Music Boxes

  NEW YORK — Music boxes, the iPods of centuries past, come in a variety of shapes and styles, from large, upright coin-op examples that were designed for boardwalks, arcades and other public venues, to smaller, more delicate models ideal for boudoirs and other private spaces.

MONROVIA, Calif. – Moran’s Dec. 15 Traditional Collector auction is sure to be a charming event with music boxes, fine art and furnishings filling the sale. Many of the lots come from three important Southern California collections. Bid absentee or live online through LiveAuctioneers.

NEW YORK – The earliest automatic music boxes were ornate 18th century gentlemen’s pocket-sized watches and snuff boxes. These prestigious, “hi-tech” items contained minute, key-turned movements featuring strategically placed pins on revolving discs that plucked individually tuned metal combs. Because of their small size, however, their tunes tended to be tinkly.