Beschreibung:

A SWISS TULIPWOOD BANDED BURR WALNUT 'BELLS IN SIGHT' MUSIC BOX FABRIQUE DE GENEVE FOR RETAIL BY J.R. LAFLEUR AND SON, LONDON, CIRCA 1880 Playing a choice of eight airs including Le Talisman and Giroffe, Giroffe via a 12.5 inch pinned cylinder on an 84 tooth comb, accompanied by a line of 9 engine-turned graduated bells set behind the gilt painted steel bed incorporating large ratchet-crank wound going barrel to the left opposing governor, start/stop and tune selection mechanisms to the right, set beneath hinged glazed cover with start/stop and change/repeat selection lever to the right and crank wind handle stamped with serial number 22520 to the left, the lid with tune sheet listing the eight-airs in ink within decorative foliate scroll printed surround incorporating text FABRIQUE DE GENEVE to upper margin and applied with pasted retailers label FROM J. R. LAFLEUR & SON, Music Publishers and Instrument Makers, No. 15 GREEN STREET, LEICESTER SQUARE, W.C., LONDON to lower margin, the exterior of the box veneered with book-matched burr walnut veneers within tulip wood banded borders to the ebonised ogee-edged lid, the front and sides with conforming veneers and the rear also finished in walnut but without the banding, on ebonised squab feet. 26cm (10ins) high, 58cm (22.75ins) wide, 30.5cm (12ins) deep. J.R. Lafleur and Son were founded in 1861 as musical instruments makers and publishers of music. The were based at Green Street, Leicester Square, London 1862-1911 before moving to 147 Wardour Street in 1912. Lafleur and Son were bought-out by Boosey and Hawkes in 1917 but still continued trading in their name until at least 1931.