Coin Operated Music Box primitive antique music box - eBay (item 130340813521 end time Nov-08-09 17:09:09 PST)


Bidding has ended on this item. Item:Coin Operated Music Box primitive antique music box

Last updated on 04:03:54 AM PST, Nov 03, 2009 View all revisions

Early

Penny Music Box

You may bid if you like what you see in the pictures and we will add a description to the listing soon. We have a couple hundred items or more to auction off over the next month as we continue to empty out the storage building. I guarantee we're going to dig out some really nice and unusual stuff to offer.

We are honest and easy going about selling here on Ebay and expect the same courtesy from the sellers we buy from on Ebay as you would also want yourself. We have sold many other items on Ebay in the past and treat each person and transaction with the same respect as the last. If you have any requests, just ask; we will be glad to help you out. Our past experience and track record for safe packaging and delivery of sold items is excellent. We are very thorough and careful at packing. We do apply shipping insurance on every package to protect the item, you, and ourselves as the seller. The insurance cost is already included in the flat shipping rate given which is for the lower 48 states only. We are not here to make extra $ off shipping and will charge exact shipping cost if you request us to ship to other countries.

On Nov-03-09 at 04:03:54 PST, seller added the following information:

This music box is old, but we know almost nothing about music players except that we enjoy it. It plays 8 tunes; some notes sound a little out of key but allures the attention once or twice in a tune and holds you for a moment. Winds, or cranks up just fine with a ratcheting brass arm on the left as your facing the unit. I hope I'm correct when I say that depending on the speed or how tightly wound the spring is, I think each song plays about 45 seconds on a correct beat. The problem is, I know none of the eight tunes but a few do ring a familiar harmony.

I don't know why the penny drop slot is offset to the left of the "coin catch". When you pull the lever toward you the coin catch is emptied and a pin attached to the opposite side of the coin catch, that rests in a grove on the side of the reel, moves upward out of a dip in the grove releasing the music reel to spin. The back lever has 2 positions, forward and back.

( Forward, it bumps into a stair stepping gear on the side of the reel as it is in motion. When it bumps the gear again on each revolution it forces the reel to slide over one stair position and play a different song. When all 8 selections have played, one on each of the eight stair levels of the gear, it drops back down to the first step to start its climb all over again repeating itself. The spring, you see on the left of the reel in front of the standing chrome" 1- 8 song dial", applies the pressure that pushes the reel to climb each stair level. The "song dial" is chromed brass.)

( Back, the lever is simply a disengaged setting and when it is out of interference with the reel only one song will play in repetition. )

The song dial moves to the next number by a spring loaded black hand touching the side of the reel. When the reel moves to the right from the above explained process. The hand moves with it, pivoting on its axis from touching the reel, and points to the next song number.

The whole process is very elementary and a great mechanical thing to watch. Back then, activating and looking through the glass was probably as much fun as listening to the song.

The hinges on the back of the lid had definitely been swapped out in its lifetime. They're slightly smaller than the original cut outs and have a rubbed gold color on them that makes them look newer than they are. I added another picture to show the filler in the hinge cut outs. The original hinge cuts look hand hewn out very primitively when I saw them from underneath the back side of the lid looking up. I don't know what the four brass button tacks are for on the lid as you can see in the photo with the lid flipped up. They had held some paper labels or possibly instructions of some sort because they have thick paper material under them almost torn in a circle clean around the edges of the brass button tops. Maybe done when the cabinet was refinished. The tell tail sings of how the finish is right now and the overall observance of wear on the feet around corners etc. exhibit it was refinished a long time ago. A very good refinish job; the cabinet has been a darker color before.

The coin retriever trap door on the underside looks different almost added on but has a few hundred circular sliding groves and scuff marks from being turned open and shut so much that display it was used pretty good. I still don't understand why the penny slot is off to the left of the catch and I don't want anyone to think I would keep that information undisclosed. I just got up and walked over to the machine while I'm typing this because I was so curious as to why it would not be lined up. When I turned the machine around and looked back towards the front panel from the rear, I see about 8 old dark tiny tack marks, one with a post barely showing. Almost looking like the Big Dipper star constellation, with four points directly over the catch and the "handle" to the Dipper leading to the penny drop slot. Yes! I thought, that's what I was thinking. Maybe there was a small brass ( I say brass, because everything here seems to be brass) slide or channel leading into the catch. Sort of like that old game mouse trap with the marble that rolls on track to trip gadgets. Maybe someone could fabricate this part easy since the drop is so close to the coin catch, about an inch and a half - two inches. It had to look simple and primitive. The coin basket is just thin brass as you can see in the picture. Anyway, I could be wrong, but that is my best guess. Well, I had fun describing this to you and I hope that helps most inquiries out there. I really don't know much of anything about this machine and I'm sure there are some out there who do; I apologize for the ignorance here on our end.

The box measures: 16" wide x 7 1/4" deep, and 4 1/2" tall,
The lid is: 17 1/4" x 8 1/2"

Questions and answers about this item


	Q: Hi,due have any idea how old this is and is it in good working order! A: Hi, We posted new description information. Hope that helps. Best,Karmen	Nov 04, 2009

	Q: Hi, are there any teeth missing? A: Hi, We posted new description information. No teeth are missing. Best regards, Karmen	Nov 04, 2009
	Q: Hi the the music box work? and is it coin operated? thanks A: Hi, We posted new description information. Hope that helps, Karmen	Nov 04, 2009

Ask a question

Shipping and handling

Item location: Huntington, IN, United States

Shipping to: United States

Change country:	ZIP Code:

Shipping and handling	To	Service	Estimated delivery*
US $16.40	United States	Other (see description)	Varies Seller ships within 10 day after receiving cleared payment.

*The estimated delivery time is based on the seller's handling time, the shipping service selected, and when the seller receives cleared payment. Sellers are not responsible for shipping service transit times. Transit times may vary, particularly during peak periods.

Domestic handling time

Will usually ship within 10 business days of receiving cleared payment.

Return policy

The seller will not accept returns for this item.

Payment details

Payment method	Preferred/Accepted	Buyer protection on eBay
	Accepted	Pay with and your full purchase price is covered \| See terms