Massive cylinder music box signed Humbert Brolliet

If you are looking for an addition to your collection or a showpeace to impress, this is it.

This is a rachet wind cylinder music box of truly massive scale. Impressive cylinder of 51cm length and a diameter of about 11.5cm (that is correct!! 11.5cm!!) and thus the largest cylinder music box on the market today.

The mechanism has a large spring motor and plays 24 tunes in a 3 per turn setting (one turn of the cylinder takes about 3 minutes). The plane brass bedplate is numbered and signed “Humbert Brolliet à Geneva”. On the left there is a tune indicator. The mechanism is attached with 3 screws to the front and 3 screws to the back of the case.

The case is of absolute top quality, with rosewood to all sites and stringing to front, left and right, and the inside of the lid. The top of the lid is just outstanding in the fine inlay, with engraved brass and mother of pearl. Even the sides of the lid has inlay with 2 brass strings…

This music box is box is pictured in “the music box a guide for collectors” by Ord-Hume on page 123 and on page 288 in the same book one reads : “… As a maker of music boxes, the name Humbert Brolliet, first name unknown, is associated with item demonstrating outstanding dextirity…”, and “ …All Humbert boxes of all name combinations so far seen have circular or bun-type feet and a diamond-shaped stringing inlay on the case front and inside lid while the lid tops have brass inlay.”

This box was owned by a Mr Lubbock (England) in the 1960ties and he ordered a restauration by Baud Freres in Switserland. In the 70ties a Mr Atkinson discribed on the inside of the lid of the tuneindicator how to set this to the correct tune.