BERNARD NOVELL MUSIC BOXES
  • Welcome
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  • The Collection
    • Cartels >
      • 12/195 Lecoultre Freres Cartel
      • 12/129 NF Fat Cylinder
      • 8/130 Cuendet
      • 8/122 Ducummun-Girod
      • 8/97 Nicole Freres
      • 8/88 Pallard, Vaucher et Fils
      • 8/79 L'Epee Cartel
      • 8/78 Langdorff & Fils
      • 8/77 Bremond Drum & Bells
      • 8/77 Paillard Vaucher HE
      • 6/107 Nicole Freres
      • 6/104 Nicol Freres
      • 6/103 Unknown
      • 6/58 Ami Rivenc
      • 6/41 PVF Bells in sight
      • 4/78 Nicole Freres
      • 4/57 Unknown
      • 4/50 George Baker
      • 3/99 Cartel
      • 2/82 Rzebitschek
    • Tabatiéres >
      • 2/50 JGM Tabatiere
      • 2/55 Tortoiseshell
      • 2/59 Leather Cased Tabatiere
      • 2/52 US Ebony
      • 2/69 Ebony
      • 2/70 Brass / Oak Tabatiére
      • 3 Air Georgian Tabatiere
      • 3/57 Burr Walnut
      • 4/52 American Tabatiere
      • 4/61 Hamburg Tabatiere
      • 4/77 Mandoline Zither
      • 4/82 Fortisimo
      • 6/42 Bremond
      • 6/50 Petites Musique RD
      • 6/51 Petites Musique
      • 12/37 Ullmann
    • Classic
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      • Multiphone Manivelle
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  • The Workshop
    • In the Workshop >
      • Symphonion Brevete
      • 12/129 NF Fat Cylinder RD
      • 6/103 Unknown RD
      • 4/82 Chevob RD
      • 6/41 PVF Bells RD
      • 4/78 Nicole Freres RD
      • 2/51 Photo Album Tabatiere RD
      • Cigarette Box Conversions
    • Coming Soon >
      • 8/97 Nicole Freres RD
      • 8/77 Bremond Drum & Bells RD
      • 6/58 Ami Rivenc Cartel
    • How to restore a Music Box >
      • Mechanism Restoration
      • Case Restoration
      • Small mechanism restoration
  • Private Projects
    • 12/195 Lecoultre Freres RD
    • 12/72 Unknown RD
    • 8/130 Cuendet RD
    • 8/122 Ducummun Girod RD
    • 8/88 Paillard, Vaucher et Fils
    • 8/79 L'Epee RD
    • 8/78 Langdorff et Fills RD
    • 6/107 Nicole Freres RD
    • 6/104 Nicol Freres RD
    • 6/57 Cartel RD
    • 6/41 Ami Rivenc Cartel RD
    • 4/57 Unknown RD
    • 4/50 George Baker RD
    • 3/99 Opera Cartel RD
    • 6/50 Tabatiére
    • 3/70 Burr Walnut Tabatiére
    • 3/36 Silver Birch Tabatiére
    • 3/36 Small Oak Tabatiére
    • 3/36 Burl Walnut Tabatiére
    • 2/70 Piano Nécessaire
    • 2/50 Cuendet
    • 2/32 Painted Music Box
    • 2/18 Personalised Mahogany Box
    • 1/37 Personalised Mahogany Box
    • 1/37 Personalised Oak Box
    • 1/18 Carousel
    • Japanese Box
    • Do-terra Box
  • Commissions
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        • Bagatelle
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        • Necklace Box
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        • Writing Slope
    • Completed Commissions >
      • 12/72 Nicole Freres
      • 12/62 Paillard Vaucher
      • 8/77 Unattributed
      • 6/57 Cartel
      • 4/50 Reuge in Tunbridge Ware Music Box
      • 2/22 Trinket Box
      • Walnut Writing Slope
      • Sewing Boxes x 2
      • Tabatiere SG
      • Victorian Writing Slope 2
      • Tunbridge Ballerina Box
      • Pair of small 1/18 Boxes
      • Victorian Sewing Box
      • Victorian Writing Slope
      • Two small boxes
      • Seasons Photo Album
      • Queen Victoria Album
  • Shop
    • Stock >
      • For Sale by Auction >
        • 12/72 Unknown
        • 8/38 Mermod Freres
        • 8/25 Unknown in Oak Box
        • 6/57 Unknown
        • 6/41 Ami Rivenc
    • Sold >
      • 2/55 Photo Album
      • 1/18 Ex Mallorca box
      • 1/18 Georgian Box
      • Japanese Butterfly Box
      • Barrel Organ Manivelle Kit
      • 1/18 Balerina Jewellery Box
      • 2/22 Photo Album Movement
  • Links
    • Glossary of Terms

4/78 Nicole Freres mini cartel serial no 22508 circa 1842

Bought at auction October 2023. Excellent condition but not running.
A tiny cartel (box is just 195mm long) purporting to be by Nicole Freres. More likely to have been made by Lecoultre Freres I am told.
​Some damage to the comb, found to have been badly repaired using the wrong steel so will require substantial restoration.
Will go back to The Music Box Restorer at some stage
Picture


4th November, dismantling
Governor
Winder end
Spring barrel
Great wheel end
Cylinder bearings
Cylinder
Note: All screws in the wrong place! Doh!
Tune change bracket
Cast brass bedplate
Tiny Geneva Stop
Governor front
Governor back
Crane arm
All the small brass pieces ready for a bath
All the steel pieces ready for a bath
Mainspring
Bedplate partly cleaned
Bedplate cleaned and polished. Cylinder next
All components cleaned and polished. Now to reassemble. Then it can go to the tooth fairy!
Reassembly completed.
Spring barrel rear
Spring barrel with Geneva Stop engaged
Ratchet, pawl & arbor fitted
All screws in the right place
Spring motor fitted to bedplate
Governor first stage
Governor assembled
Other side
Governor fitted to bedplate
Cylinder polished and fitted
Running smoothly
The next stage is pin straightening
Mechanism complete
Screws in correct places
First polish
Controls and fixings
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Site last updated 6th June 2025


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  • Welcome
    • About
    • History
  • The Collection
    • Cartels >
      • 12/195 Lecoultre Freres Cartel
      • 12/129 NF Fat Cylinder
      • 8/130 Cuendet
      • 8/122 Ducummun-Girod
      • 8/97 Nicole Freres
      • 8/88 Pallard, Vaucher et Fils
      • 8/79 L'Epee Cartel
      • 8/78 Langdorff & Fils
      • 8/77 Bremond Drum & Bells
      • 8/77 Paillard Vaucher HE
      • 6/107 Nicole Freres
      • 6/104 Nicol Freres
      • 6/103 Unknown
      • 6/58 Ami Rivenc
      • 6/41 PVF Bells in sight
      • 4/78 Nicole Freres
      • 4/57 Unknown
      • 4/50 George Baker
      • 3/99 Cartel
      • 2/82 Rzebitschek
    • Tabatiéres >
      • 2/50 JGM Tabatiere
      • 2/55 Tortoiseshell
      • 2/59 Leather Cased Tabatiere
      • 2/52 US Ebony
      • 2/69 Ebony
      • 2/70 Brass / Oak Tabatiére
      • 3 Air Georgian Tabatiere
      • 3/57 Burr Walnut
      • 4/52 American Tabatiere
      • 4/61 Hamburg Tabatiere
      • 4/77 Mandoline Zither
      • 4/82 Fortisimo
      • 6/42 Bremond
      • 6/50 Petites Musique RD
      • 6/51 Petites Musique
      • 12/37 Ullmann
    • Classic
    • Manivelles >
      • Multiphone Manivelle
    • Disc Players
    • Bird Barrel Organ
    • Ceramic
    • Jewellery Boxes
    • Paperweights
    • Novelties
    • Non Musical Boxes
    • Other Items
  • The Workshop
    • In the Workshop >
      • Symphonion Brevete
      • 12/129 NF Fat Cylinder RD
      • 6/103 Unknown RD
      • 4/82 Chevob RD
      • 6/41 PVF Bells RD
      • 4/78 Nicole Freres RD
      • 2/51 Photo Album Tabatiere RD
      • Cigarette Box Conversions
    • Coming Soon >
      • 8/97 Nicole Freres RD
      • 8/77 Bremond Drum & Bells RD
      • 6/58 Ami Rivenc Cartel
    • How to restore a Music Box >
      • Mechanism Restoration
      • Case Restoration
      • Small mechanism restoration
  • Private Projects
    • 12/195 Lecoultre Freres RD
    • 12/72 Unknown RD
    • 8/130 Cuendet RD
    • 8/122 Ducummun Girod RD
    • 8/88 Paillard, Vaucher et Fils
    • 8/79 L'Epee RD
    • 8/78 Langdorff et Fills RD
    • 6/107 Nicole Freres RD
    • 6/104 Nicol Freres RD
    • 6/57 Cartel RD
    • 6/41 Ami Rivenc Cartel RD
    • 4/57 Unknown RD
    • 4/50 George Baker RD
    • 3/99 Opera Cartel RD
    • 6/50 Tabatiére
    • 3/70 Burr Walnut Tabatiére
    • 3/36 Silver Birch Tabatiére
    • 3/36 Small Oak Tabatiére
    • 3/36 Burl Walnut Tabatiére
    • 2/70 Piano Nécessaire
    • 2/50 Cuendet
    • 2/32 Painted Music Box
    • 2/18 Personalised Mahogany Box
    • 1/37 Personalised Mahogany Box
    • 1/37 Personalised Oak Box
    • 1/18 Carousel
    • Japanese Box
    • Do-terra Box
  • Commissions
    • Commissions & Restorations >
      • Repair Shop >
        • Bagatelle
        • Chequered Table
        • High Chair
        • Jewellery Box
        • Mills
        • Necklace Box
        • Music Box
        • Travel Box
        • Two boxes
        • Writing Slope
    • Completed Commissions >
      • 12/72 Nicole Freres
      • 12/62 Paillard Vaucher
      • 8/77 Unattributed
      • 6/57 Cartel
      • 4/50 Reuge in Tunbridge Ware Music Box
      • 2/22 Trinket Box
      • Walnut Writing Slope
      • Sewing Boxes x 2
      • Tabatiere SG
      • Victorian Writing Slope 2
      • Tunbridge Ballerina Box
      • Pair of small 1/18 Boxes
      • Victorian Sewing Box
      • Victorian Writing Slope
      • Two small boxes
      • Seasons Photo Album
      • Queen Victoria Album
  • Shop
    • Stock >
      • For Sale by Auction >
        • 12/72 Unknown
        • 8/38 Mermod Freres
        • 8/25 Unknown in Oak Box
        • 6/57 Unknown
        • 6/41 Ami Rivenc
    • Sold >
      • 2/55 Photo Album
      • 1/18 Ex Mallorca box
      • 1/18 Georgian Box
      • Japanese Butterfly Box
      • Barrel Organ Manivelle Kit
      • 1/18 Balerina Jewellery Box
      • 2/22 Photo Album Movement
  • Links
    • Glossary of Terms