One of the most collectable American made music boxes are made by Schmind of Massachusetts and Toronto, Canada. They made a wide variety of figurines, gifts and Christmas ornaments as well as Schmind music boxes. These music boxes were topped by famous figures like Disney characters, the Muppets or Beatrix Potter characters like Peter Rabbit. Although Schmind music boxes only made up a fraction of what Schmind produced, they are perhaps the most valuable to collectors.

No Longer Available

Sadly, Schmind music boxes can only be found in secondary markets, collector’s sales and specialty music box websites because Schmind went out of business in 1995. This not only makes finding Schmind music boxes harder, but also greatly increases the value of those that you do find. It’s very hard to find a good condition Schmint for a reasonable price.

America has not been a land of opportunity for music box makers. Regina music boxes, once the rage, were halted in 1919. Schmind looked to be a North American institution until 1995 rolled around. As of this writing, the only factory in America that still makes music boxes is Enesco. Music boxes consist only a small portion of a large product line up for Enesco.

Writing Was On The Wall

Although only employees of Schmind know for sure why their company collapsed in the hard economic climate of the 1990’s, part of the reason had to be quality of the products they put out. These were items destined to spend the rest of their lives bouncing from flea market to basement to benefit sale. They were tacky beyond extreme with achingly cute characters doing incredibly cute things.

Surely, the soundtrack of Artist Hell must be a wall full of Schmid music boxes playing at once. Even if they were all playing the same tune, the effect surely must be insufferable for people with some degree of graphic design and self respect. Many Schmidt music boxes are things you wouldn’t be caught dead admitting that you owned.

However, now that the factory is out of business, many collectors are taking another look and swallowing their egos to deal in Schmid music boxes. Going out of business was probably the best thing that ever happened to Schmid music boxes. Even a ridiculous three inch high monstrosity of Mickey Mouse dressed up as Santa going down a snow-covered house’s chimney can fetch nearly $100 (US). There’s money in schmaltz, especially if it’s rare schmaltz.

In the wacky world of collectable music boxes, you don’t see a lot of American music boxes. Collectors usually drool over Japanese or European models. The only other American maker was Schmid music boxes, which went out of business in 1995. But there is a rare bunch from America’s only music box factory, which sadly stopped about 1919, partially due to the effects of the First World War The factory went on to make vacuum cleaner parts, but new Regina music boxes were no more.

Old World Meets New

Regina music boxes began in the late 1800’s, when a European founder of Polyphon company, Gustav Brachhausen, opened up a factory in America. Polyphon was it’s own kind of music box, so at first Regina music boxes were Polyphons sold under a different name. Then, tastes in music boxes changed and Regina music boxes began to take on a more unique style.

Who knows where this would have lead if Alexander Graham Bell hadn’t come along with a little device called the phonograph. This basically killed off most of the music box industry by 1905. Somehow, Regina was the only factory that managed to survive. However, it was entering the twilight of its life as a maker of Regina music boxes. When the radio came around, that was the final nail in the coffin.

Sounds Distinctive

The main reason why Regina music boxes are so sought after is that they are considered the best sounding music boxes ever made. Regina music boxes after 1909 were particularly the best sounding, using a double comb device that made a far more intricate tune possible to be played on a little music box. The notes for most music boxes, including Regina music boxes, consist of bumps on a slowly turning metal cylinder. The music is placed when a bump strikes a metal comb, making a soft chime.

In consequence, Regina music boxes that still work are far more valuable and far more expensive than just any old Regina. If you do happen to invest in a silent Regina music box, keep in mind that you would have to find a repair shop to hand make replacement parts. This does not come cheap. The motors looked much like the motor for a wind-up watch.

Working Regina music boxes are priceless, bringing you back to a time when things were ea little less complicated and a little more devoted to the pleasures of the moment.

In America, there is a name brand of cheese known as Sorrento, including a highly regarded mozzarella, one of the quintessential cheeses of Italian cooking. Sorrento is a name for another uniquely Italian traditional sensory delight – Sorrento music boxes. They don’t just play a charming, achingly sweet tune, but their containers are works of high artistic value. They are a treat for the eyes as well as the ears.

Part Of Italian Heritage

Italy used to be one of the wealthiest countries in the world, not only during the height of the Roman Empire, but also during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, when it was the main port of worldwide trade. With all of its wealth, Italy’s upper classes could indulge in the sensual and the artistic. They hired innovative artists and craftsmen to make sumptuous art of all kinds. Sorrento music boxes certainly continue in this tradition.

Although the metallic music mechanism was arguably invented in Switzerland, Sorrento music boxes were the first to pair a unique sound with a unique display case. Even if Sorrento music boxes can’t play their tunes anymore, they are still highly sought after for their appearance of intricately wood inlaid boxes (called marquetry). This is a very difficult art form, requiring tremendous planning, patience and luck. No other make of music box has this inlaid wood artwork, not even Regina music boxes which came out in America.

What’s So Special About Inlaid Wood?

Instead of using crayons or paints to draw a picture, you instead use tiny pieces of wood (stained or not). A wood inlay becomes a huge labor-intensive project requiring a vast knowledge of wood. Sorrento music boxes often have about 15 different kinds of wood in them. Nowadays, the wood is often painted to keep up with demand and make it more colorful, but the oldest Sorrento Music Boxes can cost many thousands of American or Canadian dollars.

Marquetry is an art form that blossomed in Sorrento in the 1600’s, so it was only natural that it would pair another art form in Sorrento. The inlaid wood process cannot be duplicated by a machine. They must be done by hand. This is one reason why Sorrento music boxes are so expensive. But, they are unique piece of art, using the music box as a canvas. If you ever discover that you have been given a Sorrento music box, thank your lucky stars and get it insured.

Lovers of music boxes owe a great deal to tobacco snuff. The first music boxes were European snuff boxes that could play a charming little tune. Inevitably, someone thought, “Can we just have the tune without the snuff?” The first of these snuff-less music boxes (called musical boxes in Europe) were made in Switzerland in the 1800’s. One of the best music box maker was named Charles Reuge, who was originally a watchmaker. He started a factory that continues today making highly collectable art in the form of Reuge music boxes.

Highest Luxury

In the world of music box collecting, a Reuge is like Dom Perignon or Rolls Royce. Reuge music boxes are synonymous with luxury and prestige. You can’t just wake up one day and say, “I fancy popping down to the shop and picking up some Reuge musical boxes” – well, not unless you’re Donald Trump. Reuge music boxes often cost thousands of American dollars – even ones that are brand new.

Reuge music boxes are also usually considered the blueprint which all other kinds of music boxes copy. The Japanese Sankyo company produces highly collectable but more affordable music boxes – some of which are almost carbon-copies of Reuge music boxes. Sorrento music boxes combine the music-making mechanism of a Reuge with spectacular inlaid boxes. But the daddy of them all is considered to be a Reuge.

Functional Art

In keeping with the tradition of musical snuff boxes, Reuge music boxes often are functional as well as beautiful and tuneful. They make musical jewelry boxes, musical candle holders, musical clocks and musical tables. They come in a wide variety of sizes, materials and price tags. They also make musical bird figurines on top of boxes or clocks, called “singing birds”.

You can’t buy Reuge music boxes directly from the factory, but there are many authorized dealers of these eye and ear opening pieces of art. The factory is willing to make repairs for your music box and to help you with any value quotations or instructions, but please keep the questions reasonable and be aware that they get a lot of mail to plow through.

You can register your all of new Reuge music boxes with the factory in order to take advantage of a limited guarantee. You can download a copy of the guarantee online, which is sent to you in a PDF format, so you will need Abode Reader in order to see it.

It seems like almost anything in Europe, Canada or America these days is manufactured in Asia. It would be a shock to discover a music box that wasn’t made in Japan, China or Taiwan. Many of the same parts in a music box can also be found in modern Asian-made children’s toys, watches and mobiles. But the small Japanese music boxes are not only music to the ear, but music to the eye as well. They are highly sought after collectables. They are not as expensive as Reuge music boxes (which are Swiss made) which makes them a more affordable collectable.

Sankyo Seiki

The largest manufacturer of Japanese music boxes and other little gifts and objects that play music in the way a music box does is Sankyo Seiki (usually just called Sankyo). The company started in 1962 and claims that it is the largest manufacturer of music boxes in the world, let alone Japanese music boxes. It has modeled many of their Japanese music boxes on European-style music boxes.

One of the reasons people like collecting Sankyo music boxes is that the musical device which makes the tune can be removed so you can place a new tune inside of the save beautiful little box. Then, your Japanese music boxes become like record players and the cylinder and prong arrangement that makes the tune becomes like a very strange looking record. A new tune can cost as little as five American dollars – about the cost of a 33rpm record album in the 1970’s.

So Many Boxes, So Little Time

Sankyo Japanese music boxes come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and colors. Some look like beautiful little wooden keepsake boxes, while some are a combination of a jewelry box and a music box. Some are shaped like little pianos and some are shaped like very realistic violins. Some are porcelain-like figurines with a music box at the base. All of them are enchanting.

Japanese music boxes come in all musical and artistic tastes. Some of the figurines outdo the Precious Moments porcelain figurine series in sappiness. But even if you buy one in a fit of blind collection fever, there is a willing market ready to take the tackiest of your Japanese music boxes off of your hands. There is a thriving market for Japanese music boxes on the Internet on such online auction sites as eBay and iOffer. There are also many home businesses dealing in music boxes.