be established in the United States in 1892. However, their beginning started in Europe.   The first maker of disc music box to go into mass production was Symphonion of Leipzig, Germany. The new industry quickly grew to include Polyphon, Kalliope, Adler, Fortuna, Sireon, Libellion, Stella, Mira, Lochmann, New Century, Britannia, and others with production based in Germany and Switzerland. In 1892 Polyphon recognized the huge market potential in America and sent a team of employees to establish the Regina Music Box Company, in Rahway, NJ. Regina was soon joined by competitors Capitol cuff, Criterion, Olympia, Euphonia, Crown, Sterling, Imperial Symphonion, Mira, Empress, Perfection, Monarch, Triumph, and other makes of disc music boxes in America.

The industry grew rapidly in Europe and America as the new disc music box invention allowed the owner to purchase new music for his disc music box as new music was arranged and produced by the music box maker. This boom in the disc music box industry lasted only until just after the turn of the 20th century. New inventions such as the phonograph, player piano, nickelodeon, and orchestrion came into the market and quickly became the dominant instruments in the home entertainment and coin-operated musical entertainment industry. Regina tried to compete with the addition of a line of Reginaphone (combination music box and 78 RPM phonograph) models to their product offering. Regina was not successful in their competition with phonograph makers Edison, Victor, Columbia, Pathe, Zonophone and many other makers of modern music machines.  Sadly, Regina went bankrupt in 1922, one of the last.

Some interesting facts about 19^th century cylinder music boxes

The early 19^th century music boxes were truly a marvel and commanded high prices that only the wealthy could afford.  These first cylinder type boxes were considered the height of technology at the time.  Music boxes could cost as much as a 40-acre farm at the time.  They were a wonderful form of home entertainment that were astonishing works of art and music.  Consider this, each cylinder contains several thousand precisely placed pins that pluck the teeth of the comb.  The tuned comb itself was tuned by ear from a master comb.  Additionally, consider all of the metal used in the box was milled by hand and the wood was cut and shaped by hand.  No electric light, no electric motor, no electric saw, no electric tools, no digital tuner was used in the making of this box! Truly a beautiful elegant box that entertains from a simpler by-gone era.  This box was meant to last generations—and it has!  Compare this to your modern phone or television.  All disposable!

The cylinder music box fell victim to the disc playing music boxes of the mid to late 1890’s that could play many different tune discs(Such as this Regina). Up to several thousand disc tunes were available for most disc playing boxes.  The disc playing music boxes finally gave way to the cylinder and disc playing phonographs.  The last major music box companies were out of business by the end of WWI.  Over time most of these boxes were either disposed of or were ruined in basements or attics.  Particularly during the great depression.  These cylinder music boxes cannot tolerate hot temperatures.  Inside the pinned brass cylinder is a resin that keeps the pins of the cylinder in place.  The resin in the attic stored boxes would liquefy and fall to one side that would ruin the playing ability.  Please note that the resin of this cylinder was inspected and was still perfectly placed.

Please read this additional information on me.

I am a member of the Musical Box Society International and have been an enthusiast since the 1970’s.  I have been tutored by Ms. Nancy Fratti and restore music boxes in my spare time.  I do enjoy these treasures although sometimes they make me want to pull my hair out.  It is fun though!!

I troll auctions for good music boxes for restoration and have accumulated a number and variety of good boxes to restore that do not appear to have been abused or are within an inch of their life.  I typically not only restore the mechanism, but also either touch up, or partially or completely restore the finish.  I use only shellac that was used originally for the finish to the wood surface.  I will not buy music boxes with broken teeth, but have no issue buying music boxes that have had teeth professionally restored and tuned in decades past.  This is not an issue for me as some of the original boxes that were new had broken teeth in the manufacturing process and were replaced.  They were re-tuned and nearly unnoticeable unless you turn them over to look at the bottom of the comb.

I will be listing music boxes that I have restored as time goes forward, so keep my seller listing in your favorites.  I have several dozen boxes (some disc, but mostly cylinder) that I will be working on during my retirement and offering for sale.  If you have a particular type of box that you are looking for, please let me know and I can send you information and photos.  Please note that I have this particular music box listed in other selling venues and the listing could be pulled off without notice.

Cylinder Music Box Care and Playing Instructions:

1. Do not store, display or leave the music box in very hot locations.
2. Do not put water on the wooden parts.  Don’t use it as a table top for coffee cups.
3. Do not oil.  The natural high-quality oil used on this music box mechanism should be good for at least a decade.  I complete a thorough service on the mechanism taking apart, clean and polishing all parts.  I make any needed parts usually by hand.  Some parts are lacquered with a special lacquer for brass.  All parts that require oil including the pins of the brass cylinder are oiled.  If you feel you must oil a part, use only a high-quality natural oil and very sparingly.  Never use a synthetic oil.
4. Do not touch the comb or brass parts with your fingers.  Your fingers contain oils and acids that will cause tarnish of the brass and metal parts.
5. Never touch the comb or the governor fan with your fingers.  If you see some dust, clean it off with a Q-Tip always brushing towards the teeth.  You can break the teeth, so be careful.
6. If sufficiently wound, the music box should start on its own when put in the “start” position.  If it has been sitting idle for a very long time, it may not start when put in the start position. If this is the case, us a Q-Tip to gently give the governor fan a gentle push in a clock wise direction.  After that all should be well.
7.  Playing the music box:

·       After winding (See comments in point 8 below), push the start/stop lever to the “start” position.  The music box should start to play its air.

·       As long as the lever is in the start position, the music box will continue to play.  You can move the lever into the “stop” position anytime during the playing of an air, but it will only stop at the end of the air.  Again note, once the lever is put in the stop position, the music box will not stop until the air or song is completed unless the spring is wound completely down. 

·       While it is ok to wind the music box while it is playing, I recommend winding while it is in the stopped position.

·       While it is ok to open the inner glass dust cover door during the playing of the music box, please keep it closed other times so that it can serve its purpose of keeping dust off of the inner components.  Surprisingly, I have seen human hair get caught up in the governor fan and stop or interfere with the playing of the box.

·       Tune Reset:  At the end of the last air, and while the music box is playing and the change/repeat lever is in the change position, the brass cylinder will shift to the right via a spring on the left-hand side of the cylinder shaft.  It will make a noticeable “pop” noise and movement.  A first time music box owner may come “unglued” when they first observe the shift and think something is wrong.  This is absolutely normal.  After the shift to this position, it will start the first air listed on the tune card on the inner lid of the box.

8. Winding the music box:

·       Do not over wind.  The spring in this music box is in excellent condition and can play many times in one winding.

·       Wind the spring via the crank handle with smooth steady motions.  Never fast jerky pulls.

·       After playing the music box, it helps to let the spring wind down some, but not to the point of completely exhausting the energy of the spring.

·       Keep the spring wound enough to allow the music box to finish the air that it is playing.  Never leave the music box stopped in the middle of an air (this only happens if the spring is completely wound down).  If left in the middle of an air for a very long time, it can cause distortion of the teeth.

9. Display the music box anywhere you would like.  Keep away from radiators and out of long periods of direct sunlight.  Extreme heat can cause damage to the veneer and wood surfaces.
10. Dust and or polish the outside wood surfaces with a good quality wax.  The finish is a good quality shellac.